Fantastic new Filipino restaurant and cafe on Chebucto Road where Fries and Company…read moreUsed to be. The owners did an amazing job renovating the place - it's so bright and welcoming. Seated promptly on the first floor - there are about three tables along with a counter. Upstairs is a much larger dining room. Had a variety of their food - soup bowls, the standard chicken and pork adobo and chicken wings and lechon kewala - all amazing. Tried their breakfast plate as well with pork tocino - comes with eggs and garlic rice. Tasty!! Super reasonable pricing, gracious hosts! Definitely worth visiting - will be back!!!

Filipino food is one of my absolute favourite styles of food. The blend of Asian and Spanish…read moreinfluences, the prominent place of vinegar and garlic, all combine in dishes which are eminently unique and delicious. So when I heard that Halina Café and Bar was moving into the former Fries & Co. Spot on Chebucto, I had them in my sights and made my there one day when I was in the area for a haircut. The menu is a mix of food that spans a spectrum of Filipino through typical Canadian family restaurant. There's straight up traditional Filipino dishes like silogs and ube-based desserts, to fusion-y dishes like a smashed longganisa sandwich and lechon kawali wrap, to items that might lure in the demographic of the previous tenant like fish and chips, and buttermilk fried chicken. That full range of offerings leads to an appealing array of options, where it doesn't feel like they're awkwardly shoehorning in items (which may or may not have a lot of attention paid to them in the kitchen). Longsilog may traditionally be a breakfast dish, but I would eat it for any meal of the day. And likely have. It's has a lot of parallels in a typical diner's standard breakfast, but with a lot more flavour. I love ye ol' breakfast sausages, but longganisa blows them out of the water, and Halina's were wonderfully done. The uncased sausages had great browning and crisp edges from the grill, while the mix of sweet and garlicky flavours of the meat were hitting the spot. A dipping sauce that a mix of vinegar, sugar and soy added further depth and contrast of flavours. Garlic fried rice fills the starch slot in the dish, and some crunchy bits of fried garlic on top doubled down on the garlicky goodness. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that the Philippines are vampire-free! Two sunnyside-up eggs had crispy edges and I used the rice to sop up the luscious, runny yolks. There was a nominal offering of veg with the dish, a tiny bit of shredded lettuce, cucumber and radishes, as well as a pickled slaw called atsara, which is made from papaya and an assortment of shredded vegetables, helped cut through the richer items of the longsilog. In typical Filipino fashion, the staff was super friendly and attentive. A return visit (again post-haircut), had me trying their smashed longganisa burger and fries. If you like longganisa, and anyone in their right mind should, you're gonna like this burger! Every bite brings the rich flavour of the Filipino sausage, with layers of added richness from a scrambled egg and Swiss cheese which was expertly melted over the smashed sausage patty. Standard lettuce and tomato brought some crunch and acidity to balance out the burger. A brioche-y bun was tasty, but didn't hold up super well to the eating process. The fries were of the skin-on, from-frozen variety, but they were properly cooked and good and crispy, so no complaints here! My rubber arm was twisted to try their house-made coconut cream pie, and I'm glad I did! The cream was decadently rich, and the whipped cream topped with toasted coconut was *chef's kiss*. I was even told that they bring in young coconuts to shred and roast themselves, and I'm no coconut connoisseur, but it was definitely better than the grocery store stuff (sorry, not, sorry, Galen). Impressively, this meal, plus a green tea, was a hair under $20 - after tax! Halina Cafe & Bar is bringing some of the best bang-for-your-buck food that you can find in the city, and you owe it to your taste buds to bring yourself there.

I work next door in the CIBC building and this place is just TOO easy for me to run down and grab a…read moresnack or a lunch and head back to my desk. I am usually gone less than 5 minutes. Which means I frequent this place more often than I should admit to. My fave is the cheese biscuit. Seriously. It's huge. And amazing. And you can tell it's fresh and homemade because every day it's a different size and a different shape but still full of goodness.

Hidden inside the TD building is a fabulous little sandwich bar filled with healthy treats. I've…read morebeen in four or five times now and always pick up either the sandwich of the day or the sandwich and soup of the day combo - usually around $8 for both... or sandwich of the day and a small milk is $7. Every employee there is super helpful and willing to make your experience there a great one. Between that and the food, it's a knock out punch to make me want to come back over and over again. Sit down and see the bustle outside the window or take it to go, it's a great spot to grab something good for you.

