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    Dear Friend

    5.0 (8 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

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    Guava gimlet and the milk punch!
    Ve T.

    My Dear Friend Bar, such a lovely bar. The folks here really know what they're doing. Was recommended to come here by a friend, and it did not disappoint. The cocktails were not only creative, but extremely tasty. Started with a guava gimlet and partner got milk punch. The flavours were just wow. I wish i could remember to describe what was in it but they have an ever changing menu - which is nice for some, but not so great for those that get attached! I can't remember the second cocktail I got, but i remember it had sticky rice cordial and a banana leaf garnish in it. Both the server and the bartender were so sweet and knowledgeable! The bartender even came up to us to chat. We also got east coast oysters that were nice and briney. Oh and their hot sauce? Yeah you need to start selling it so i can purchase some. Definitely coming back to this bar when I'm in Halifax

    a plate of meat and cheese

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Brilliant cocktails hand-suggested by the bartender, beautiful oysters on special from 4-5PM -- what more can you ask for!

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    Peacock Wine Bar

    Peacock Wine Bar

    2.4
    (5 reviews)
    2.0 km

    I wish we took a picture of the actual restaurant -- it was so tastefully decorated and coordinated…read morewith the name Peacock. The scallops were incredible -- crispy outside and cooked to perfection throughout. This place had a very well curated drink menu. So many choices (wish I took pictures). I'm not sure about the parking situation here because we walked from our hotel next door. But it's located on a lovely spot near the water.

    I was staying at a nearby hotel and had heard good things from a local, so I decided to check it…read moreout. Beautiful room, created a casual and sophisticated vibe. As the name suggests, it is a wine bar, so a good selection of local and imported wines. I had the steak tartar, followed by the scallops, and finished with the triamisu affogatto. The steak tartar was the stand out. It didn't come with crackers, so I ordered some foccacia. I really didn't need to. The dill pickle croutons were such a nice touch in flavor and texture. The scallops were interesting...perfectly seared, and all the components of the dish (roasted cauliflower, sour cherry, dill) are good on their own but didn't really come together to form a dish. So it is a bunch of tasty things on a plate that don't really relate to each other, but all good on their own. Finally, the tiramisu...loved the affogatto, and sabayon all worked together beautifully, and it is a large portion, very sharable! Lastly, the service was great. I was solo and felt very well taken care of

    Photos
    Scallops
    Scallops
    Tiramisu affogatto
    Tiramisu affogatto
    Steak tartar

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    Steak tartar
    Sapori Italian Street Food

    Sapori Italian Street Food

    4.3
    (22 reviews)
    1.9 km

    Thank you Luca for an amazing dinner! The food was fantastic and we really experienced a real…read moretaste of Italy! We'll back !! Valerie and Marco

    Halifax has never had a shortage of Italian restaurants, with many of them being regarded among the…read morebest fine dining places in the city for years. And while I was in exile in Ottawa for several years, just the downtown has inexplicably added several more Italian spots. Of those though, it was Sapori's casual, street-food-inspired menu that piqued my interest the most (my condolences to the regrettably-named, Sketti and Ball). One day, my wife and I popped in for dinner after work. The elongated restaurant was decently full between regular diners and an solid showing for a pizza-making class. It happened to be Dine Around, so the arancini and square pizza would have to wait, as if there's one thing I like more than street food, it's a deal! Dine Around menus are typically prix fixe with an assortment of choices, and Sapori's was no different. Choose between a few apps, mains and desserts and voila, you've got yourself a three-course meal for $30. I kept it simple and went with the classics - a Caesar salad to start, spaghetti and meatballs, and a profiterole for dessert. The Caesar was sizeable and serviceable, with no departures from the formula, but no standout twists or quality ingredients here either. Romaine, real pancetta, and crumbled parmesan, which sadly wasn't the real deal Parmigiano Regiano. It was big enough for both my wife and I, which was an unexpected bonus though. Next up was the spaghetti and meatballs, a comfort food classic beloved by both young and old. The al dente spaghetti was evenly coated in the pomodoro sauce, and the two meatballs were saucy, tender and hearty. A solid coating of Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley completed the picture. The star of the show was a bit of a tease, because there was just one (I get it, food costs, etc), but the profiterole was excellent. The choux pastry was lightly crisp on the outside, with a wonderfully rich vanilla cream inside, and a dusting of confectioners sugar and a caramel drizzle took things up a couple notches. And by "things" I mean "my blood sugar". My next time there found me swinging by for a solo lunch, with their casual fare in my sights. Their lunch deal (slice of pizza + soup or salad + a cookie) was an unreal deal for a place that isn't one of Halifax's dicey pizza points, so I jumped on that. Feeling hungry, and wanting to support them beyond the basic deal, I also tacked on a single arancini and a can of San Pellegrino. For my slice I chose the salsciccia which comes with Italian sausage (are the wires connecting on "salsciccia"?), salami, caramelized onions, and mozza, with a drizzle of honey to top it off. It was a hefty slice, with a thick, airy crust that reminded me of focaccia. The sweet honey paired well with the savoury and salty meats, as well as the lightly sweet and acidic tomato sauce. A solid slice, for sure! The garden salad was a mix of fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrot, with an herbaceous vinaigrette to brighten up your palette. I enjoyed the crunch of the sizeable chunks of carrot, in contrast to the more common shredded carrot. The arancini disappeared quickly, as the crispy shell and cheesy rice within begged to be finished in as few bites as possible. A tip of the cap to Sapori for giving my lonely arancini a nice plating with a dollop of tomato sauce to hold it to the plate, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and parm to top it off. Mid-day, mid-week staffing was minimal, and owner Luca Ferrante took mine and other customers' orders with friendly aplomb. Halifax's fine dining scene has long been dominated by Italian restaurants, but more casual fair like Sapori deserves its own place in the city and our bellies.

