Cows - Halifax

Having been named the world's best ice cream, Cows, with a location in Halifax, offers new and interesting flavors in large portions. The location in Halifax, on the waterfront, is open seasonally, and serves ice cream and sells the famous Cows merchandise.

We tried (on multiple occasions), the Messie Bessie and Chocolate Mud. On a second round, we shared a two scoop sundae, (which was massive), with Cows most popular flavor, Wowie Cowie, and Brownie Explosion, covered in hot fudge, walnuts and whipped topping, all in their fresh made waffle bowls.

We completely understand why Cows has been named the best ice cream in the world, it is delicious.  If you ever see a Cows anywhere you are in Canada, make sure you stop in...you will NOT regret it!!!

The Middle Spoon

We came across The Middle Spoon while walking around downtown Halifax. The name intrigued us, so did the sign out front that welcomed guests to try a strawberry beer cocktail (what?!).

However, we thoroughly enjoyed the Chocolate Lava Cake, which was served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was delicious.

This dessert restaurant is open until 1 a.m. and has a fantastic dessert menu (obviously) and a long cocktail list, as well as a wine and bubbly list. This is definitely a fun, lounge-y stop for a group of friends or a special night out.

The Loose Cannon Pub

Argyle St. in Halifax is definitely a dining mecca in, and right at the edge of Argyle St. and Barrington St. is the Loose Cannon Pub. While we ordered more run of the mill Scottish food, this is the only pub that we saw that serves haggis (yum?).

We ordered the bangers and mash and the steak and potato stew. Both were delicious and the outdoor dining on the lovely Halifax evening made the restaurant even better.

Hart & Thistle

On a nice day, enjoying dinner on the waterfront at one of Halifax's downtown restaurants is the place to be. Hart and Thistle, in Halifax's Historic Properties, has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and some of the outdoor seating faces the water.

We ordered the bacon cheeseburger as well as the fish and chips. Both were served with fresh cut Prince Edward Island french fries. The fish and chips were tender and crispy and plentiful. The fries were amazingly good.

The bar also brews their own beer, something extreme. We tried their house brew, the Hop Mess Monster, a Double IPA. It was incredibly bitter but very good. The bar sells their house beers in 8 oz. and 16 oz. sizes, so you can get a trial size cheaper before indulging in a large one, especially if you are unsure about the beer.

The Lower Deck

The lowest of a trio of restaurants along the Halifax Harbor, and aptly named, the Lower Deck, is a fun, family oriented bar and restaurant. It had a very laid back atmosphere, and in the evenings, at least on the weekends, has live bands.

We ordered the bangers and mash and chicken cordon bleu sandwich, which was the special of the day. Both were delicious, and the honey mustard served with the bangers and mash was delicious and tasted clearly homemade.

The fries that are served with the sandwiches are fantastic and addictive.

The Maxwell's Plum

Walking up to the Halifax Citadel from downtown Halifax, we stopped at The Maxwell's Plum for lunch. On the weekends, Maxwell's Plum has a brunch special, with 3 eggs, 5 strips of bacon, 2 slices of toast, and potatoes, for $2.50 when you buy a beverage. You can also get the breakfast any time of day for the regular price.

However, we ordered the honey garlic wings, which were sticky and sweet, and had the perfect crunch on the outside, while keeping the chicken moist. We also ordered the chicken quesadilla, which was wonderful tasting. There were big chunks of tomatoes and chicken and it had a wonderful taste.

Kedy's Inlet Restaurant

Kedy's Inlet Restaurant, at Mahone's Bay, just purchased the restaurant, which sits at the bend just before entering the downtown of Mahone's Bay. On a nice day, from the outdoor seating, guests can see the reflection of the three churches on the bay.

When we dined here, Kedy's Inlet was still working on their new menu, however, we ordered the egg salad sandwich (which was delicious and I hope continues to stay on their menu), as well as their creamy fettuccine with chicken. The chicken was dry, but the alfredo sauce was perfect and delicious.

Economy ShoeShop Cafe & Bar

One of Argyle Street's original restaurant's is the Economy ShoeShop Cafe and Bar. The story behind the name is pretty unique: when the owner opened the restaurant, with little money to purchase a sign, bought a neon "Economy ShoeShop" sign from a thrift store and hung it in the window.

The restaurant itself is probably as unique as the name. While the front half of the inside is very modern sleek, the back half looks like an enchanted forest (frog prince and all!). However, of all the places we dined in Halifax, this was probably the most expensive location and the least tasty (not that it was bad, just not as yummy).

We ordered the fish and chips and a flat bread with chicken. The fish and chips was good, lightly battered. The fish was moist and flaky, but the batter was soft and not crispy.

The flat bread was a mix of very good ingredients, but we couldn't figure out how to eat it. It was cut like a pizza, but there was too much topping to eat it like a pizza. Yet, you couldn't get everything on a fork to eat it that way either.

While this place was fun to sit and enjoy the surroundings, I would recommend coming for drinks and skipping dinner.

BeaverTails

Walking around Halifax Harbor, we came across this little stand selling, what they called, BeaverTails. BeaverTails are a fried dough product topped with chocolate, or icing, or some sort of filling, and then topped with a candy, depending on your choice.

They also sell Beaver Bites, which are little balls of fried dough with ice cream.

We ordered a BeaverTail with chocolate, peanut butter and Reese's Pieces. These are perfect to share (although, you might want to get your own). They are made when you order them, so they are served warm, which means the chocolate, peanut butter and the pieces all get melty. Yum! Grab lots and lots of napkins, because it can get messy.

