Absolutely love this place. My husband and I refer to it as "the red barn in Dartmouth". Not only do they have some amazing deals weekly, their meat and produce are always very clean and fresh. They only carry beef, pork and chicken. No lamb or goat or organs. The first time I came in I was energized by all the hustling and bustling in this place. I was also surprised that it was smaller than I expected. Then I realized there were other parts of the building that weren't "store front". We usually come here to stock up on steaks, ribs or whatever meat they have on sale that week. If you're into raw food for your pooch they've got that covered too. Another thing I've noticed is their cashiers are very efficient, aka fast! Walmart and Superstore should send their cashiers here for training. If I really have to be picky, I'd have to say that this is not a place to bring your children. We can only come when one of us stays in the van with our young children. For one, their shopping carts are small. And secondly, this is a very busy place with limited floor space. Also the parking lot on the weekends is a zoo. But even with these "hindrances" we still manage to buy groceries here. read more

Went in to see what all the fuss was about. Recently expanded. The store looks huge from outside but the actual retail area is quite small - and packed with bargain shoppers. There are definitely some fantastic bargains for food there. Many people go for their meat. There is a double barreled check out area. Lines are long but they are quite efficient at checking people out. read more

Great prices, definitely worth the wait and looking forward to the new addition. Love the speed of checkout

A much-needed grocery for those who can't afford the exorbitant mainstream grocery store prices. Not as much to choose from, but the prices are incredible, and the employees are the best around. Always a greeting and smiles. Looking forward to the expansion and many more food options! read more

I have been a customer since day one. Tamara was working there and working hard. I love the staff. The amazing prices, the flash sales and the quality is great. read more

We visit Gateway Meats every month. Savings more than pay for the 120 mile round trip. Bill averages roughly 1/3 of what we would pay locally. Examples: 10 Lb. Lean grd. Beef appr. $40. 2 Kg. of Blue Berries $15.00. Quality is consistently high. The staff helpful and cheerful. Even the customers are friendly. Quite different experience from the corporate chains. read more

Great prices. Fast friendly checkout service. Overall good quality meat and produce. Cucumbers that taste like cucumbers. Haven't had these for years despite shopping farmers markets also. read more

I started shopping at Gateway about 3 yrs ago, a friend told me about it and we decided to drive to Dartmouth and see it for ourselves. The crowd of people waiting to get inside the store at first told me to get back in the car and go home. But the line was moving so quickly we stuck it out and entered the store. We purchased many different things that first trip, steak, chicken, salad items, pies and other things. Since then, every Thursday we go through the flyer and then head to Dartmouth. The meats are delicious, vegetables, pies, I have never bought anything there that wasn't a good purchase. The staff is amazing, always ready to help you or answer questions, the customers are friendly and if you can't reach something someone else will pass or toss it to you. The cashiers are bombarded with people all day long and they are never short or cranky with you. The building is small and may not be as decorated as the chain stores, but kindness and good food at a reasonable price is enough to keep me going back there. Congratulations Gateway on your big renovation. Can't wait to shop there when it's open. read more

I decided to go to Gateway today because I wanted to support local. Upon arriving I was kicked out of the store by a female employee who told me that the store no longer allows people with medical exemptions from face coverings to shop there. She said I would have to leave and have someone else do my shopping for me. I was treated horrifically. This is medical discrimination. I will never spend another cent at that store. What a horrible representation of our local suppliers. I will be making a human rights complaint. Disgusting behavior. Update: After picketing the front of the store for an hour and a half with a sign that read "gateway discriminates against the disabled" during rush hour, they changed the policy to allow customers with medical exemptions for face coverings to continue to shop there. The manager was very nice to me each time she came to speak to me. I was treated with respect, and she apologized. Being treated like a human being and not a disease makes all the difference. I will return to Gateway again. read more

This small little store has become a "go to" for groceries . The weekly flyer has great specials *and* they have a Facebook page where they will post flash deals, limited time offers and when something really great comes in (fresh valley strawberrie, for example). Cashiers are friendly and quick! Store is clean and staff is always replenishing shelves. I recommend shopping before 10 am on the weekends (fewer people in the store) read more

