2 Best Restaurants in Canada

Exposed stone walls, original paintings, and chic furnishings make for a serene (if dark) dining atmosphere in this restored heritage building right downtown. With two different menus (one for dinner, one for the bar) and a wine bar upstairs, this restaurant covers it all: the short but classic dinner menu features steak, seafood, lamb, and poultry while the bar menu displays some international influences. There's a lengthy international wine list with a decent selection available by the glass in addition to many cocktails.

Casual, boisterous, and hugely popular, this place has a patio right on the waterfront—on the landward side, look for the "tree" of old bicycles stacked outside. The lengthy menu slants Italian but also features meat-heavy main courses, all with interesting accompaniments that incorporate the finest Nova Scotian ingredients. Reservations are strongly recommended.