Holmestead supplies many local restaurants with cheeses and supplies but they also have an…read moreincredible little retail shop that is open to the public daily. Located on the South Mountain, it's definitely worth the trip for the selection and prices. A huge variety of amazing cheeses and grocery items (mainly from Greece) and much better priced than your chain grocery store. Great hours, lots of parking and lots to choose from!

Located in the middle of Main Street Wolfville, this pharmacy is clean, well laid out and has the…read morestandard items you find at this chain of pharmacies. One nice touch I noticed on the shelves are magnifying lenses in case you have trouble reading the small print of the medications! (Not that I needed them).

Overhyped, overpackaged and just okay for the price. If this were the 90s, this place would likely…read morebe considered one of the best spots but it's 2023 and this has been so done. The cookies are decent, but definitely not spectacular. If you're picking one up at a farmer market to go with your coffee, it's a great choice as they're nice and small and a bit sweet. I noticed there are a lot of complaints about price; that's not really relevant because people need to realize the cost of ingredients has risen astronomically and if you're purchasing from a small business, don't expect to pay 99 cents like a massive chain can produce and lose money on. The packaging here is a major turn off. The thickest plastic bags you've ever seen and just horrible for the environment. There is a better way but because this place is still stuck in the 90s, they've obviously opted for tacky packaging; thick heat-sealed plastic bags with unnecessary stapled paper labels. If you can get into the bag, watch you don't cut yourself open on the staples (I can't believe Health Canada even allows staples on food packages!). Lastly, if you're stopping into the shop, it will likely make you want to turn around. The store is always dirty and always cluttered. Twice we've gone in, the floor had leaves (once was in winter) all over the floor and both times it looked like it hadn't been swept in months. It's really hard to figure out where to order and where to pay. It's just poorly set up. The worst part is the son and mom owner aren't your typical business owners and don't really have personalities you'd expect to be selling something happy like cookies. I'd head over to T. A. N. and grab some sweets instead. This place is definitely overrated.

A new sparkling gem in the center of the Annapolis Valley. In the heart of Kentville Nova Scotia…read more This great place serves up absolutely delicious shortbread cookies. From the brilliant and creative mind of Lorraine, one of the owners, your taste buds will enjoy every bite of their shortbread cookies. You can a traditional shortbread or you can get a decadent Mexican hot chocolate shortbread. Like Nutella? How bout a hazelnut shortbread cookies. Feeling tropical? They got blood orange flavoured short bread for you. One step into this store and you will be exposed to a tonne of different flavours. They also have other cookies thats sugar free, gluten free, even plant based. So for those following certain diets, you can get your shortbread cookie fix here. And for those that doesn't have a sweet tooth, you'll be pleased to know they also have savoury short breads like the herb and garlic, cheddar and chive.. One thing I also really love about the place, they sell faith based merchandise. They won't only fill your stomach with good treats, but also fill your spirit/soul to have a wonderful day.

