With 13,000 km of coastline, it’s no wonder why Nova Scotia is a bucket list destination for travellers. Its rugged beauty is only matched by its epic food scene of unique tastes, hands-on experiences and sippable beverages.
Our Nova Scotia Foodie Bucket List
Want to know what we’re jazzed up about when it comes to planning a foodie trip to Nova Scotia? Keep reading for our top 17 tastes of place we’re excited to experience this year!
Sea to Table Lobster Adventure
Where: 2017 Lower Prospect Rd. Lower Prospect, NS. (View Map)
Join the folks at East Coast Outfitters for a two-hour guided sea kayak paddle. You’ll venture into quiet bays and inlets to the fishing village of Lower Prospect where you’ll hop onto a working lobster boat!
Meet a local fisherman, learn about Nova Scotia’s lobster fishing history and enjoy a day out on the water.
Once you’re done, you’ll head back to the dock at East Coast Outfitters for a traditional lobster dinner as the sun sets over the ocean. Prepared by Chef Dennis Johnston, you’ll sip and savour a fresh catch and a beautiful day together.
The Shore Club
Where: 250 Shore Club Rd. Hubbards, NS. (View Map)
Epic East Coast hospitality awaits at the historic Shore Club! With almost 90 years of drool-worthy lobster dinners under their belts, this is a must-stop for those looking to take a bite out of Halifax’s food scene (pun intended).
Running from the middle of May to early October each year, visitors sit at a long, shared table covered in red and white gingham and dive into a dinner of lobster, steamed mussels, salads and Nova Scotia’s blueberry grunt for dessert.
The dinner isn't the only reason to visit the Shore Club though. Known as Nova Scotia’s Last Great Dance Hall, live music acts like Matt Mays, Bahamas and more stop through every summer.
Nova Scotia Chowder Trail
Where: Stops across Nova Scotia
There’s no better way to really get a sense of Nova Scotia’s food traditions than over a bowl of seafood chowder made with ingredients straight from those beautiful coastlines.
The Nova Scotia Chowder Trail consists of 44 trail stops from Yarmouth to Nelis Harbour. With pre-selected routes, this self-guided trail allows you to collect stamps, win prizes and of course enjoy some damn good chowder along the way.
The Devour! Food Film Festival
Where: Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Each October, Wolfville, Nova Scotia welcomes over 15,000 visitors to the Devour! Food Film Festival. The largest of its kind in the world, this week-long celebration of all things food and film welcomes top global chefs and filmmakers into the program’s spotlight with over 100 events throughout the week.
Thinking of making the trip? You’re in great company! The likes of Anthony Bourdain, Chef Meg Bickford and more have all participated. Catch a great food film, learn about new topics in the culinary world and of course, eat some delicious food!
Embark on an extraordinary gastronomic odyssey set against the backdrop of the world’s most dramatic and highest tides.
Begin your journey by unravelling the mysteries of Nova Scotia’s wild edibles and indulge in a lunchtime seafood feast where you’ll have the pleasure of meeting the chef and enjoying your fresh catches alongside beer and wine pairings.
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of the ocean floor during a guided tour and later find yourself seated at a dining table with panoramic views of the incoming tide for an intimate 3-course dinner.
Conclude this enchanting experience with a celestial ocean floor campfire, creating unforgettable memories for years to come.
Halifax Brewery Market
Where: 312-1496 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS. (View Map)
When: Saturday mornings
Discover this charming market that dates back to the 1800s! Just steps from Halifax’s stunning waterfront, you’ll be dazzled by what you find.
Enjoy the truly east coast charm of buskers playing music as you stroll stalls of vendors selling fresh local produce, tasty baked goods, warm beverages and artisan wares. You know us, we love starting a trip with a visit to the farmers’ market and this one helps set the stage for a truly delicious trip!
Halifax’s wine region is your oyster on these tours! From Winter Wine Escapes to Wine & Lunch Escapes and tours that correspond with Nova Scotia’s Ice Wine Festival, there are loads of ways to discover the unique terroir that makes Nova Scotia one of Canada’s best places to produce wine.
Nova Scotia Lobster Trail
Where: Stops across Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Lobster Trail is all about the freshest catch from ocean to plate! Discover almost 30 trail stops across the province serving up authentic lobster dishes (and more)!
Along the way, you’ll collect stamps and prizes! How much better could this get? Go on, let’s see what you crack into.
Enjoy a Donair in Halifax
Where: At these stops
Try the official food of Halifax more than once! Brought here in the 1970s from Greece, the donair was created when two brothers swapped lamb for ground beef and added a sweetened sauce when their lamb kebabs weren’t selling well in Halifax.
Fast forward to today and it’s one of the province’s (and dare we say the country’s) most beloved foods! Here’s where you need to try it in Halifax.
Glenora Inn & Distillery
Where: 13727 Highway 19, Mabou, NS. (View Map)
One of Canada’s Top 100 restaurants on Where to Eat in Canada, Glenora Inn and Distillery is Canada’s first single malt whiskey distillery.
