🗞️ Halifax scores 2 out of 100

Good morning!

Halifax’s food scene is getting some love this week. The annual list of the country’s 100 best restaurants was announced and there are some Halifax nods in there.

Of course, Coast food writer Mark DeWolf was ahead of the game and already featured one of these restaurants in his new food column. No surprise there. As they say, he’s got his finger on the pulse.

But what about the rest of you? Do you agree with the restaurants receiving praise? Or do you think there are some hidden gems in this city that this national list completely missed?

– Coast Team

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌧️ 14°

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 16°

Next Day: 🌧️ 12°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

💨 Here is Halifax’s Air Quality Index and the smoke report.

FOOD

Canada’s 100 best restaurants include two local spots

The annual list of Canada’s 100 best restaurants has been released, and two Halifax spots made the cut—Bar Kismet in the number 21 spot and Mystic in the number 71 spot. The annual list mostly features restaurants in the obvious cities—Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal—so it is nice to see the East Coast get some love.

Bar Kismet was praised for its handmade pasta and unusual ingredients such as tardivo—a colourful, bitter lettuce paired with seared duck. The restaurant’s focus on seafood and vegetables was also highlighted, along with the use of native plants such as pineapple weed and spruce tips. Bar Kismet is also loved in Halifax: It placed second in the Best Fine Dining category in Best of Halifax and placed third in the Best Restaurant category.

Mystic in the 71st spot was praised for its two eight-course tasting menus highlighting Nova Scotia terroir. Dishes that were described as a highlight were swordfish bresaola with turnip, sea vegetables and kombu, as well as scallop with buttercup, bog myrtle and foam. But we already knew all about why Mystic is so great, thanks to Mark DeWolf’s feature a couple weeks ago.

Other Coast favourites from our Best of Halifax categories that didn’t make this national list are The Bicycle Thief, Oxalis Restaurant and The Canteen.

🤔 Need To Know

❗️ The province has one confirmed adult case of measles in Halifax Regional Municipality. The individual was exposed while travelling to the US and had one dose of the vaccine rather than the recommended two doses. They have received care and are recovering at home.

🚓 A staff report for the Board of Police Commissioners shows that reported hate crimes in HRM went from fewer than 10 a decade ago, to 72 in 2022 and 121 in 2023. The report also stated there were 742 hate incidents—not criminal offences—between 2022 and 2024 across the municipality.

📋️ It’s Emergency Preparedness Week and HRM wants to make sure every household has a 72-hour emergency kit and a family plan. Follow the step-by-step guide to know the risks, make a plan, and prepare your emergency kit.

🕺 Live Art Dance and Kinetic are thrilled to co-present Coastal Currents 2025! Featuring the work of choreographers who live and work right here in Atlantic Canada. Don't miss out! Get your tickets today!*

🍗 Wing challenge. Diablo pints. Leafs Game 2. The Pint is your Wednesday HQ. 7lbs of wings, 45 minutes. Free wings + a prize if you survive.*

😂 Catch Sunee Dhaliwal, Canada’s fastest-rising comedy star, May 9-10 at Halifax Live! Festival fave. Club legend. Two nights of unstoppable laughs.*

⛵ Learn to sail this summer at Armdale Yacht Club! We have camps for kids aged 5-18 and exciting adult keelboating courses. 15% discount for multi-registration!*

*Sponsored Listing

SPONSORED BY SPRING GARDEN AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Celebrate Local with Open City

This weekend, the Spring Garden Area Business Association is excited to be part of Open City Halifax—a citywide celebration showcasing local businesses and vibrant community spirit!

Throughout the weekend, visitors can explore unique shops, enjoy delicious local eats, and discover hidden gems in the heart of downtown Halifax. From pop-up events to exclusive deals, Open City invites everyone to experience the best of what Halifax has to offer. In the Spring Garden area, the atmosphere will be buzzing with exciting activities, delicious treats, and special promotions.

It’s the perfect opportunity to shop, dine, and explore, all while supporting local businesses. Don’t miss out—come celebrate with us!

COAST FAVOURITES

The classic Coast columns you want back

Yesterday we asked what classic Coast content you wanted to see from the print edition added to this daily newsletter. Here are the results.

