For more than three decades, Coast readers have been informing us of their favorite people, places and experiences.
The spots they return to, the ones they recommend, the ones that make this city feel like home.
This is a curated list of the winners that call Downtown Halifax home.
Shopping + Services
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Downtown Halifax Winners
Best Comics Shop
GOLD WINNER: 🥇Strange Adventures
Best Hair SalonGOLD WINNER: 🥇Interlude Spa
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Spirit Spa
Best Jewellery StoreGOLD WINNER: 🥇FireWorks Gallery
Best Mani PediGOLD WINNER: 🥇Interlude Spa
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Spirit Spa
Best Second-Hand Clothing StoreBRONZE WINNER: 🥉The Loot Vintage
Best SpaSILVER WINNER: 🥇Interlude Spa
Best Tattoo & Piercing ShopBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Skin Decision Inc.
Best Fashion DesignerGOLD WINNER: 🥇Lisa Drader-Murphy
Best Hair StylistGOLD WINNER: 🥇Emma Bonang - Interlude Spa
Best Nail TechnicianBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Shelby Burke - The Wine Spa
Best TailorBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Sherzad's Tailoring Shop (Bishop’s Landing)
Best Travel Agency
GOLD WINNER: 🥇Maritime Travel
Arts + Culture
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Downtown Halifax Winners
Best Comedy Show
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Yuk Yuks
Best Dance CompanyGOLD WINNER: 🥇Halifax Dance
Best GalleryGOLD WINNER: 🥇Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Argyle Fine Art
Best MuseumSILVER WINNER: 🥈Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Discovery Centre
Best Theatre CompanyGOLD WINNER: 🥇Neptune Theatre
Best Trivia NightBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Durty Nelly's
*Best Festival* (Downtown Halifax owned this category)GOLD WINNER: 🥇TD Halifax Jazz Festival
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Halifax Pride Festival
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Halifax Busker Festival
Public Life
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Downtown Halifax Winners
Best Accessible Business
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Venus Envy
Best Community ProjectBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Nocturne Halifax
Best Place for a First DateGOLD WINNER: 🥇Halifax Waterfront
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉The Board Room Game Cafe
Best Place to DanceGOLD WINNER: 🥇Stardust Bar + Kitchen
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Pacifico
Best Public Art or MuralGOLD WINNER: 🥇The Wave
Best Public SpaceGOLD WINNER: 🥇Halifax Waterfront
Food + Drink
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Downtown Halifax Winners
Best Middle Eastern/Persian Restaurant
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Darya
Best Nova Scotian DistilleryBRONZE WINNER: 🥉JD Shore
Best BarGOLD WINNER: 🥇Durty Nelly's
Best Beer GardenBRONZE WINNER: 🥉The BG
Best BurritoGOLD WINNER: 🥇Antojo Tacos + Tequila
Best CaesarSILVER WINNER: 🥈Black Sheep Restaurant
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Durty Nelly's
Best WingsSILVER WINNER: 🥈The Brown Hound
Best Chinese RestaurantBRONZE WINNER: 🥉The Great Wall Restaurant
Best ChowderSILVER WINNER: 🥈The Bicycle Thief
Best CocktailsBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Highwayman
Best DessertsGOLD WINNER: 🥇Pane e Circo
SILVER WINNER: 🥈The Middle Spoon Desserterie & Bar
Best Fine DiningGOLD WINNER: 🥇The Bicycle Thief
Best Fish CakesBRONZE WINNER: 🥉The Bicycle Thief
Best FriesSILVER WINNER: 🥈Willy's Fresh Cut
Best Gluten-Free OptionsGOLD WINNER: 🥇The Wooden Monkey
*Best Hotel Restaurant* (Downtown Halifax owned this category)GOLD WINNER: 🥇Chop Steakhouse & Bar
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Gio
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Drift Halifax
Best Ice Cream/Gelato/Frozen YogurtSILVER WINNER: 🥈Cows Cable Wharf
Best Indian RestaurantSILVER WINNER: 🥈Mirchi Tandoor
Best Italian RestaurantSILVER WINNER: 🥈Ristorante a Mano
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉The Bicycle Thief
Best Korean RestaurantSILVER WINNER: 🥈Gangnam Korean BBQ
Best Late-Night FoodGOLD WINNER: 🥇Willy's Fresh Cut
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Freeman's Little New York
Best MilkshakeSILVER WINNER: 🥈Five Guys
Best NachosGOLD WINNER: 🥇Antojo Tacos + Tequila
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Durty Nelly's
Best New BarGOLD WINNER: 🥇Stardust Bar + Kitchen
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Magnolia
Best New RestaurantGOLD WINNER: 🥇Water Polo
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Tribute
Best Oyster RestaurantSILVER WINNER: 🥈The Press Gang
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Shuck Seafood + Raw Bar
Best PastriesBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Pane e Circo
Best PatioGOLD WINNER: 🥇Water Polo
Best Pub FoodBRONZE WINNER: 🥉The Brown Hound
Best BBQGOLD WINNER: 🥇Boneheads BBQ
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Rocky's Original Filipino BBQ
Best PoutineGOLD WINNER: 🥇Willy's Fresh Cut
SILVER WINNER: 🥈Smoke's Poutinerie
Best RestaurantGOLD WINNER: 🥇The Bicycle Thief
Best SaladBRONZE WINNER: 🥉Ristorante a Mano
Best TeaGOLD WINNER: 🥇World Tea House
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Creme
Best Thai RestaurantSILVER WINNER: 🥈Talay Thai
Best Use of Local IngredientsGOLD WINNER: 🥇The Wooden Monkey
Best Vegetarian/Vegan RestaurantGOLD WINNER: 🥇The Wooden Monkey
Best Wine ListGOLD WINNER: 🥇Obladee Wine Bar
SILVER WINNER: 🥈The Bicycle Thief
Best BartenderSILVER WINNER: 🥈Rachel Thraves - Durty Nelly's
BRONZE WINNER: 🥉Ethan Martin - The Pint
Best ChocolatierSILVER WINNER: 🥈Rousseau Chocolatier
Learn more
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The Coast organizes the survey, counts the votes, and publishes the results, but the decisions belong entirely to you. Thousands of readers cast thousands of votes across dozens of categories, recognizing the businesses, artists, venues and community builders who continue to raise the bar.