Best Atmosphere

Economy Shoe Shop

Somewhere along the way the restaurant became the default place to bring someone who just arrived in town, the hub from which the city spreads out in all directions, like spokes. Having won the Best Nachos so often the category was retired to the Hall of Fame this year, the Shoe also regularly gets props for its overall vibe. It's that jungle canopy, with deftly placed plants and lighting to suggest an exotic, intimate locale, somewhere that, ironically, might be far away from Halifax. But the real irony is that when you're inside the Shoe Shop, there are few places that now feel more like Halifax.

1st Runner-up Brooklyn Warehouse
2nd Runner-up Wooden Monkey