Um what?? I have literally driven past this place hundreds of times on my way to just about anywhere else and never even gave it a second glance until curdled milk, a temperamental espresso machine, and running late for a meeting practically shoved me into their front door. And guys? Please let this review be the catalyst to get you in there. It'll be much easier than that morning was for me and you really should check this one out. Probably under the local radar based on the outdated stereotypes about their location, Alteregos is a equal parts a local hotspot for in-the-know North Enders, and a first impression for visitors staying in the connected hostel. Definitely a strong alternative feel, perhaps even bordering on grunge, this café might actually be one of the hippest that we've got and I can't help but feel like people still don't know about it. The staff behind the counter were friendly and efficient even after I ordered three lattés to go at the front of a growing line. They made great coffee with smiles on their faces and even stopped me on the way out to thank me for leaving a tip. Uh guys? YOU DESERVED IT. I didn't manage to try any of the food (again...I was running late) but the menu ranges from bagels to burritos with local ingredients, vegetarian alternatives, and unique combinations that I can't wait to go back for. Plus? The prices look like they have some of the best deals in the city - so as long as the food measures up, I may have found a new favourite! read more

Alteregos Cafe & Catering - Cafes Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Their breakfast sandwich is wonderful with all the yummy stuff you could dream of, egg, avocado, bacon, mayo, lettuce, Sriracha, and cheese all served on a bagel? Breakfast sandwich for the soul! The staff were also very kind and helpful. The environment was cozy and bright. A great place to pop in for a hot beverage or somewhere to while away an afternoon. read more

I've been back to Alteregos a couple times recently and have been even more impressed! Delicious breakfast options and generally a little something no matter what you're feeling like. I had to stop in at work on my day off a couple weeks ago and ended up skipping lunch. The berry smoothie and Alteregos was more than enough to compensate for and definitely on par with some of the fancy smoothie places around town ie: pete's and booster juice. Great ambiance too! read more

In the summer on a hot sunny day, my mother and I ended up at Alteregos. We were greeted by friendly folk and good music. We order iced coffees and sat on the patio, watching the Agricola traffic pass us by. This café/hostel is a really neat spot. They have a friendly staff, good eats and good coffee. The space is lovely, with lots of literature to peruse while you enjoy a bevie or a snack. Just last week, I attended an event that was catered by Alteregos. The food was lovely - little berry muffins, squares and sweets, as well as coffee and tea. If you feel like a read but don't have your book, or are simply craving a cup-o-joe, give Alteregos a whirl. read more

Alteregos Cafe & Catering - Cafes Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I must say, I'm kind of a newb when it comes to Gottingen. While searching for good and hearty cafe goodness, Alterego's seemed inviting enough from the outside. Upon opening the door you become immediately overwhelmed with coolness. From chalk boards, to books, to horoscopes.... it's a pretty jammin' spot. Although the majority of the seats were taken up by book readers and finger twidlers, I did manage to squeeze a spot to sit. I was in a hurry so I only got a bagel with cream cheese but it didn't disappoint. The guy behind me (who was clearly a regular) ordered a alter veego sandwich with extra cheese (WANT). I was also highly jealous of the broad beside me which her cappuccino. So alterego, I will be returning for some caffeine goodness. Not to mention, their music? Stellllllllllar. read more

Alterego's captures the spirit of Gottingen. It is cozy, affordable, and filled with a wide variety of awesome people. It is obvious that they act as a beacon of the community and a support structure for the neighbourhood. I had the iced coffee (delicious) and tried their salmon bagel which was okay. Their go to menu item: The AlterEggo seems to be a big hit, and delicious enough my wife didn't share. Check them out! read more

If you aren't looking for this place, you're going to walk by it a gazillion times and think to yourself "self, I really need to come back to this place and check it out" and then forget that you wanted to check it out. Dear Alter Ego Cafe: I'm sorry I walked by almost every day the first 6 months that I lived on Gottigen street and never came by for your delicious coffee, your kick ass baristas and that bumpin music I always hear coming from inside. As luck would have it a few weeks ago Meegan and I had to stop in at our local MP's office that sits almost next door to Alter Ego. Had we not been so eager (read early) to get there we might have missed another opportunity to see what alter ego had to offer. MP's office was still closed but Alter Ego was open and thank the universe for that because people this place is about as awesome as it gets. I do love my Starbucks and am grateful that it's literally a stone's throw away from my front door but even I get bored with the cookie cutter atmosphere and am in need of something not only pleasing to my coffee palate but something so down right funky my eyes have a field day as well. Alter Ego is just the place. So much to look at you'll forget that you came in for coffee. Books line the shelves for your reading pleasure, art lines the walls (and by art I mean pictures, postcards, chalk drawings oh my!). The music was a mix of reggae and hip hop that made me want to shake my booty and dance around like I was the only person in a bright spot light on the middle of the dance floor (okay that might be an exaggeration but not much). Definitively not your regularly scheduled XM satellite station. The place is small up front but if you can snag a window seat, I promise you you'll want to stay all day. I didn't have any food but it looked really good and the prices on the hand written chalk board were very reasonable. Here's a little something I didn't know until I walked in; it's also a Hostel. People this place is like a beacon in the night... read more

