Somewhere in the Echelon of Restaurant Fanciness, the humble bar and grill sits lumped in between…read moreyour standard pub/bar and a mediocre steakhouse. Not *everything* in the appetizer section comes from a freezer bag, but it's not nice enough that many first dates happen there either. No, the bar and grill is where you go with your long-time special someone when you're both looking for something decent to eat, but not too expensive, and are just happy to be enjoying each other's company and not doing dishes afterward. Your Honour, I present Exhibit A: Jacob's Lounge. When my wife and I first darkened their doorway, we met up here after work on a Friday, as we slowly started to cement a quasi-tradition of a cinq à sept to cap off our work week. We weren't feeling like going all-in on food, so we stuck with a couple apps and a round of adult beverages. Spinach and artichoke dip checked the box for our melted cheese craving, while some deep fried pepperoni felt like our patriotic duty as Nova Scotians. Despite a burgeoning Friday crowd, our food came out in short order. I can't say if I've ever had a spinach and artichoke dip that distinctly tasted like either of those two vegetables, but it's always a hot and cheesy mess that's hard to screw up, and this one was just as dependable as any that you've had. What helped raise Jacob's above many of their competitors was actually one of the dipping implements - a house-made, cheese-infused flatbread. It was good enough to have on its own, but it was perfect for scraping the bottom of the ramekin of every last dollop of dip. The deep fried pepperoni was supplied by Dartmouth's own 2 Boys Smokehouse, and while I loved the flavour, it seemed like the pepperoni needed another minute or two in the fryer and at a higher temp, as it wasn't quite as crispy as it could have been and was a bit greasy. A return visit had us again swinging by after work, although this time around we went for a more proper meal, one which even included vegetables that weren't blended up with cheese! Pizzas figure prominently on Jacob's menu, and seem to be something that they're known for, so I opted for the 12" Italian, which comes with pepperoni, Italian sausage, green pepper and red onion. They don't seem to advertise it on the menu (to their own detriment), but Jacob's does have a gluten-free crust option, and my wife got that with the meatball pizza. To add some green to our cheese and carb-tastic meal, we also got a Greek salad. Despite the fairly full restaurant, we had our food quickly once again. Jacob's pizzas are on the thicker end of the Pizza Thickness Spectrum, and while it was a little doughy, it was still fully cooked, and honestly I enjoyed it more than local chain pizza joints, whose pizza is flat and has no airiness or substance. It's hard to go wrong with the mix of toppings that I had, and they went right to end of the cornicione, which was golden brown and wonderfully crispy. A healthy dose of herbs added some further pops of flavour. My other half really enjoyed her pizza, with its hearty slices of meatballs and pops of freshness from the tomatoes and green pepper. She was most impressed with the crust, which held up much better than most gluten-free ones, as it was quite pliable and didn't crumble apart. The Greek salad was a welcome interlude for our taste buds. Lots of crisp veg, plus a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and an herby dressing to help cut through the rich pizzas. Jacob's pizzas all come in 9" or 12" sizes, and having opted for the latter, we ate half of each of our pizzas, leaving enough for a full meal on another day. Over the past decade, Jacob's has become a neighbourhood favourite, but I feel like it hasn't quite entered the whole city's collective culinary consciousness in the way that older places have, and I'm fine for it be Dartmouth's own little secret.

Best pizza ever! Great service. Try margarita with two boy…read morepepperoni and mushrooms! Fabulous

Although it's a shiny and new restaurant, there's probably no truer "hole-in-the-wall" joint than…read moreJohny's Pork Shack. They've taken over the alley/entrance of what had been Fujiyama and La Cave during my previous life in Halifax. The menu is small but draws from a few different influences - southern US barbecue, Tex-Mex, and Chinese - with the namesake through line of pork. I had come in thinking that I'd be getting some BBQ, but the Chinese elements of the menu were too tempting, and I went for the bao combo with fries and siu mai. Since I was dining-in and it was a cool evening, they were so nice and actually let me come around the counter to the seating area in a side room. At the time, it was still painted with Fujiyama's murals and a vibrant yellow, but it made for a quiet spot to wait for, and eat, my food in. The headline part of the meal, the bao, was more fusion than traditional, but I dug it. The pulled pork came with my choice of one of several sauces, and I liked how the sweetness complimented the meat. Some fresh cucumber, cabbage and carrot added some crunchy contrast. The bao bun was light and fluffy and held everything together well. Tucked in between the bao and fries, my three siu mai disappeared *very* quickly. Super juicy and tender, they were fantastic on their own, but the side of chili crisp took them to the next level. The fries were the crispy-coated type, and were an easy win. At only around $11 plus tax and tip, this felt like a crazy good bang for your buck! A return visit had me trying what I originally came for - the pork ribs. The combo comes with corn-on-the-cob and some rice, with that Asian influence sneaking in here as well. While I was waiting for my food, and it wasn't even long, I was kindly brought a couple dumplings to have while I waited. These guys rock! The ribs had a nice bit of char, and a light glaze on the exterior, but weren't too heavily seasoned or sauced. I don't think they were smoked, but they were wonderfully tender and juicy, and I liked that the pork stood on its own, rather than under a sugary slathering. I appreciated that the corn had a little bit of char from the grill as well, and while plain rice is a bit underwhelming as a side, I mixed in shredded bits of pork to amp it up. Johny's may not be what you expect, but it's all for the best as their service and especially their Asian offerings are top notch and more than worthy of your hard-earned dollars.

