Un souper décontracté à Halifax, NS

The difference between seafood in Halifax and seafood in other places is quite obvious: You're eating something that was often caught 10 minutes before. Being surrounded by the ocean has its advantages! Halifax has it going on with seafood – whether you're looking for a refined lobster bisque or down-home fish and chips. Go fish.

It’s a great time to be a food lover in Nova Scotia. The city’s talented chefs have taken dining here to a whole new level, seeking out local ingredients and using them in innovative ways. Local wine is also enjoying an upswing in popularity, with ever more wineries and surprisingly sophisticated wines. Enjoy Nova Scotia wines at the following restaurants.

It can be tough to find delicious, gluten-free meals when dining out, but you’re in luck, because Halifax is a hotspot for gluten-free dining, with many outstanding restaurants to choose from. Whether you’re looking for the best gluten-free pub food or fine-dining experiences, Halifax has you covered.

Nothing says Halifax like a late-night donair or falafel sandwich enjoyed with friends at about 2 am on a downtown street corner. That might come as a surprise to outsiders who don’t realize how much the city’s culinary scene owes to Middle Eastern food. And Haligonians might also be surprised at the range and variety of Middle Eastern food available around town.

Like any city with a bustling food scene, Metro Halifax sees a lot of restaurants come and go in the course of a year. It's always sad to say goodbye to old favourites, but each year brings its own upside in the form of fresh, new dining establishments. Here are a few of 2015's notable arrivals.

Greek food is a beautiful example of the vegetable-forward Mediterranean diet, which is full of bold flavours and healthy ingredients. You'll find Greek restaurants all over the Metro area, ranging from quick and simple takeouts to elegant sit-down venues. Here are a few worthy places to satisfy your big fat Greek craving.

For a smaller city, Halifax is pretty vegetarian friendly. Even if there are not heaps of restaurants to choose from, what the city lacks in quantity, it makes up in quality, boasting some delicious eating establishments. Even if you aren’t vegetarian, maybe you should make your next meal a little heavier on the veggie side with some of these delicious options.

Food is made for sharing, and there's no better way to do that than with sharing plates. Not only do you get to have good food with good people (and probably good drinks), but you get to try different menu items and not commit yourself to just one choice. Plus, when there's as many craft beers to try as Halifax has to offer, you surely don't want to fill up on just food!

Halifax doesn't strike outsiders as the place to find authentic Chinese food, but its abundant seafood, farm-fresh veggies and sizable Chinese population create a perfect combination for just that. You will never have to drive too far to sate your urge for fried bean curd, kung pao chicken or Shanghai noodles.

Haligonians love their pizza, but we’ve become accustomed to budget pizza shops that cater to hungry students, busy families, the post-bar crowd and people in pajamas. Salvatore’s and Tomavino’s have been quietly leading the gourmet pizza front for years but now a brave new Halifax craves local ingredients, authenticity, artisanal technique and a good wine pairing!

The area covered by Dartmouth is much larger than that of Halifax. Tack on Cole Harbour and we’re dealing with a vast area with distinct identities and pizza delivery zones. Whether you live in Highfield Park, Woodside or Montebello, pizza shops can be counted on to provide a wide range of foods of varying quality and value. So, you live in Dartmouth. This list attempts to answer that age-old question: Where is the best pizza?

For a city with a culinary heritage of boiled fish and potatoes, Halifax is crazy about sushi! Whether you are a newbie, purist or straight up glutton, there is something for everyone. There are budget sushi cafés, all-you-can-eat restaurants, boutique and traditional sushi shops. Whether you prefer authentic nigiri or deep fried cream cheese tempura crunch rolls – there is a world of sushi out there! These are your best bets.