*POST UPDATED OCTOBER 2026
Hiiii, friends! Welcome to my fourth and final Canadian travel guide for the foreseeable future: Eating Our Way Around Halifax, Nova Scotia! In case you missed it, Fiancé & I spent ten days in Atlantic Canada back at the end of August, where we took every opportunity to explore as much as possible. We flew in with his parents, headed to beautiful Lunenburg for two days, moved on to Summerside PEI for three days, and then rounded our visit off with a wonderful five days in Halifax. It was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more! I absolutely loved our time across the pond & am definitely eager to return someday soon – be a shame to let my visa go to waste, no?
As the title suggests, the guide below covers everything Halifax related. I didn’t realize I had so much to say about the city until I actually sat down to write this, it’s an absolute behemoth of a guide! Also as the title suggests, this guide is largely skewed towards food, covering every tasty morsel of deliciousness that crossed our paths during our visit. Shall we get down to it?
Enjoy, friends!
before you visit
Just a few quick things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about visiting the Nova Scotia capital!
there were a few different entry requirements in place at the time of our visit in August 2022. Namely: proof of vaccination, and an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) visa. I believe the proof of vaccination is now no longer necessary, but the eTA definitely is. The eTA was $7CAD at the time of our visit, and it lasts for 5-years or until your passport expires. More info about requirements on the DFA website, here.
Halifax is hilly! Like, exceptionally hilly! I would say the main street leading down to the waterfront – Sackville St, I think – is at like a 45/50° angle! We schlepped up and down said hill around four times every day and it sure did work up our appetites! It was mostly fine, but the worst was late at night, after a big meal and some drinks. Uyy.
Halifax city centre is divided into the North End and the South End, kind of like Dublin’s North Side/South Side. From what I read online, the North End has a higher percentage of crime/poverty/drugs, and that visitors should be slightly more alert. However, I also read online that the area is becoming more and more gentrified etc. We only ventured into the NE once, but we did notice a higher number of homeless people, dodgy characters, and a larger police presence.
Oh, PS! This is the part of the post where I usually include a few fun facts about the destination, but not today. Instead, any appropriate fun facts have been lightly scattered throughout the recommendations below. You are welcome!
getting there
Here are the steps we took getting to and from Halifax:
we flew direct from Dublin Airport to Halifax Stanfield Airport with WestJet Airlines. The flight took just over 6-hours, and was relatively painless. Fiancé’s parents rented a car from the Hertz in the airport, and we were off on our merry way!
for our return to the airport, seeing as Fiancé’s parents left a few days before us, we used a company called Casino Taxi. The driver showed up on time – in fact, a little early! – was friendly, and it worked out at not too high a cost: ~$65CAD. Would recommend.
we were under the mistaken impression that there were no direct bus routes between the airport & the city, but I’ve since learned there are a few! Maritime Bus, HALIFAX TRANSIT, and a seasonal Airport Express offer routes to/fro the airport. More info on buses & shuttles here.
where we stayed