A staple in the neighborhood. Great food and coffee. This place represents the area well and I couldn't support a north end establishment more. Free wifi and is a very comfortable place to hang out and work or meet a friend. They also have great music on weekend nights. read more

Alteregos was a lovely stumble-upon for my sister and I during a recent venture. At this stage in the season, patio dining still registers as a foreign concept for me; thus, every new siting is accompanied by an overeager tinge of bliss. On this day, Alteregos is all decked out and calling my name. The vibes of this cafe are set amongst the colorful happenings of Gottigen Street. There is a definite warmth here, as it embraces low-key reading, and the appetite for conversation all the same. Its a common spot for both locals and travelers to grab a bite, a read, a coffee, a convo. Everyone seems welcome and coexisting in a neutral state of flux. The menu's vegan and vegetarian options were a nice surprise, along with the regular bevvie and baked goods assortment. For my first visit, I opted for a straight-up strawberry and banana smoothy-- which was delicious. Katie went for a muffin and coffee, and was fully impressed. This is an all around neat spot. Alteregos does its own thing, and it works very well. Great energy, yummy bites, good crowd. read more

My favorite place to go and work on writing or to hangout and read. This is the cutest little cafe with exceptional service and the best choice for music. Awesome coffee, great happy hour beer prices. I'll never complain read more

This cafe is in front and below a youth hostel called Halifax Backpackers. The hostel that was open on Christmas eve when I was thrown out of my house. Because it was nighttime, December and I was a young, lone female I believe this hostel saved my life that night. But I'm not reviewing the hostel, I'm talking about the Cafe. If you have been you have had the Buddah Bowls. The people working there are just real, genuine people. The owner of both cafe and hostel and she is a saint. There is a bookshelf with an array of delightfully odd and obscure books and a sunny window seat where it can be just you...or just you and someone else, the bookcase tucks you into that sweet, little warm space~but it's always hard to get because most want to sit there! I think this place is great. read more

My go-to for "damn fine coffee" in the heart of Halifax. I love this spot. It's a weekend tradition of mine to go there, read the newspaper (how vintage!), and have a coffee with a bit of breakfast. They have a bunch of different breakfast sandwiches that are relatively cheap and very tasty. It's not Tim Horton's, so you don't get your food in two minutes, but it's totally worth it. On Sundays you can order a full breakfast which takes a bit longer but is pretty delicious. Your plate will be heaping with fresh fruit, fried potatoes, and other goodies. Great food, amazing coffee, and, bonus, SUPER NICE STAFF! Sometimes coffee shops attract surly folk to work the counters, but not these guys. They are super sweet, very chatty, and extremely fast. Je t'aime, Alteregos. read more

It was by pure happenstance that I wandered in here. Being a little new to Halifax I was off on a venture when I got a little turned around. I had initially gone into Alteregos to ask for help on getting home. Once I was pointed in the right direction, I actually didn't want to leave the store. I bought myself a coffee and grabbed one of the books they have for patrons to read. It took me a while to choose something interesting since they certainly had quite a bit to borrow. The coffee was nicely brewed and certainly warmed my insides. I liked the menu they had because it was vegetarian or healthy choices. I enjoyed sitting there for a while just reading my literature and watching the people walk by. It seemed like quite a popular place, and I think I can see why. It's cozy, quaint, and very welcoming. read more

Ahhh Alterego's! One of my favourite spaces, north end or otherwise. I dig that it's filled with books for the perusing and folks from all over the neighbourhood/country/globe. I never know who'll be parked on the sunny street-side patio or what language I might overhear. I love the breakfast sandwich - egg and cheese and sprouts/greens on a bun that is english muffin-ish and delish. Their mochas are generally spot-on, the staff is too. Great music in the background, funky paint job on the walls and an owner that makes a habit of supporting small businesses and community involvement on Gottingen Street ... all that and they offer catering too! read more

I happened upon this place the other day strolling along Gottingen Street. Since I was freezing this day, I popped in for a coffee. What a surprise I had. The place was packed. It is not a large spot, but a really nice atmosphere. It is for the artsy people and backpacker's of the world. The staff is great though, and know how to make a great cappuccino. The menu looked inviting and a lot of variety. I will go back for a lunch. There is a few tables and one in the window for people watching. There is an area towards the back with a couch and computer. You can rent a Dorm Bed from them for $20.00 a night. They have been here for 9 years. read more

