I recently moved to the Hydrostone and wanted to get to know my new neighborhood, so I joined in on one of the Local Tasting Tours' Open Kitchen Food Tours. My good friend Rose and I spent a sunny afternoon with our guide and a small group of foodies visiting local eateries. We stopped by four locations and walked about 1km over two hours learning about the history and culture of Halifax's north end along the way.
Our first stop was Getaway Farm's Highland Drive Butchery in the Hydrostone where we watched a butchering demo and sampled some delicious pulled pork. We learned about Getaway's farms where the animals are raised sustainably, are grass-fed and hormone free. This shop is only a few doors down from my new home so I'll be popping by often for groceries!
Our second stop was Salvatore's Pizzaiolo Trattoria also located in the Hydrostone. We were treated to one of their signature specialty pizzas, the Bianco in Stephano, a new favorite for me! We learned a few tips for cooking yummy pizzas at home. I can see myself spending a few Friday nights here in the recently expanded (and licensed) dining room sharing pizza and pints with friends.
Our third stop after a short walk was EnVie, a vegan restaurant on the corner of Charles and Agricola. It was time for something sweet and the blueberry swirl cheesecake was fantastic. Made with cashew nuts and sweetened with agave, we learned how to make this dessert at home (they even gave us the recipe). I've visited EnVie a few times now and have loved everything I've tried. I'll be stopping by for some healthy treats!
Our last stop was one of my favorite restaurants in Halifax, Agricola Street Brasserie. We sat down to beautiful place settings at the kitchen counter where you can watch everything happening behind the scenes in this busy restaurant. We were just in time for happy hour so after enjoying our sausage and cassoulet, we had a couple glasses of wine at the beautifully designed bar. I can see myself spending a lot of time here now that I'm within walking distance!
Special thanks to Emily Forrest of Local Tasting Tours for inviting Rose and I to join the group and to Claire Gallant for being a fantastic tour guide, we had a great afternoon! If you are into local food, or might enjoy learning more about Halifax's unique communities, I highly recommend checking out the tours offered by Local Tasting Tours.