If you're visiting Halifax this summer and craving authentic Vietnamese food, I'd highly recommend…read morechecking out Banh Mi A&B on Quinpool Road. I've been there twice now, and both visits left a great impression. The first time, I went with a friend and we ordered the Banh Mi Chao (Egg Skillet) and the Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi. The banh mi was packed with flavor, especially with the pâté, which added a rich, traditional touch. They offer several sandwich options, but the pâté and Vietslaw versions stood out to me the most. It's not surprising that these are among their best-sellers. On my second visit, I wanted to try some of their noodle dishes, so I ordered the Beef Pho and the Spicy Bun Bo Hue. Both were incredibly flavorful, with rich broths and the kind of authentic taste that reminded me of Vietnam. Finding Vietnamese food this genuine in Canada isn't always easy, so that was a pleasant surprise. One thing I noticed was that they recently updated their drink menu and added a lot more variety. In addition to Vietnamese coffee, they now offer fresh tamarind drinks and a selection of colorful cocktails. I tried the salted iced coffee and the fresh tamarind drink, and both exceeded my expectations. The coffee was smooth and balanced, while the tamarind drink was refreshing and tasted genuinely fresh rather than overly sweet. For dessert, they serve options like yogurt with glutinous rice and caramel flan. The flan was my personal favorite, it's light, creamy, and a perfect way to finish the meal. As for parking, the restaurant doesn't have its own parking lot, but I didn't find it too inconvenient. There is usually one-hour street parking available nearby, and you can also park across the street in the Atlantic Superstore parking area. Overall, Banh Mi A&B feels like one of those local spots that genuinely cares about bringing authentic Vietnamese flavors to Halifax. Whether you're stopping by for a quick banh mi, a comforting bowl of pho, or just a Vietnamese coffee and dessert, it's a place I'd happily return to again.

You can't talk about Vietnamese food in Halifax for long without someone bringing up the delicious…read moresandwiches and other dishes at Banh Mi A&B on Quinpool, and I finally made my way there in the summer to see what the fuss was about. Arriving in the thick of the dinner rush on a Thursday, the small restaurant was nearly full, but since I was dining solo, I was able to grab a seat by the window. It has a "counter service" kind of vibe, but it is actually table service, and I was seen to quickly after I sat down. Even though banh mi is their namesake dish, I was impressed with the variety of banh mi options, with creative flavour profiles and a wide assortment of proteins, including lemongrass grilled pork, garlic and lime chicken, sate shrimp with kimchi, and teriyaki tofu and mushroom just to name a few. I'm no banh mi scholar, but I feel like A&B's kitchen is breaking out of the mould a bit and flexing their creative muscles, which I appreciate. The menu doesn't stop there though, as there's several each of appetizers and other familiar Vietnamese mains (bun cha, pho, bun bo hue). My first time here *had* to be banh mi though, so I went for the pork meatballs banh mi, with the Viet slaw as the side in my combo. A&B's banh mi unfortunately doesn't come with paté by default, and I didn't notice that in addition to getting it for "free" if you take it as your side, you can have it added onto your sandwich for $1.50. Oh well, next time! My food came out quickly, and soon I was chowing down with the stunning view of Quinpool Centre, which despite being a visual blight on a full city block in the West End's main commercial district, it has impressively managed to avoid any sort of beautification from the Halifax Mural Festival for four years straight. Bravo, commercial real estate owners, bravo *insert sarcastic clapping* I digress though. Let's not mess around here - the fuss about Banh Mi A&B is absolutely deserved. The bread is definitely the star, as it should be in any truly great sandwich. The shatteringly crisp exterior leads to a dense, pleasantly chewy crumb that supports the delicious fillings within. The pork meatballs had a nice grainy texture that suggested they weren't just coming out of a Sysco freezer bag, and were wonderfully tender and moist, with a lightly herbaceous note to them. The usual banh mi fillings of pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber and cilantro added the texture, bright flavours and colours that are a signature of Vietnamese cuisine. The Viet slaw carried on this tradition with shredded cabbage, carrot, and onion with a peanut crumble and a dressing that enlivens your taste buds with a balanced mix of sweetness, acidity and hints of umami. It was too late in the day for me to grab a Vietnamese coffee, but a peach iced tea was just the right amount of sweet and fruity, without being cloying and dessert-like; just a refreshing drink on a humid summer day! My next time at BMAB had me trying another Vietnamese classic - their pho. Unlike the multitude of banh mi options, there's only one beef pho to choose from, and you know what? I'm cool with that. They've got their specialty, and I respect that! It was another busy Thursday evening, but I received my food in good time nonetheless. The pho comes with beef meatball and slices of brisket; I know squishy textures are a "thing" in Asian cuisine, but I grew up with mediocre, from-frozen meatballs, and they're just not *my* thing. The brisket, on the other hand, was next level compared to A&B's peers; the ultra-tender, thinly-sliced pieces of brisket were deliberately cut to have a layer of fat on top of the meat; evenly distributed on all the slices, it added an unctuous texture without having any overly fatty pieces that were hard to chew. I see you, A&B's prep cook! The highlight of any good soup is the broth, and A&B's really stood out here as well. It had a hearty beefiness, with prominent herbal notes and a velvety smooth mouthfeel, and it was so good that I didn't bother adding any sauces to it! Noodles and accoutrements were all solid standards, but the brisket and broth sealed the deal for this top tier pho. I pulled the trigger on a Vietnamese iced coffee, and true to form it was sweet, smooth and had a great punch of slowly steeped coffee. Banh Mi A&B rightly deserves all the praise it gets, from its fantastic namesake sandwiches to solid execution across the menu, that's tied together with friendly, attentive service. It's got the feel of a neighbourhood spot, but it's truly destination worthy for some of the best Vietnamese food in the city.