Embracing the vibrant Scottish culture that is alive and well on Cape Breton Island, this spot offers up on-site tours, world-class dining and the coziest of accommodations overlooking park-like grounds.
Nova Scotia Good Cheer Trail
Where: Stops across Nova Scotia
An homage to the Order of Good Cheer (L’Ordre du Bon Temps) which was established in Nova Scotia in 1606 to assist with winter survival, the Nova Scotia Good Cheer Trail is Canada’s first and only winery, brewery, distillery, cidery and meadery trail. In short, it celebrates bringing people together over delicious Nova Scotia food and drink.
With almost NINETY stops on the trail, you can grab a passport, collect stamps and ultimately win some pretty sweet prizes. What are you waiting for?
Fortress of Louisburg
Where: 259 Pk Service Rd, Louisbourg, NS. (View Map)
You may not think of the Fortress of Louisburg as a culinary destination but…you’d be wrong. Home to King’s Bakery and the Hotel de la Marine, you’ll want to add this to your Nova Scotian Bucket List for more than the history lesson (which is fascinating by the way).
Hotel de la Marine is an old-school tavern that will have you stepping back into the 1740s. A place for sailors, soldiers and workmen to gather, this spot boasts tasty meals alongside Bordeaux wines, rum, brandy and liqueur, coffee and more. Don’t expect anything more than a spoon to eat with as most people here at the time ate with their own pocket knives.
Step into this historic bakery (restored post a 1756 fire) and order up a loaf of soldiers’ bread- a mix of 80% whole wheat and 20% rye flour. Trust us, you might want more than one.
Big Spruce Brewing
Where: 64 Yankee Line Rd, Baddeck, NS. (View Map)
Posted up on a beautiful 100 acres of Cape Breton farmland, Big Spruce Brewing has stunning views of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Bras D’Or Lake. That’s not even the best part!
Step inside to discover their lineup of ingredient-driven brews made with organic grains and hops from the farm. From their One Hundred Cape Breton Organic Wild Ale to the Just Shilling Organic 80 Shilling Scottish Ale and all the beers in between, there are a lot of reasons to visit.
Plus, if you like it (you will), then luckily Big Spruce Brewing ships across the country!
Kiju’s
Where: 50 Maillard St, Membertou, NS. (View Map)
Meaning mother in Mi’kmaq, Kiju’s is all about quality ingredients, friendly service and nourishing families for generations to come.
With seasonal menus that change regularly, you’ll see the Mi’kmaq culture on the plate in everything from their Four Cent Bread Skillet with Traditional Mi’kmaq fry bread and sweet grass molasses to their seafood chowder with fresh haddock, salmon and more.
Kiju’s also offers up cooking classes for those looking for an experiential twist!
Compass Distillers
Where: 2533 Agricola St, Halifax, NS. (View Map)
Compass Distillers has been making quite a splash in Halifax’s craft beverage scene, racking up over 75 awards since they kicked off production in 2017.
When you step into this cool, cylindrical distillery and tasting bar up in North End Halifax, you’re in for a treat with their top-notch spirits that have a strong local vibe. They whip up everything from gin to vodka to whisky, all crafted from grains grown in the province along with a few choice ingredients like sugar and molasses.
Gin lovers will fall head over heels for their use of local botanicals like juniper, cucumber, butterfly pea flower and ginger- giving a truly unique Nova Scotian twist to their spirits.
Take a guided tour of the distillery to see the whole grain-to-glass process in action. You’ll get an inside look at milling, mashing, fermentation, and distillation. Plus, cap off the tour with a custom flight of Compass spirits for the perfect finish.
Curated Food Tours Halifax
Where: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Embrace the deliciousness that is Halifax with Curated Food Tours! You’ll find not only the shining stars of the city but some hidden gems and local favs along your way.
Whether you’re eating your way through Spring Garden or Quinpool Road, your three-hour tasting tour will feature six stops and endless unique tastes. From craft beer to sushi and just about everything in between, you’ll see (and taste) Halifax in a whole new way.
Good Robot Brewing:
Where: 14 Industrial Way, Elmsdale, NS. (View Map)
Hang out in Halifax’s North End and you’ll stumble upon the awesomeness that is Good Robot- your one-stop-shop for brewery vibes, a chill bar, tasty bites and a rad beer garden. This place is all about playful vibes and shaking up the brewing scene.
At Good Robot, the brewing maestros are all about thinking outside the box and brewing up the most mind-blowing flavours in the city.
Imagine beers that are like a wild mixtape of eclectic, eccentric and totally out-there ingredients. From foraged materials and impulse decisions, come some truly unconventional and oh-so-tasty sips.
Nova Scotia is One Delicious Province
It’s no secret that Nova Scotia is a truly delicious and unique province. This Atlantic beauty is a must-visit for any food lover coming to Canada and we couldn’t be prouder to share some of the many tastes of place unique to the province.
Ready to start planning your getaway? Visit our Nova Scotia page to get going!
