We discovered the Barn this morning! What a great place for coffee and pastries. And a place to…read morecatch up with friends or make new friends. I had the banana nut muffin and is was truly the best banana nut muffin I've ever had! It had a mix of nuts, seeds, a smattering of mini chocolate chips and a drizzle of icing. Add a light shake of sea salt, and you have found my ideal breakfast treat. My husband had the apple cinnamon crumble muffin. We made an audible "mmmm" on his first bite. Our Americano and latte were exactly as we hoped. If you have time to linger, go upstairs and sit on one large leather couches. We met some native Nova Scotians and never felt rushed. And if we were made of money I would have bought one of the beautiful hand-dyed silk scarves on sale one the first floor. Thank goodness we are here in Mahone Bay for a while... we shall return!

My husband and I visited here this morning for a quick bite to eat and some coffee. He ordered the…read morejalapeno chive scone and an Americano, I ordered the raspberry orange white chocolate scone and a chocolate espresso mocha. Everything was delicious, the staff were pleasant and friendly, and the overall vibe of the atmosphere was incredibly calming and relaxing. They also sell various coffees and teas as well as gifts. This is a great spot to go to to relax or socialize, and we'll definitely be back the next time we visit the area.

My local used bookstore…read more As an avid reader, and a supporter of local stores, this is my first stop when in need for a new/used/different book. The lady who runs/owns the place, is very friendly, and seems to know where, and what everything is. It's amazing, if i am looking for a specific book, she will know if she has it, had it, and if not, she will take you info and try to find it/them for you! Just amazing customer service. I almost always walk out with a few books, but more importantly I always walk in with some to give back. If you haven't been, check it out, support the little folks, and enjoy the coffee shop as well!

Nice little store with a good selection of used books. Saw quite a few recent best sellers and…read morecurrent titles. My son found a large hardcover book in great shape in the children's section for $8 ($20 new). Small espresso bar at the cash. Taking off a star because the lowest % milk they have is 2%. I get not having skim if you aren't a big place, but at least do 1%. 2% feels like I'm drinking cream and is not good for the waistline either!

Best coffee on the whole South Shore! Hardly any signage, a local gem. Accessible! (go up the side…read moreof the building and there's a ramp!) I've tried them all, in Lunenburg, including the new Barn. Hands down Number Nine is the most awesome espresso and coffee in the coolest space. Lovely barristas. Place is is owned by a singer, and artists (and locals like boatmakers!) are regulars. Music always great but not obtrusive, peaceful vibe. Charming as heck. Highly recommend this third-wave coffee joint. Don't miss it if you come to Lunenburg! In a historic old grey house. Sometimes a line-up, but it's worth it, so chat with others while you wait and relax. (Also a gorgeous, accessible ramp back garden area - you can bring your dog!) 135 Montague, on the main drag next to a small record store.

Perfect latte in a quaint converted home with individual rooms for sitting. Mostly vegan options…read morefor baked goods - vegan cinnamon rolls, vegan Nanaimo bars, scones. My personal preference would be to have more baked goods that are moist or light that paired better with coffee.

Such a cute cafe! We had the homemade mushroom soup and a scone. Both were delicious. The service…read morewas great. The person at the cash register was busy making some coffee orders but made sure to acknowledge us and told us to go sit and relax. She came over as soon as she was done and took our order. The shop has lots of fun stuff to peruse while waiting. Definitely worth a stop!

Sandwich was great. Service was a miss. Server must have been distracted, guessing she had to say…read moresorry to us 10 times when she messed up.

Wonderful respite coffee house in Bear River! On an…read moreunusually hot and muggy day, SCR offered a comfortable air conditioned space with strong wifi. The cold brew Sissiboo coffee was fantastic! We ended up not staying for lunch, BUT the salad, veggie burger and homemade quiche all looked great! I also noticed they offered the tiniest cheesecakes. Perfect for people who only want a little bit when it comes to dessert! We liked this place so much, we're planning to circle back around at the end of our trip!

Between August 28-31 of this year, I visited my girlfriend's family cottage in Bear River...all the…read moreway from Vancouver! At first, this village looks dull and sleepy, but things are happening in Bear River. Residents are looking inwards to agriculture and local talent rather than outwards to tourists for economic stimulation. One example can be seen in the Flight of Fancy art gallery, which features local and provincial artists, and another can be seen in Sissiboo Coffee Roasters. The unique name 'Sissiboo' was derived from the Sissiboo River in southwest Nova Scotia. This river was named by a Loyalist settler who mistook a Mik'maq who was pointing out six owls ('six hiboux') instead of pointing out the river. Stupid colonialists. Based in the historic 'Rebekah' building, Sissiboo was started three years ago by Erin Schopfer and Jon Welch. After many years of analysing and learning about the coffee industry, Erin and Jon made the careful decision to launch a micro roastery in their hometown. Jon checks each batch by eye, hand, and smell at least four times during his roasting process - a process that is applied to each seven-pound batch. Each batch has an individual roasting time which has to be explicitly followed, a few seconds too long and the batch takes on an undesired flavour. This is different from most roasters, which employ laptops and software and crazy expensive machines to monitor their beans. Erin and Jon do not yet have a storefront or café, but I think this is a no-brainer for their brainchild. I have tried three of their roasts: Fundy Storm (Peru, dark), Tobeatic Wild (Guatemala, medium), and Fly by Night Decaf (Peru, swiss water, medium). I did not like the lack of body and bitter finish of the Tobeatic Wild at all, but Fundy Storm is great as both a dark pourover or espresso. They do, for your information, have an espresso roast as well called Night Owl!

Food was incredible. Stumbled upon this quaint little cafe. They have counter and seating service…read more I got the scallop, bacon wrap and it was exceptional!

A hidden gem. Off of Windsor Street in an industrial/commercial area. Cozy atmosphere. Doubles…read moreas a bookstore. Nice seating with a sofa both in the front room and back! They use Laughing Whale Coffee and have free wifi. Parking lot is to the side of the coffee shop uphill. A bit out of the way but worth the visit!!!

Cozy place to hang out. Good coffee. Good food. Plenty of parking. Like being surrounded by books.read more

Ko-Doraku is our go-to Japanese restaurant in Halifax, actually the only one we frequent…read more The working owners are so friendly and informative and we love their specials. Amazingly fresh and unbelievably delicious authentic Japanese preparations. We recommend getting your order in early on Fridays when the place is really hopping, though the food comes out at a good pace no matter when you go. The dine-in space is clean, comfortable and not noisy. You might even be lucky enough to catch live music on a weekend evening. If you're looking for sushi in Halifax, go to Ko-Doraku first!

What nice staff! The kitchen and front staff thanked us when we left. How nice is that?…read more The food was great. I'd never had a sweet potato and avocado roll before, but I tried it and loved it. What a great taste and texture combination! Their location is slightly odd (lower level of a semi-mall -- you can get to the restaurant from the street or from the mall's main entrance). But they have nice booths and tables in one area, and it pretty much felt like a regular restaurant in that section. The lighting was perfect, and it wasn't noisy either.