Best Western Plus Dartmouth Hotel & Suites

Halifax has numerous hotel choices, and they can get pretty pricey.  However, if you're willing to take a 10 minute drive, across the water in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is the Best Western Plus Dartmouth Hotel & Suites.  While not having the perfect location, it is a pretty easy drive from here into Halifax, which only costs $1 to cross the bridge (each way).  They offer free parking, which no hotel in Halifax seems to do, and they cost almost half as much as the city hotels, which is a major positive.

The hotel itself is quite clean in both the lobby and the rooms.  The staff is very friendly, including the restaurant staff where we had drinks one night and breakfast each morning (which is included in the price).  The rooms are spacious and have good noise reduction from any noises in the hallway or other rooms.  The beds are comfortable and the housekeeping staff does a good job each day.

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

Right in the center of the waterfront of Halifax, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a tribute to the city of Halifax's history as a bustling seaport.  This museum features various exhibits on shipwrecks, but the most popular is of course the Titanic, which is now honoring the 100th anniversary of the sinking.  This new, permanent exhibit shows various artifacts recovered from the ship - like jewelry, shoes, china, wreckwood and more - along with a history of the ship and how Halifax contributed to the rescue and recovery efforts.

Another key feature to the museum is the talking parrot, Merlin, who'll spout out phrases such as "Polly want a cracker" and "Peak a boo".  There is even a cat on the grounds and when he comes near Merlin, the parrot will say "Here Kitty, Kitty".

This is definitely a must-visit for anyone coming to the Halifax waterfront and for all Titanic or shipwreck aficionados.

Alexander Keith's Brewery Tour

In Nova Scotia, when one thinks of beer, one thinks of Alexander Keith's line of beers.  This brewer has become the de facto beer for the province over the years and can be found at basically any bar in the region.

At the original site of the brewery, you can take a tour giving a glimpse into the history of both the brewery, as well as Halifax.  Actors and actresses dressed up in 19th century clothing provide the tour trying to make you feel as if it was still the 1800s.  They even put on a singing and dancing performance for you while you get to sample Alexander Keith's beers.  During the tour, you get to have two full beers to try, including the famous India Pale Ale.  For those underage, there are lemonade and iced tea options as well.

Peggy's Cove

About 45 minutes from Halifax is Peggy's Cove, a small fishing village in the south-central portion of Nova Scotia.  This village, with a population of around 60, has at the very end of it one of the most photographed spots in North America, with their lighthouse on a series of boulders.

It's a gorgeous site to see, and we'd recommend anyone who is in the area to make the trip.  However, it does get filled with tourists, so if you'd like to enjoy it without 100 other people there at the same time, plan an early morning trip.

There is ample parking here, along with a large gift shop and restaurant next to the parking lot.

Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic

Right on the water in downtown Lunenburg, the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is in a bright red building celebrating the life of a fisherman.  On the first floor is an aquarium, showcasing mostly various sea life that fishermen seek out rather than unique and pretty fish that are typically seen in aquariums.  There is even an extremely rare blue lobster named "Popeye" on display.  Another great fish to see is the flatfish, which is a fish that has both eyes on the same side of the body and seems to always be "laying down".

On the next floor, you can view various types of fishing ships and equipment used in this industry.  For anyone who is a fishing fan, this is a great place to learn more about the history of fishing.  There are also two fishing boats in the dock that one can visit.

Swissair Flight 111 Crash Memorial

Located right outside of Peggy's Cove, there is a memorial to those who perished in the Swissair Flight 111 Crash in 1998.  The plane crashed into the sea about 5 miles from shore between the towns of Peggy's Cover & Bayswater.  All 229 of the passengers and crew aboard the flight died and this memorial was created in their honor.  It is a simple memorial, but touching.  It is easy to get to being on Route 333 heading north from Peggy's Cove.  We'd recommend anyone leaving Peggy's Cove heading toward the Lunenburg area make a quick stop here.

Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

In the center of Halifax, Nova Scotia, is the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.  This star shaped fort overlooks the entire city, and offers quite a view of the downtown area and waterfront.  Surrounded by a significant amount of green space for a city, the Citadel is a place where you can learn about the history of the fort in Halifax with customed actors portraying historical characters such as bagpipers and cannoneers.

There are regularly occurring tours to walk you through the history of the Citadel, which any history buff will find interesting.


There is a decent amount of parking here, but if you're already parked elsewhere downtown, it's easy to walk here, as long as you don't mind an uphill climb.

Fairview Cemetery

Fairview Cemetery is best known as the resting place for over 100 victims of the Titanic disaster.   The city of Halifax was key to the rescue effort of this tragedy, as well as the recovery of the unfortunate victims.  The bodies here are all marked with a small gravestone listing the name, date of death, as well as an identification number that was used before the body was identified.  Still, about one-third of the graves were never positively identified.

There is one very touching grave for an unidentified child, where people still lay toys and teddy bears to honor the young who died during this sinking.

For anyone who has an interest in the history of the Titanic, this visit is a must see.  However, this is still an active cemetery, so be courteous of others on the grounds.

Halifax Public Gardens

A beautiful piece of landscaping, the Halifax Public Gardens, located in downtown Halifax is a gorgeous place to take a stroll, have a picnic or just take a seat and relax.  These gardens are well-maintained and off a variety of plant life to please your eyes.

In the center is a large lake, which helps to enhance the scenery.  In one corner, there is also a model of the Titanic sitting in the water, as an homage to the ship that sank 100 years ago and had its survivors rescued by  residents of Halifax.  There are also some large geese in the park to view.

When taking a walk through Halifax, this is a great place to spend 30 minutes to an hour to get out of the city type of mind-set.