Well...under newish management but service is no better. Ordered salads at the counter and I was…read moregiven a smaller size than what I requested. Was told 'no no no you paid for this size'. Never did I say I was not willing to pay for larger size. Server just looked at me as I was somewhat dumbfounded. By his comments. Someone else suggested another small and I just said ok.

We were craving food other than seafood, and found this Italian market on Yelp that offered several…read moremeal options to go. The reviews were good, but now I'm realizing they're probably based on the market and not the meals. I ordered the lasagna for $9.95 and it tasted like it had been previously frozen. You get what you pay for! It was actually lukewarm when I opened it, so I had to nuke it. It lacked flavor, to say the least. Hubby said the spaghetti with meatballs was also average, at best. The caprese salad that he ordered was the worst he's ever had. If you look at the photo of the salad, you can see that the tomatoes aren't even ripe. They also gave the wrong dressing for this salad. Typically it comes with balsamic dressing but they gave us Italian dressing instead. Next time we'll stick with an Italian restaurant.

Limited menu, but great food and service. Decor was contemporary rustic and window wall overlooking…read morethe lake. A good dining experience in lieu of plunging into down town after a long day.

We've had the opportunity to eat dinner at the Lakeside Bar and Grill. To begin with, we couldn't…read moreask for a better waiter than Rob. He is extremely polite and respectful. We enjoyed both nights. The food was very tasty, well presented and warm. It's unfortunate that we were there in March because the view of the lake would certainly be breathtaking. The ambiance is calm and inviting. We highly recommend this little gem at the Chocolate Lake Best Western.

The best deli in Burnside!!! The sandwiches are always fresh and the staff are always welcoming!…read moreThey know all thier customers by name and treat everyone like family!!

Food was excellent! Had blintzes! Where else can you get them? I saw huge plates of delicious…read morelooking sandwiches etc. when you really want to chow down this is it! Every possible combination of smoked meat, eggs, etc. even corned beef hash! Where else can you get it? I wait till I'm really hungry to go. There is no other Deli!! Not cheap and they only take cash but worth it. Great friendly service. Little place full of awesome memorabilia on the walls. 1950s tables and counter.

I will say this place gets busy which is nice and the food is good! However I will say the waitress…read morewas efficient but each time I was conversing with my company- she would come in middle conversation to ask questions about ordering or if we had any questions-I think I may be more sensitive as it was a different day so I do understand that there's a schedule and we are not the only patrons and they can't just wait on us but maybe checking in slowly as to excuse me may I check in or something lol but it was a nice experience regardless as I do enjoy this place.

Another cog in the Bertossi Group chain of restaurants. On a busy corner of Spring Garden and…read moreQueen Street this place is always full! On Summer days they have nice outdoor seating and a gelato cart. Unique location that is round with wrap around windows with seating. Great for people watching. I find the best things are the pastries. They also have sandwiches, paninis and a small menu of hot goods (quiche, lasagna) On the pricier end but worth it for the high quality.

Love this place! It was crowded, but my husband and I managed to find 2 seatings along the window…read morecounter table. They have beautiful pastries, delicious looking sandwiches, and assortment of coffee drinks. We got 2 desserts, cappuccino, and Americano. Desserts were not too sweet and delicious, and the drinks were made well. The service is also lovely, helpful, and friendly. Would love to come back here when we come back to Halifax!