I went back here as my friends insisted. I hesitate to return due to the rising cost of their meals…read moreand the quality declining. Well, this just further justified why I do not spend my money here anymore $22-$28 for an eggs Benedict is ridiculous first of all. Second, their potatoes used to be so good but have been horrible for over a year and they give you the smallest portion. I also find the service to be so slow and everyone who works there is absolutely miserable. I paid almost $70 for my underwhelming and small brunch which included a specialty coffee and overpriced tiny caesar drink. This is the last time I'll go here. Go around the corner to Lionshead where you can get properly proportioned brunch dishes for a fraction of the price and service with a smile.

Not bad - first time there a few weeks ago- Got iced coffee…read morewith vanilla- delicious and priced well/ potatoes - roasted chunks/ not bad amount for 6$ price and a cinnamon bun- the bun was good as was the icing but the icing was actually real cream cheese- for me it was a bit much as I scrapped a lot off and would of still had enough to add on a bagel but it wasn't as sweet as I'd like it - otherwise I shall be back and try other items including I heard the sangria flight only thing is they close like 2 pm every day including weekends so day drinking it is!

After recently trying to go to Fran's shortly after the truck had taken up residence on its usual…read morespot on King St., and failing because it wasn't open yet, I was pleased to see that they were now posting their schedule on the Street Food App. After a not unreasonable bus ride and walk from the Dartmouth terminal, I was at this mobile, greasy spoon of an institution.  The menu is pretty compact, and is unsurprisingly focused on seafood, with the namesake fish and chips, as well as scallops and Digby clams. Fleshing out the options a bit, there's also burgers, hotdogs and deep fried sides like onion rings and poutine.  Having arrived a just after the lunch crowd would have dissipated, I was able to immediately walk up and place my order, which had to be a single piece of fish and chips. I chatted with the friendly woman working there (Fran herself?) and my food was ready within a few minutes. A table next to the truck was set up with cutlery, seasonings and condiments, including spray bottles of white and malt vinegars. With a few picnic tables set up next to the truck, I sat down in the lightly cool, spring air and dug in. The fish was a hefty size, more than enough to make me glad that I didn't get a second piece. I enjoyed the thick, crispy batter and the fresh fish that flaked easily as I cut it with my plastic fork. A cup of what appeared to be homemade tartar sauce, with a generous amount of chopped pickles or capers, added a creamy tang that went well with both the fish and the fries. The fries were hand-cut, and a very deep, golden brown, but weren't as crispy as I would have liked. They would likely benefit from a blanching in water to remove excess starch before frying, and a double fry.  I appreciated the paper plates, but unfortunately there was only a garbage can and no composting or recyclables bin. Fran's could use a little polishing on the truck and the fries, but one of the original food trucks in the city is definitely doing its fish right.

Homemade french fries. Well, technically, I guess they're truck-made french fries. But they are…read morefantastic! After seeing this little fish'n'chip truck in downtown Dartmouth for months, I decided to finally give them a go. Last year they disappeared when the weather turned cold so I thought it best to get my order of fries when I could. Since I'm a vegetarian, the menu options were limited so I went with the slightly-healthier-sounding french fries over onion rings. In Googling this place (to see if they had a Web site) I discovered the fries are hand-made in the truck each day. And you can tell. They're nice, thick-cut fries. I may have to head back soon to try the onion rings. For all you omnivores, they have fish (fresh from Eastern Passage, I'm told), seafood and burgers too. It was a good experience: just walk up, order, wait a minute, pay, and voila! food. Staff were friendly and happy to have my business.

