33 Best Restaurants in South Shore and Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

Chef-owner Roland Glauser whips up creative seafood, meat, and pasta dishes in a restored building that started out as a butcher shop in the mid-1800s. A Swiss influence is evident in many dishes on the extensive menu, including pork tenderloin Zurich-style (braised with mushrooms and demi-glace sauce). The café has a pleasant garden patio and a craft shop. Reservations aren't accepted at lunch but are requested for dinner.

Housed in a converted stone church complete with stained glass windows, Church Brewing produces tasty beers and has a fabulous menu of upscale pub grub with a farm-to-table focus. There's a huge patio out front that overlooks the hustle and bustle of Main Street, and there's often live music in the evenings and on the weekends. 

With a focus on fresh produce and local seafood, the Grand Banker is a great spot for a tasty lunch or dinner overlooking the harbor whether you're in the mood for wings and a craft beer, lobster mac ’n’ cheese, or rack of lamb. There's an impressive selection of Nova Scotian wines, and you can order a five 2-ounce glass sampler for C$22, as well as a cocktail list that embraces locally distilled liquors.  

Firmly established as the best place to eat along this stretch of the coast, La Cuisine Robicheau overlooks the ocean and specializes in seafood and Acadian cuisine. The excellent pâté à la râpure (rappie pie) is usually the first thing to sell out, so come early. Other good choices include the fricot aux poutines râpées à la poule (chicken soup with potato dumplings). 

In a gorgeous location by the water, this restaurant is much more than just a deli, with a long menu that includes an award-winning chowder, gourmet sandwiches, hand-rolled, thin-crust pizzas, inventive burgers with an international slant, and plenty of vegetarian choices. In the evening, chef Martin Ruiz Salvador adds a short dinner menu to the options, with dishes like scallop linguine and fisherman's stew. You'll find Nova Scotian and international wines on the drinks list, plus craft beers and cocktails.

You don't have to dine on the waterfront in Digby to enjoy great seafood and good views, and this friendly pub offers both. Just uphill from the main street, its two-story deck has great sea views, and the menu mostly features local seafood that couldn't be any fresher. There are other choices, too, including vegetarian and vegan options, and any dish can be downsized for children. All are made from locally sourced ingredients, cooked to perfection by the talented chef, and there's local beer, locally roasted coffee, and occasional local live music.

The lobster rolls served at this takeout-only spot are divine, filled with fat chunks of lobster and served with a pickle and potato chips on the side. Order a classic (with celery and mayo), cajun (spicier version of the classic), or naked (pure lobster) and sit by the water to enjoy. Tom's also serves a few other seafood dishes (smoked salmon bagels, seafood pasta, fishcakes) and all are delicious. 

Offering seafood, steaks, pasta and pizza, the food at this dinner-only spot is consistent and delicious, with many ingredients locally sourced. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and the service is top-notch. 

The menu isn't huge at this funky taproom, but the charcuterie boards, sandwiches, and pizza—all of which showcase local produce—do go perfectly with this craft brewery's tasty beers. You can sit out on the spacious patio or inside, and there's even an axe-throwing studio on-site to make your evening a little more entertaining. You can pick up beers to go at the attached retail store.

A warm welcome and elegant surroundings provide a great first impression here, but it's the delicious, fresh, and health-conscious cuisine that lingers in memory. The menu changes seasonally, but always includes dry-rub or honey-glazed pork ribs straight from an apple-wood smoker. The bistro's rooms have a minimalist look that nicely balances the heritage building's original architectural features, and a patio provides outside dining in summer.

This delightfully old-fashioned bakery supplies traditional Maritimes brown bread to all the restaurants in the area and is the best spot to grab sticky pecan buns, ginger snaps, date squares, and other retro baked goods. 

This rustic midtown spot—a former store, stable, and Nova Scotia's oldest rural inn, dating to 1764—is full of natural pine and local art, and its staff and clientele treat regulars and newcomers like kin. In the windowed front section, a woodstove keeps things warm on chilly nights, and year-round you can order from a menu that's strong on seafood and comfort food. Lighter fare is also served, along with plenty of craft beers.

