Decorating & Design
The City Column: Discover H&H’s Guide To Halifax
Updated on January 8, 2024
Nova Scotia’s biggest city has quietly become one of Canada’s most exciting hot spots, especially for food and design. From a classic seafood restaurant to a maritime-inspired design shop, discover where to eat, stay, shop and explore in this East Coast city.
Scroll down and get planning!
Where To Stay: The Lord Nelson
In the heart of downtown, overlooking the iconic Public Gardens, the Lord Nelson has
a location that’s hard to beat. The brick building has been a local landmark since it was built in 1928, and a recent refresh has preserved its original charm while giving the hotel new life.
1515 South Park St.
Where To Stay: Muir Halifax
Halifax’s newest hotel is the East Coast’s first true five-star lodging. Inspired by Nova Scotia’s rugged beauty, the building was designed by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects and features interiors by Alessandro Munge. While there’s luxury around every corner, the star attraction is the stunning harbor view.
1709 Lower Water St.
Where To Eat:
Housed in a charming 1817 schoolhouse, The 5 Fishermen has been a pillar of Halifax’s dining scene for decades. It’s still the place to go for special occasions, with an unparalleled menu of upscale seafood.
1740 Argyle St.
What To See: Peggy’s Cove Viewing Deck
Peggy’s Cove has always been an essential day trip for visitors to Halifax. But last year, architect Omar Gandhi transformed the destination with a new accessible viewing deck that cantilevers over the cove’s shaggy rock face and frames views of the iconic red and white lighthouse.
178 Peggy’s Point Rd.
What To See: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
With a focus on Atlantic Canadian art, this museum is one of the finest of its kind in the region. Highlights include a Kent Monkman–led exhibit of Indigenous art and the definitive collection of Maud Lewis’s folk art (see her house, transplanted from Digby, N.S., and reconstructed inside the museum’s walls).
1723 Hollis St.
Where To Shop: Peace By Chocolate
After his father’s chocolate factory in Syria was destroyed, Tareq Hadhad and his family resettled in Antigonish, N.S., and rebuilt the business. Tareq’s new boutique in the Queen’s Marque district is a symbol of his success — and one of the most beautiful chocolate shops in the country.
1741 Lower Water St.
Where To Shop: 31 Westgate
Designers Colin Blanchard and Kenneth McRobbie have been defining the maritime aesthetic for years. In 2011, they opened a shop in the city, which stocks their own line of furniture alongside a curated collection of ever-changing finds.
5431 Doyle St.
House & Home June 2022