What classic Coast content would you most like to see back on a weekly basis?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Savage Love (30%)

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ Horoscopes (26%)

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Love the way we love (12%)

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Love the way we bitch (16%)

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ I never read the print version of The Coast, so I have no idea what you're talking about (16%)

To be honest, it seems like you all want a little bit of all of these columns, but the clear winner was Savage Love and Horoscopes (which we probably could’ve guessed). What’s more interesting is that 16% of you never read The Coast in print which is cool—I think? We often hear that people miss the print edition but it’s also very cool to see that we’ve got a whole new crop of readers that only know us in digital.

Now just stay tuned as we take your feedback to make this newsletter an even better part of your morning routine.

🗞️ In Other News

🏫 Five youths and one adult male were charged with mischief and theft after a break-in at Rockingham Elementary School on Tremont Drive Saturday night. The youths are ages 16 to 17 and they are facing charges including mischief over $5,000, theft under $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

🚔️ Police are searching for a suspect following an armed robbery at a business on Spring Garden Road on Saturday night. Staff at the business told police a man threatened them with a knife and demanded cash, but did not physically harm any of them.

🚨 Search efforts continued overnight in Pictou County for Lily and Jack Sullivan on Sunday night, according to this update from the RCMP. They stated that ground search and rescue volunteers have searched the area around Lansdowne Station and are keeping track of which sections have been covered.

👮 Halifax Regional Police responded to reports of an injured person in the water on Tuesday afternoon. The man was found in the Halifax Harbour and was taken to hospital with what are believed to be life-threatening injuries.

🏘️ An official from the Nova Scotia government stated Tuesday that the province is aware that fixed-term leases are being abused by some landlords, but that legislative changes won’t happen anytime soon. Associate Deputy Minister of Service Nova Scotia Gary O’Toole told a legislature committee on Tuesday that the department needs to understand the long-term consequences before any changes can be made.

🛣️ HRM has confirmed that there are more potholes this year than last. Since Jan. 1, 3,200 pothole repairs have been completed, compared to about 2,500 this time last year. There are still 2,453 pothole repairs to go.

SPONSORED BY UNIVERSAL REALTY GROUP

Skyline Views, Comfort, and Convenience

🏙️ “We love living at Ridgeway Towers! Our apartment has amazing skyline views plus FREE laundry 🧺, and heat, hot water and parking are all included. We’re steps from bus routes, close to shopping and Long Lake 🛶, and the schools nearby 📚 are perfect for our kids. Be our neighbour!"

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Halifax ComedyFest: With stages around the city featuring comedians from across North America, Halifax ComedyFest is the funniest 4 days of the year! Shows vary from the free Laugh at Lunch event at Halifax Central Library to the hilarious pub shows to laughter-filled galas! | May 7-10 |

🗓 Bachman-Turner Overdrive: Bachman-Turner Overdrive, the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band behind worldwide hits such as “Takin’ Care Of Business” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” announced an extensive tour across Canada in April and May titled, Back In Overdrive Tour 2025. Multi-platinum April Wine and Headpins, two fellow Canadian rock bands, will open in support. May 8 | $49 and up

🗓 Wintersleep: Straight out of Halifax, Wintersleep is rooted in indie rock and has ambient and occasional shoegaze elements. Performances have been described as "entirely honest" and "deeply moving" with "captivating ambiance." While playing live, the band attempts to make the listener as much a part of the music as the band themselves by encouraging everyone to sing along. May 9-10 | $42

Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The Oceanex Sanderling cargo ship apprives in Halifax from St. John’s at 1pm.

🚢 The Atlantic Sun container ship arrives in Halifax from Norfolk, US at 6pm.

🚢➡️ The One Manhattan container ship left Halifax for Singapore at 9am yesterday.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🐟️ Dive into the delicate and divine with this dish from Peacock Wine Bar: black cod gliding on a bed of whipped potato clouds.

🇯🇲 Have you tried the vegan Jamaican patties from Brawta Jamaican Jerk Joint? All three flavours—chickpea/lentil, soy, and steamed cabbage and carrots—are available at Pete’s Frootique Deli.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🥇 In a heartwarming moment that had the East Coast buzzing, DeeDee Austin received the prestigious golden buzzer on Canada's Got Talent last month—marking a milestone in the young artist's already impressive career. The Coast’s contributor Darcy Walsh spoke with Austin about her golden buzzer moment and how she uses her music to advocate for mental health.

That’s it!

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