This past weekend I went to Ironwood Farm's Pig In A Day event with Chris Velden and Rupert…read moreJannasch that was promoted on the Slow Food Nova Scotia site. The price was $25 for Slow Food members and $30 for guests. I didn't know what to expect as I'd never been to anything like this, but it was a seriously awesome time. There was a small group of us (~8 people) in an outbuilding on the farm, and Chris walked us through basic butchering of the pig, where different cuts come from, different uses for different parts, and of course talking quite a bit about the value of knowing where your food come from. Chris also showed us how to make cured meats like bacon and prosciutto, and of course sausages. The whole session took about 3-4 hours and was a really great opportunity to connect with a chef of his experience in such an intimate environment - not to mention the farmer who raised the pigs, Rupert! Rupert, was there throughout as well to talk about the challenges of farming today, and also the fun and satisfaction that can come from making good quality food locally. At one point Rupert talked about how the pigs he raised would play together in the field and run around and race him when he rode by on his four wheeler - you could tell that Rupert cares a lot about his livestock and their well-being, and you knew those pigs grew up happy. Snacks, cider and coffee were served throughout, and lunch was provided as well (Pork loin, roasted potatoes, roasted beets, sweet potato and carrot and some seriously amazing blueberry almond bars for dessert) everything (well maybe not the almonds) in the meal came from the farm, and was prepared by Chris and his wife.. and it was phenomenally good. Honestly the food was so good that I would have paid $30 just to eat there! I have to admit that for a long time I wasn't a pork fan - I always found it dry and flavourless - but that has everything to do with how the pigs are raised; you just aren't going to get excellent pork from the supermarket because in the world of mass meat production, the pigs are raised for quantity not quality. Rupert's pork is rich, flavourful, and worth every penny; the meat is so different that I can honestly say I never tasted pork until I had free range. I'm going to go next year and bring my daughter (who will be 3 next year), so she can "meet her meat" and understand where her food comes from. Parents need not worry, as unless your child is particularly sensitive, Pig In A Day isn't gruesome or scary in any way. Just a tip: Wear warm clothing and long underwear - it's chilly!

After moving to the area, we were delighted to find a great market that's open 7 days a week. So…read moremuch selection here from local apples to potatoes and local preserves and frozen scallops or lobster. Absolutely everything you need and no reason to go to big box stores. There are constant 'flash' sales with random items on sale for a ridiculously low price. Follow their social media pages to find out how to get a deal. The only downside to this place is the amount of plastic wrap waste is used in the store. Literally every item is slapped in plastic so it's very discouraging. If they can get swat from thus significantly wasteful problem, this would be the best place in the neighbourhood.

Best ice cream in the valley. Always a lineup, often pretty…read morequick, considering. Expect a 20-30minute wait.. but worth it. Fantastic options and variety.

If you want one of the best greasy burgers you'll ever have... look no further than Jonny's…read moreCookhouse. The wife told me about this place and we drove from Halifax. We called ahead and was told the wait was about 20min. If we were smart (but we weren't) we would have called again when we were closer. It took about 40min to get the food but it was worth the wait. I can't remember when I had a burger as delicious as this was. Sure it was greasy but it wasn't Ricky greasy... it was more like Julian greasy lol. They grind the beef daily so it's fresh. I had the onion burger which came with onion rings on it. My only regret is getting plain fries instead of poutine. The fries were just ok. Better than frozen fries but I've had better. The star of the show was definitely the burger. We will be going back... Maybe as early as tomorrow. Lol I wish I was kidding.

If you've never been to their market, you've likely never tried their ciders because they aren't…read moreavailable anywhere else or in stores. With many new flavours, the brand spanking new location is on acres and acres of their farmland right off Highway/Trunk 1; big black building, you can't miss it! The cider is what you come for. It's on tap or try a flight if you're not ready to commit to an entire glass. Bringing the kids? No problem, there's an ice cream take out window out back and doughnuts are available Thursday to Sunday. LOTS of room for them to run around the muddy fields (for now) or over into the sunflower patch. Sit outside on the back deck or under the picnic shelter. There's also seating inside if you're not into the Valley heat/humidity. There's lots of work still going on here but this is also a wonderful market with fresh produce and lots to offer. Free parking on site but this place gets packed quickly and parking spots are tougher to find. Looks like there will be a lot more expansion here as they only just opened to the public a week ago. Bottoms up!

this is my go to place for catering to my family with allergies. Have had great meat, cheese and…read moreveggie trays, excellent gluten free cakes, a delicious smoked brisket, etc. They always do a good job and are lovely people.

Amazing bakery! I ordered a cake for my father's 75th birthday and Sonya came through with an…read moreamazing 4 layer chocolate cake that was delicious!!! It made our celebration! The cake was so chocolatey, but light and beautiful - just perfect! Love the cookies and bread as well! Will definitely be ordering for mom's birthday!