Temporarily Halifax's newest food truck until some others hit the scene this summer, Firefly Feast…read morehas set up shop on Gottingen directly across from the North End Memorial Library, in between the creeping gentrification south of Cunard and the infamy of Uniacke Square, to dole out sandwiches and baskets of its sure to be menu staple "firefries". After showing up just a little bit too late on their opening day, I popped back over on a lovely Friday afternoon. Firefly's fire engine red trailer is cozied up with some hanging plants, making their corner of the parking lot a homey one, if your home is on wheels and smells like a fryer. Their menu was compact, comprising of four sandwiches - a Monte Cristo with berry compote, jerk chicken with pineapple slaw, hoisin pulled pork, and a steak sandwich - and their firefries which are a mix of thin shoestring fries, sweet potato fries and crispy fried onions. You can get a combo with a sandwich, firefries and a drink for a respectable $12, taxes in. I went with a Monte Cristo combo, because who doesn't like what is effectively a ham and cheese between French toast? It was a short wait as things were pretty quiet towards the end of their business day, and soon I had a basket of firefries and one for my sandwich in hand(s). I went across the street to sit on a library bench since the gravel parking lot and grassy abandoned lot weren't particularly inviting. The fries were fantastic - all crisp and well seasoned with sea salt, and the rich, creamy aioli on the side was great for dipping. The Monte Cristo is typically a ham and cheese, dipped in egg wash and fried. Mine seemed to be ham-less, but the cheese was plentiful, and nicely melted and stringy. The egg wash added another layer of flavour and the strawberry and blueberry compote was sweet and delicious. It made the sandwich soggy and messy, but that's what napkins are for. If you're in the neighbourhood or even in the proximity, swing by for the firefries for sure. Myself, I'm looking forward to trying more of the menu and continuing to watch this area evolve.

Ok....I am a huge supporter of local, food trucks and this one deserves to be talked about! I was…read morelucky enough to try it at the North by Night Market and was sooo happy I did! They typically have 2-3 food trucks and I had already tried the others, so why not...I thought. First off...the selections of sandwiches were incredible. The flavor combinations and ingredient choices are obviously done by someone who really loves food and understands it. That is most definitely what I am looking for in any food service establishment. Then I tried the firefries, which are an upgrades version of normal food truck delicious fries...if you can imagine. Combining regular and sweet potato fries and with a delicious garlic-y dipping sauce...YES PLEASE! Their prices are completely reasonable and for what you get, it is definitely worth tracking them down!

We tried a couple of the craft beers and split the Caesar salad and fried chicken poutine. They…read morehave a great selection of beers and also live music which we did not hear because we were there at lunchtime. Everything was delicious!

My wife and I were visiting A friend in NS and I stopped at…read moreNew Scotland Brewing for a cold one after catching the ferry from Halifax. My fav? The Rampant Lion, NEIPA!

The second of two new pizza-focused food trucks to open up in the city this year, Pirate Pizza has…read moreset up shop near the top of Kempt Road in the heart of fast food chain country. On one of my days off that had favorable weather, I bussed up from my apartment to give them a try. Their large black trailer is hard to miss, loaded up with business info and a basic menu. In contrast to their Bedford-based competition, they've taken a more typical Nova Scotian approach to pizza, serving up slices and whole pizzas, subs and donairs. Another account on Sysco's books. Arriving in the early afternoon, I was able to scoop up their meat lover's slices, and a bottle of water for $6. Being a nice day, I decided to enjoy my pie on a walk home. The slice had a generous topping of pepperoni, hamburger and Italian sausage bits, and a nice spread of cheese underneath. The crust was on the thicker side, and was airy enough to not be too dense. Pirate Pizza way not be trail blazing, gourmet pizza, but they're serving up accessible food and sticking it to big fast food corporations, so that's good enough for me.

Hugo's is awful. Full stop…read more I've been there maybe 3-4 times, always disappointed and regret going. We've ordered the wings and the poutine. The poutine is a bowl of gravy, a few strands of mozza, and a disproportionately small amount of fries. I mean it tastes fine/average, like something you'd get from a takeout pizza joint, but you're paying for a bowl of gravy. The wings are worse. The quality of the wings themselves are low. Not much meat, brittle bones that crumble and stab your mouth, and you can usually spot leftover feathers. There was some chicken wing "festival" last summer, and it baffles me that Hugo's actually won best wings, of the maybe 4-5 vendors. But now of course, they use this and advertise award winning, best wings in the city. The sauce is just watered down Dave's sauce, which the owner admitted to in Facebook. If you LOVE Dave's just go to Gateway and buy your own jug, spare yourself the trip to this hole. The staffs nice though, and the prices are usually acceptable. That's the best I can say about it.

Best wings in the city! And fantastic people! Worth the…read moretrip over the bridge from Halifax