Gateway Meat Market is a great place to get your meat with great prices on all types of beef and chicken, as well as other meats. They also have good prices on vegetables and a few select fruits along with some frozen desserts, and bags of chips. I often come here for the chicken breasts and steaks. Great place to get your meat for the bbqs, family dinners, or just about any occasion. Highly recommend checking it out if you eat meat. read more

I love, love, love Gateway Meat Market. And I love it twice as much with the new expansion. Their everyday prices are so good. You might get better prices elsewhere but only on a sale. The place is clean, clean and the staff is very helpful. You won't believe how much they can put in one big room. There is not only meat but, prepackaged deli meats, cheese, dairy and all kinds of frozen product including meat, veg, fruit & berries and frozen entrees. And the the best part of their new expansion is the produce department. Great prices and the best looking fresh veg and fruit I've seen anywhere. Any time I've been there the produce manager is working hard at keeping everything stocked and looking good. They have a $100 meat draw monthly for $1 with proceeds going to local charities. You can sign up for their weekly emails and find out all the great deals. I'm guessing their recent expansion means they are doing well which means they will be around a long time. I hope so it's so nice to see the local grocers doing well. read more

Oh Gateway how I love you...let me count the ways! Before we lived in Cole Harbour, I'd trek out to Gateway once every 6 weeks or so (or if a flyer had a REALLY good deal) but now that we live less than 4 minutes away, I work it into my regular grocery routine. The meat is great - always fresh, all local and I've never seen them run out of anything. The prices are very reasonable, but not always cheaper than other grocers. However, all the meat is local so I don't mind! The vegetables are not all local - some are and some aren't- so it's not all local product but I've never had an issue finding great produce at a great price. Last week avocados were $0.17 each. (must eat ALL the homemade guac!) Great deals on (mostly) Canadian products! They also have a small deli section with pre-packaged meats, lunchables, etc. They also have big freezers full of local (Atlantic) frozen veggies, breaded things (chicken, cheesecake bites, onion rings), and other delicious treats. There's a small bread section and a small bakery section as well. And if you have pets, they have the stuff for raw petfood! I've also been told that if I have specific cut of meat I want, they'll get it cut and packaged for me by their butcher. AWESOME! You can sign-up for the email flyer and you'll get all the deals delivered on Wednesday, so you're ready to shop on Thursday. They also do a draw for $100 gift certificate every week, with the ticket proceeds ($1 each) going to charity. Gateway really is a fantastic (growing!) local grocer. I'm so glad they're in my new nieghbourhood!! read more

Now my boyfriend cannot eat red meat and pork products due to an intolerance, so I mainly eat chicken and fish with him. So when I ventured into this little place and saw the awesome prices on meat, I bought some for myself. I bought a rack of ribs and a steak. Both tasted pretty good and were pretty cheap ($5.00 for 2 full racks of seasoned ribs, and $2 something for the steak). However, the chicken is not much of a deal, at least that I could tell during this particular trip - I was shopping with someone who knew exactly what they needed and so I did not have much time to really browse, so I will have to come back again soon to take my time! I've also been told to avoid the frozen products because most of it is expired or soon to be expired. read more

I love this place! the cashier is kind and SO FAST ! I swear she could ring you in with her eyes closed. The meat is fresh and delicious. Great Quality and LOCAL :) Also, they sell dog bones and fresh dog food -how awesome is that! Worth the trip, wonderful quality and great prices. Better then the big chains !!! read more

This is a strange place. I want to like it, but ... I dunno. I guess I had different expectations. I was disappointed that there is no butcher and display of fresh meats. Everything is pre-wrapped and marked "Special" which instantly makes me wary. We spoke to a stockperson who informed us we could make a special request if we didn't see what we wanted. She gestured towards an unmarked door, behind which I guess a butcher works? If we can ask for a specific cut, why not have the butcher out where we can ask him/her? Like most other markets? Selection is good for red meat, not so much for white. No skinless, boneless chicken breasts, which is what we were looking for. In fact, all the poultry appeared to be bone-in and skin-on. The ground sirloin looked pretty good however. The produce looked great and the prices did too, so we stocked up on green stuff. The cashier was unsmiling and uninterested. Both entering and leaving we had to weave through clusters of people just standing around in the way, chatting. Gateway is out of our way so we won't be returning in a hurry. read more