This funky spot that started out as a food truck offers an eclectic and tasty menu that runs from jerk chicken bowls to butter chicken poutine to fish-and-chips. The dining room doubles as a gallery space, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. There's a good selection of local craft beers, ciders, and wines. They are known for catering to any food sensitivities. 

If you're in the neighborhood during lobster season, this site is well worth a visit. It's one of the largest lobster holding facilities in Canada, storing live lobsters in temperature-controlled pounds until they can be packed and shipped to international destinations. You can pick out a lobster and have it prepared in the "cook shack" and delivered to you in the waterfront dining room. Or buy a live one to go.

Initially known for having the best ice cream around, this fun spot expanded into serving excellent sushi and has become an appealing option for lunch or dinner as well as dessert. 

Devotees swear by the hot lobster sandwich at this retro diner—indeed, Haligonians have been known to make the three-hour trek just to dine on the creamed crustacean concoction that was supposedly invented here. Laminated tables, vinyl banquettes, and bright lights greet you, and it all looks much as it did circa 1960. Other reliable options include fresh seafood, no-nonsense standbys like turkey burgers and club sandwiches, and traditional desserts.

Take in a view of the bay from inside this old, British-style alehouse, or enjoy waterside dining on the back deck. The menu includes basic pub fare, such as fish-and-chips and steak and ale pie. Lunenburg scallops are a specialty, as is the Mug & Anchor meat pie, and the kids menu will please even the fussiest young diner. The pub hosts live music on Saturday evening.

This adorable café serves excellent coffee and a range of baked treats that you can enjoy in their antique-furniture-filled parlor or leafy backyard patio. 

Lunenburg is riddled with seafood restaurants, but this one stands out for its location inside a former fish-processing plant at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, overlooking Lunenburg Harbour and with wharf-side dining in summer. Seafood is the specialty, of course, but you can also opt for chicken, steak, or vegetarian pasta. The Ice House Bar has 16 beers on tap and summer rum tasting events.

This locals' favorite is known for superb espresso drinks and baked goods, as well as a great selection of soups, sandwiches, and hot lunch entrées. There are a number of musical instruments in the café that guests are encouraged to pick up and play.

As its name implies, this hopping waterfront spot serves the expected fish dishes along with pub grub like steak with seafood and fries and Acadian rappie pie, all of which can be washed down with ales handcrafted on-site. Seating is inside a converted warehouse supported by 18th-century beams or, in fine weather, at picnic tables on the wraparound deck. Since Rudder's doubles as a microbrewery, you can also buy beer to go. Live entertainment on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evening is a good reason to linger, and if you're sailing in, they have their own floating-dock marina.

This authentic German bakery and café is much loved for its delicious strudels, cookies, and other European-style baked goods. It’s also a great spot for lunch or early dinner of bratwurst, schnitzel, and other German specialties (or just a pretzel or sandwich if you're looking for something lighter). Seating is inside or on a large patio overlooking the fort. 

Poised on the rocks near the base of Peggy's Cove lighthouse, this sprawling 180-seat dining room serves a variety of seafood, including orange brandy shrimp and scallops, lobster dinners, and Down East specialties such as salt-fish hash and beans. There are also chicken, steak, and vegetarian options, and breakfast is served from 8:30 to 11 am.

The aroma of freshly made waffle cones makes it hard to walk on by this little store selling delicious homemade ice cream and fudge. 

Owned by esteemed local chef Martin Ruiz Salvador, each thoughtful dish embraces fresh, local produce and meat, as well as incredible seafood. The Mediterranean-inspired menu elevates mussels and scallops to another level, their pasta is all handmade, and service is exceptional. Be sure to save room for one of their decadent desserts. This bright and modern restaurant somehow fits perfectly into a historic property, and the waterfront location makes for beautiful views whether you dine inside or on the patio.

This bright and friendly spot is a Chester community hub, and is a great spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or just coffee and a treat. Everything served is fresh, locally sourced where possible, and absolutely delicious. The attached pantry sells specialty food items, locally-made jams and chutneys, and a selection of take-and-heat meals to go.

Housed in one of Chester's oldest buildings, with 200-year-old hand-hewn beams and plenty of original features, this dockside restaurant and pub offers excellent seafood, steaks, and pasta dishes in the most picturesque of locations. With decks right on the harbour, the views here can't be beat.