I've eaten breakfast here five times in the last couple of weeks - yep. I LOVE going to cafes with a book on the weekend mornings. This place had been on my 'try' list for awhile, and glad I finally got around to it. I didn't realize it's a hostel as well/'Halifax backpackers' - which is irrelevant, but kinda cool. The cafe itself is pretty small with seating for probably 20 between its small tables and couches. Only one day was it busy enough where I got the last seat, during their Sunday brunch, which has more menu items than the regular breakfast menu on the other six days of the week. The food is delicious and the prices are good. The first thing I tried was the breakfast quesadilla ($5 on a fresh corn tortilla) which was just right to satisfy the hunger without being too much. The breakfast burrito on a white tortilla with egg, beans, sour cream, lettuce, salsa, cilantro? for $9 is also good and definitely filling, needing no side. El Diablo (a small wrap with egg, cheddar, avocado, bacon, sriracho mayo (also $5) was a bit smaller, but still perfect for what I was looking for, and reasonable for someone watching calories, as I am. The Big Breakfast from the Sunday menu was definitely big, and I was able to finish most of it, but was certainly full. Chorizo, bacon, beans, salsa, egg, slice of white toast, fresh home fries and spinach for I believe $9? Delicious. The 'Hand Held Eggs Benny' was good, albeit is vegetarian and had no hollandaise? I found that confusing, but never questioned it because I still enjoyed it very much, as more a breakfast panini with spinach, tomato & egg on grilled white toast. My favorite meal though so far is the Huevos Rancheros (also part of the Sunday menu - two fresh corn tortillas, poached eggs, avocado, salsa, spinach, beans, cheese, a flavored sour cream) was very filling and bursting with flavor. Staff are very friendly. You order and pay at the counter and the they bring the food to your table. A few books are lying about, so you could pick something up to read. The atmosphere is pretty basic with some gorgeous African artwork (two murals and paintings hung). I will be back here to try everything else on their menu, including lunches in the near future. read more

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The food is great, staff is friendly, and the prices are super affordable. My only complaint is that the last two visits, there were major mistakes in my orders despite the fact that I was the only customer there. First scenario, I ordered chicken added to my curry and a smoothie. They forgot to add the chicken and forgot to make the smoothie. The next visit, I ordered the jerk chicken plate, which was handed to me and the chicken was very cold so I had to ask for it to be nuked. Not only that but there was a piece of plastic in the food, likely from a wrapper of sorts. I didn't say anything because I already had to speak to the server once, and I didn't want to bother him but this is a serious hazzard. I've only had pleasant experiences in the past, I hope that the establishment sees this and finds a way to improve. I'll still be returning and am optimistic for improvement. read more

Hands-down THE best chicken samosa I have ever had. And the seemingly innocent chocolate chip coconut cookie blew me away! I will be going back. I can't believe I haven't hit this spot for lunch before. read more

A cozy and kind of grungy(in a good way) cafe off the beaten path and on 'the wrong side' of Citadel Hill.They have vegetarian and vegan options on the little menu and will make your drinks with soy. The Backpackers hostel is just above for the budget traveler. This is no Starbucks, bring your own mug to fit with the backpacking crowd. read more

They actually have a free book exchange! Outside there is a cozy patio for catching the bene rays. I like it!

I have to admit that I am a bit biased as I used to be part owner of this little cafe, but I still have to say that it is one of the best kept secrets of the North End of Halifax. It is a great way to get away from Halifax and experience the world in your backyard. Take advantage of the international company and enjoy a fairly traded coffee or espresso. read more

Alteregos is a very relaxed, sweet little spot on Gottingen, the perfect place to drop in for a quick bite or for some down time with a coffee and a book. I first checked it out when trying to escape from an August heat wave, and although they have no AC (bummer) I was at least able to cool down a smidgen with a Propeller root beer. Samosas and hummus plates are always on offer, as is a daily soup and similar small fare. Prices are good, atmosphere is nice, and you can even opt to sit up in the window if your inner exhibitionist needs some time to play. read more

Delicious Vanilla Latte! I will be back. I'm loving this little spot. Warm, cozy and inviting

Nice coffee and atmosphere and I've been meaning to come here for dinner. The breakfast dishes and sandwiches I've had here were good, but the salads leave a lot to be desired. I find it hard to come in if i'm in a rush though, since the service is pretty laid back. Like really laid back. But i'm looking forward to coming in for dinner, since the music and drink menu look great. read more

I got a to-go mocha from Alteregos about 20 minutes ago, and it's hands down the best mocha I've had in years. I wish I'd had time to stay longer, because the cafe space is so cool and seemed like a nice, quiet spot (at least on early on a Thursday afternoon) to sit, chill and read. Their music was awesome, the person who served me was laid-back and friendly, and their food looks delicious. I will definitely be back again soon to try some! read more