    Photos
    View of the open kitchen
    View of the open kitchen
    Arancini
    Arancini
    Menu

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    Menu
    Field Guide

    Field Guide

    4.2
    (43 reviews)
    2.0 km
    $$

    Hipster spot that has small plates and larger plates and great drinks. My whiskey sour was just how…read moreI like it--shaken a lot. I wasn't that hungry, so I got two bao buns. Holy moly was that mushroom bao bun delicious. An explosion of flavor. Husband's scallops were delicious as well.

    All around AMAZING! Im quite particular about my food and drinks, and this place did a fantastic…read morejob of creating a summer fresh, delicious and creative menu (with great service). I had minor critiques, but overall was in love and would return and recommend to anyone. Food: We started with the bread and mussels. Best mussels we've ever had, as they were cooked perfectly (and fresh) and the broth was heaven. The bread pairing was perfect to soak up all the buttery broth goodness. Next was the Shrimp Bao. The bread was fluffy and light, and shrimp was at chilled room temperature, perfect for a summer day. A good flavour of celery in case you dislike that, but I'd still suggest you try it! Finally we had the Zucchini and Beef Tartare. Zucchini didn't wow, though still fresh and summer minty vibes. Beef Tartare...hands down best we've ever had. The Asian fusion incorporated was perfect. Closed it out with a Strawberry & Cream, which albeit simpler was well done. Drinks: Go for them all. Very creative and they can walk you through tasting notes perfectly. Milk Punch (method; not actually milk; recommend), Strawberry Basil Negroni (strongly recommend; not traditional negroni alcohol forward), Eucalyptus Sour (subtle, calm and collected; recommend), Corn Star (be adventurous, as the chipotle is super subtle; worth the risk; recommend), Vesper (again, not alcohol forward; recommend). Atmosphere: Cozy and charming, yet the accents are vibrant and energizing. Indoor volume is medium, and great for a family, cocktail, date or a "i want a nice drink/bite" any day of the week.

    Photos
    Mixing up something delicious!
    Mixing up something delicious!
    Confited chicken wings.
    Confited chicken wings.
    Donair steamed buns

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    Donair steamed buns
    Noble

    Noble

    4.3
    (29 reviews)
    2.3 km
    $$$

    This is a really cool speakeasy. In order to get in you need to find the email address to request…read morethe secret phrase. When you get that you are given admission thru the "cover" restaurant. We came in on a Saturday night when they opened at 7pm. We were escorted down around 7:15pm. Neat way to enter the actual speakeasy. Once in you are greeted in a dimly lit "library" with a bar. There was 50's jazz which added to the ambiance. Bar tender and servers were very friendly and attentive. Ordered a few special drinks. (See pictures). Overall a great speakeasy experience. Glad to have found one in Halifax.

    You can't get in unless you know the password that is delivered via email when you are on the email…read morelist. We walked in said our password and they were 40 mins late on setting up on Saturday Halloween eve. Only servers can allow you in. Atmosphere is dungeon library with 1950s music. Drinks are $15-17 each. We ordered: - Grandma's Boy ($17): 3/5 similar to Old Fashioned. A very simple straight up old fashioned that didn't have much complexity. - The Last Barman Poet ($17): 3/5 tequila based sour. A bit savoury because of the spices. Not that complex either. Overall: Such as shame as the atmosphere is amazing. Compared to a lot of restaurants with cocktails, this one is pricier and less amazingly prepared. We were disappointed with the selections and that's why we only tried 2 and left.

    Photos
    View to left of bar
    View to left of bar
    Trading post empire and pink cloud summer
    Trading post empire and pink cloud summer
    Exit thru the gift shop

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    Exit thru the gift shop

    Dear Friend - wine_bars - Updated July 2026

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