The little butcher shop that could has expanded into the larger meat shop that does. The walls are lined with everything you'd expect in a meat shop, and then some: refrigerated displays full of lunch meats, milk, and cheese; all kinds of cuts of beef, pork, and chicken; freezer cases of pre-cut and mixed veggies, desserts, and processed foods; and the whole back of the store is full of local produce. It really can be your one stop shop for picking up all the essentials. Their prices are incredible. Keep an eye out for the weekly special, and you'll definitely save more, and get better quality products, than if you shopped at the grocery store across the street. read more

High quality meat that is affordable. That's not something that usually exists anywhere- let alone Cole Harbour. Gateway Meat Market actually cares about the way their meat is treated and presented. It is trimmed properly and is always presented in a clean, neat way. This is something I truly appreciate. Gateway is so busy that the meat has a very high turn over. They are very proud to say their meat is from local farms here in the Maritimes. Their produce is often cheap but I find can be quite sub-par. It is from across Canada- lot local. Rush in and rush out. That's how it goes. Don't stand there and dawdle over your purchase, you may get run over by another shopper. Patrons at Gateway are serious. In and out is the name of the game. There isn't a butcher counter here. You can't get anything cut or tied. But what you will get is very affordable, good quality meat. read more

I LOVE going to Gateway Meat Market because all the fresh meat is from around the Maritimes! Yay! They have a pretty decent selection and it's SO worth the trip to go out to Gateway because you save so much money compared to buying meat at a regular grocery store. They also have raw dog food here so it's great for those of you that feed your dogs raw meat. The downside to this place is that it is ridiculously small. They are expanding the store though so hopefully it's be a bit bigger. Gateway has other frozen, boxed foods as well that are relatively inexpensive. read more

I want to sing their name from the rooftops "Gateway Meat Market... hurray hurray... Gateway Meat Market... hurray!" The Backstory: My boyfriend and I recently bought our first house, and after the sticker shock wore off, we swore to become more budget conscious. Our days of strolling through the grocery store and carelessly plucking whatever we wanted were over. Grocery shopping had become like a mission, and the goal was getting the lowest possible price. Quality meats are so expensive, and for the first time ever my sports lovin', beer drinkin' chef boyfriend started cooking vegetarian meals. It was a desperate time. Enter Gateway Meat Market... A friend suggested we check out Gateway Meat Market and we were blown away. Gateway has an awesome selection of meats and unbelievable prices. We spent $80 in our first trip, and filled our freezer and put a dent in our deep freeze. Better yet, all of Gateway's fresh meat comes from the Maritimes. Local love at its finest. Check out their website to learn more: www.gatewaymeatmarket.com - Katelyn AR Are you in the restaurant biz? http://www.theforkproject.com/ read more

If you are looking for inexpensive groceries there is no place better than Gateway. It makes me wonder just what kind of mark up the chain stores are taking. Seriously, the prices here are ridiculously low. The staff are very friendly and hey keep the lines moving quite well. I started going to Gateway in October of 2014 and raves to everyone about the prices. For the most part, the quality of food is pretty good too. However, I have found that the quality on some items is lacking . I also wonder about food safety. The lines are crazy and it's like a horde of zombies around the meat cooler. People are constantly taking meat outbid their carts and putting it back and the store does not seem to have any control over the mob (on Saturdays anyway). Foods I recommend there: bananas, peppers, melons, carrots, packaged deli meat, loads of frozen unhealthy items that we don't buy) Foods to stay away from: avocados (unless you like them thoroughly black on the inside), potatoes and ground meat. All in all, it used to be my first stop on my grocery run, but now I am watching the fliers and seeing f it's really worth fighting your way into the lot, into the store, through the tiny quarters, through the line and back onto Main Street again. Well, I just saved $20 on produce vs Superstore so yeah, it's worth it! read more

