Halifax is filled with many great restaurants, and a lot of them have their own unique take on the burger. There is, however, an elite group of these restaurants whose members create amazing gourmet burgers, and this list lets you in on the best of the best!
Since opening, comfortably intimate 2 Doors Down has been a huge hit with locals and tourists alike for its casual-contemporary menu and focus on local, seasonal ingredients. When it comes to burgers, 2DD’s chefs cook the patties perfectly, and the toppings and condiments create dreamy flavour combinations. The Smokehouse Cheeseburger topped with smoked gouda, bacon, crisped shallots and enriched with bourbon barbecue sauce and onion jam is highly recommended.
Located in downtown Halifax, Stubborn Goat has both a unique menu and interesting decor on its relaxed lower dining room level and cheerful upper lounge area that really embraces its goat theme. Made with high-quality, local ingredients including beef and lamb patties, the restaurant’s burger selection is a pleasure to your taste buds! The wonderfully flavoured Beef & Blue Burger is dressed with locally made Urban Blue cheese and smoked bacon as well as pickled onion and Dijon mustard.
Warm and welcoming, Brooklyn Warehouse is always mentioned when burgers are the topic of conversation. The team at this contemporary bistro knows what it takes to make a great burger (they are also the crew behind Ace Burger Co.) using lots of awesome local ingredients including patties crafted with a variety of meats. Served with triple-cooked chips, the Brooklyn Burger (on the lunch menu) features great Atlantic Canadian elements including a Nova Scotia beef patty topped with PEI old cheddar and St. Ambroise Beer mustard-mayo. While the prices might be high, you really get what you pay for.
The only burger on its menu, La Frasca definitely goes all out with its Wild Valley Boar Burger! From the radicchio relish to the garlic butter toasted bun, this burger is the very definition of gourmet. The dining experience here benefits from the restaurant’s beautiful interior. It features seating areas for large groups, as well as secluded tables for date nights. The staff here is extremely friendly, and more than willing to provide recommendations.
A new addition to the Halifax restaurant scene, small and stylish Primal offers a menu that is filled with the finest cuts of meat served with craft beer. The restaurant’s beef chuck is ground in-house and cooked to perfection. Topped with molasses bacon and smoked cheddar, the Primal Burger looks great and tastes even better. Eating this burger is a sure fire way to fill any meaty cravings you might have!
Durty Nelly’s very legitimately bills itself as an authentic Irish pub, and visiting certainly makes you feel like you have travelled to Ireland. In fact, its beautiful, long bar was designed and built in Dublin and transported to Nova Scotia in pieces. The bar offers a selection of Irish-inspired meals and North American pub-grub favourites. The burgers here are fairly hearty, and the toppings are minimal but flavourful. The notable Banger Burger features a ground pork patty and insanely delicious Jameson bacon jam.
The Bicycle Thief is located right down on the Halifax Waterfront, so it’s a very popular location for tourists and anyone craving a beautiful mealtime view. With the tenderloin burger, the Bicycle Thief takes your typical burger and makes it something truly awesome. Wonderfully cooked, the meat is so tender it almost falls apart while you eat it.. The patty is topped with double smoked bacon, caramelized onions and “very old” cheddar cheese.
Located in the Atlantica Hotel, Seasons isn’t just a place for guests to grab a quick meal; it holds its own among Halifax’s fine dining restaurants. Not only is the whole dining area surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, the atmosphere is sophisticated, and the menu is just as beautiful. The lone burger offered here is hard to beat. It features a locally raised Oulton Farms beef patty and its toppings include frizzled onions and garlic aioli.