Great local business. They are proud to source their meat in the Maritimes - and I am proud of them for making support of local farmers a pillar of their business. (I do, in completing an honest review, feel I should mention that I have never tried the meat here. I get mine directly from an NS farm. But several friends use this business as their main source of protein - the prices are really good and they love the quality.) Also, on the subject of meat, something quite unique for dog owners - they have section (quite a large section, given their floor space) dedicated to meat for dogs. The section is entitled "Dog Meat".....but do not worry, I questioned them on that on my very first visit. If your dog is on a raw meat diet or you like to cook up some hamburger for your puppy on occasion, this place has got you covered. Another pillar of this business is their amazing deals. You can often get fruits and vegetables here at below $1. But you have to be quick - they have limited space so you have to get there fast. Their weekly email listing their deals actually tells you what on the list is new (a convenient little timesaver). The retail floor is small, the parking lot is large, and there is always a lineup (seriously I have never been there when there hasn't been a lineup- day, evening, weekends). But the front end staff ring everything in with great speed and the deals are worth it. Plus, do to the limited space, while you are in line, you are in the freezer section and still shopping. That's right - you are multitasking! Great job. This place is popular in the area and can play a main part of many staying within their grocery budget. As I stated at the beginning, a great local business. read more

I enjoy Gateway Meat Market! 1. Great store hours! 2. Great Prices specially when you are on a budget!!!! 3. Very polite employees! 4. love the smell of the vegetables and produce, its so Fresh! 5. So Happy we have a store like this!!! Thank you Gateway Meat Market #1 read more

This is a small little independent grocery store. It is quite small and offers some meats, vegetables and some frozen items but the prices are usually some of the best in town. If you are within the area it is definitely a spot to check out :) read more

I have been coming to Gateway Meat Market for about a year now, shortly after they expanded and added produce. Its my first stop when out grocery shopping. I get all my meats and 90%+ of my produce there. It really helps me stay on budget! I'm not sure why it took me all that time to check it out, but I am so glad that I did. I follow them through email and on Facebook. And anytime I've contacted them I've had quick response back! Great family business and a great asset to the community! read more

Huge savings on my meat and produce purchases. Love the daily sales and I live close by and pop in quite often in a week. Staff has always been friendly but mostly efficient at moving the lines fast! read more

Love it! Great prices for great stuff! I love when they have sales, but also hate the line up! But you get that anywhere you go though! Staff is great and super helpful! :) read more

The new sliced cheese is hit n miss. I have gotten 3 packages that were moldy in the last month.

Seriously, why wouldn't you shop here? The prices can not be beat and the it's LOCAL! Chicken is extremely cheap with great portion sizes. Pork Roast on this week for under 8.00. This is how we should be shopping not being gouged for meat. Vegetable however are good only if you are going to use them within a day or two. Potatoes 1.99 or less always! Carrot and onions on for 77 cents! This blows my mind. Totally wroth a trip. Don't be scared of the line, it flies by quickly! read more

Since the changes made to Gateway's hours of operation and product selection have made my shopping experiences even more satisfying, I felt that it was important to update my review. Gateway has become our #1 go-to place for very reasonably priced meats, fruits, veggies, and other grocery necessities. I've walked out with 5 bags full of fruits and veggies for under $25, and the regular sales mean that we can stuff our fridge to the gills without breaking the bank. The checkout experience has also improved and will get you out of the store in a much more efficient manner. All in all, a real gem as far as markets go. read more

Great store, good way to lower the grocery bill. Love the 89 cent avocados! Wicked price on meat, I go here fill my basket and haven't had a bill above 30 bucks! read more

Wow is all I can say. I was told that the prices here extremely low here, but I didn't believe it until I actually visited Gateway Meat Market. Seriously, wow. WOW. Packages of meats that would cost you at least $20 at Sobeys can be picked up for less than $10 at Gateway Meat Market. Most of the products in the store are priced like this, and they're all high quality! IT IS INSANE! How can they afford to sell beef, chicken, pork (and limited fish) at such cheap prices!? How can they make a profit?! Honestly, the prices are amazing here. Simply amazing. Nothing else has to be said other than you'll save buckets of money by coming here. Do it. Gateway is always extremely packed full of people. It's a small location, but it is insanely popular and getting the items you want might require a bit of waiting because people are lined up all throughout the store... but once you get what you want and leave, you'll be grinning from ear to ear. My only complaint? Sometimes the cashiers are remarkably off-putting. Sometimes they stare at me coldly and sometimes they sound pretty irate, but considering how busy this place gets and how many customers the cashiers have to deal with... I suppose I can see why they're like that. read more

Love gateway. Reasonable prices. And they make their own dog food enter the leftover scraps from the meat which is amazing for dogs. My dogs love it! read more

Gateway is a wonderful little store that sells meat from our region, fresh produce, homemade raw dog food, and much much more. Their specials simply can't be beat. Some of their recent specials: watermelons $.99, salmon steaks $2.49/lb, bananas $.17/lb. Customer service is great...when I told the dog food maker Brandon that my pooch has food allergies, he told me I could request a special order of food with those items omitted. My dogs loved it! If going for the first time, be warned that it is often crazy busy, with long line ups. The staff is very quick, and it only takes a few minutes to get thru the checkouts. Also, be careful if turning left into the parking lot. Sometimes the car ahead of you can't get in far enough for you to get off the road too. This is where I spend most of my grocery money for perishable items, and visit the store 2 or 3 times a week. Every week! I also pick up items for relatives who live farther away and are sad they can't access the sales. Sign up for their weekly email flyer, and like them on fb. They OFTEN post "while supplies last" specials. read more

Gateway is amazing, especially if you have a family to feed on a budget. I like that they support local and/or regional farmers. We usually go about once a month to fill our freezer and the prices are really decent. My favourites there are the chicken breasts already cubed or sliced. Great for so many different things. I also love some of the pre-cut frozen fruits and vegetables. And since their expansion they have started offering fresh produce as well at a very good price. I took away one star due to their location not being very easy to get to on public transit. And because sometimes the label on things fail to give cooking instructions like can you nuke it or is it oven only. Also sometimes it does not indicate whether it's been pre-cooked or not. All in all though, great place with decent pricing. read more

My first time at Gateway Meats and I finally had a steak that tasted like more. It was like the meat we purchased from the local independent grocers years ago. The only difference is the meat I brought home from Gateway yesterday was very reasonably priced. Usually local beef brings a premium price, but this beef was cheaper than the big supermarkets' out of province beef and it was delicious. Why can't we have more markets like this one? I'm from out of the area, but I expect to return. Kudos to a very efficient staff as well. This was truly a delightful experience. read more

I love, love, LOVE this place. The foodstuffs are always great, great deals! Great for penny pinching. My only real problem is getting there, it is quite a way of my transit using butt. Wish they were more localized or even had one all over the HRM. Would use them more than the big name stores. Wonderful store and I hope they are around for along time. Worth the trip. :) read more

Gateway is the best ! My wife and I do 80% of our grocery shopping here. Have for years. Great quality , mostly maritime products , unbeatable prices and as they say " Fast Friendly Service " Can't say enough !! read more

Gateway always has the best specials on meat, poultry and vegetables. The ready made stir fry strips and chicken wings are perfect. The staff are courteous and friendly. read more

Have been visiting the Gateway for the last few years routinely and am very pleased with the many improvements to the building, line-up lessening, and the greater selection. Here the meats are tasty, locally fresh, top quality and inexpensive compared to supermarkets. I go every week or two for the best chicken we've ever eaten. At the grocery store a skinny, tasteless bird could cost me $11-$13; at the Gateway it's an $8 plump, juicy chicken that can feed my family of 4! The fruit and vegetable, dairy, bread and frozen selections are always fresh and often unbelievably cheap. I can pretty much avoid the grocery store now and for a few short minutes in line, save a ton of money on my food budget. I put in a special order very recently for 65 tenderloin steaks for a massive party I was hosting. Well let me tell you, we BBQ'd them with just a little spice and received compliments from everyone at the party, not just for the great time they'd had with us, but specifically for how awesomely great the steak was. Many of guests went so far as to say they had never, ever had a steak so delicious! They really were awesome and I suspect most of my guests will be heading to the Gateway soon to try out their fantastic selection. PS: to pick up my order I went into the meat cutting room and noted just how clean and professional their standards are. This restaurant worker appreciates a spotless environment where my food is handled! read more