pizzawareNova Scotia’s capital city of Halifax is rich in history and nature and continues to be Canada’s most important Atlantic commercial port. Halifax’s role as a major trading hub dates back to the earliest days of Canadian history. You can still see remnants of its early 19th-century waterfront structures used to house materials arriving from the east.
Visitors to Halifax will find a wealth of maritime history, from the Halifax Citadel to the Maritime Museum. Nature lovers will delight in the incredible coastal panoramas of rocky outcroppings and picturesque lighthouses looking out over an endless blue Atlantic horizon.
Whether you’re in Halifax to learn about Canadian history or take in the epic Atlantic views, you’ll want to also enjoy Halifax’s food scene. Canada may be famous for warm, hearty dishes of poutine or pure maple syrup, Halifax residents love a pizza as much as the rest of the world.
Best Pizza in Halifax
If you’re looking for a delicious pizza, Halifax has plenty of options. Read on to explore my list of the best pizza in Halifax that runs the global spectrum of pizza styles from local pizzerias, cafes, and Italian eateries.
Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria
5541 Young St, Halifax, NS B3K 1Z7
Phone: (902) 455-1133
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Located in Halifax’s North End a few blocks from Fort Needham Memorial Park, Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria is a long-standing neighborhood favorite for Italian-influenced, New York-style pizza.
Serving the North End for over 20 years, Salvatore’s adheres to a “less is more” motto for their famous pizza, which they argue needs no more than three toppings.
You can get three different pizza styles at Salvatore’s, including their signature thin-crust, the square-shaped pan Sicilian style, and a sesame seed-edged crust. All variations are superb, and each has a variety of specialty combos.
My favorite is the Clam Pie Marinato, a thin-crusted pizza brushed with garlicky olive oil and cornmeal then layered with mozzarella, baby clams, fresh parsley, Italian herbs, parmesan, and garlic.
Mother’s Halifax
5710 Young St, Halifax, NS B3K 4L5
Phone: (902) 406-5050
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As another North End favorite, Mother’s Halifax is a family-owned and operated pizzeria and pub that uses local ingredients to craft their scratch-made pizzas.
The restaurant not only has a friendly, bustling atmosphere, but it is also beautifully designed with black and white-tiled walls surrounding a giant fiery semi-circular oven, marble floors, and industrial-chic décor.
They offer several beers on tap from local microbreweries, plus one beer the owner himself brews. The pizza has a thin, crispy underside with a chewy, substantial outer crust.
My favorite pizza is the White Pizza with chorizo sausage, walnut, mozzarella, smoked provolone, honey, balsamic reduction, and fresh arugula on top.
Morris East
620 Nine Mile Dr #1-9, Bedford, NS B4A 0H4
Phone: (902) 444-7671
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Named for its flagship location on Morris Street, Morris East now has locations in the family-friendly suburb of Bedford West and the more urban neighborhood of Quinpool.
Owned by Halifax-native Jennie Dobbs, Morris East is a gourmet Italian eatery and artisanal pizzeria with a full cocktail and wine bar in an elegant yet kid-friendly atmosphere.
Morris East uses a special fermentation method to their pizza dough that gives it a unique flavor more akin to Italian pizza dough. You can also get delicious and authentic hot and cold antipasti, salads, and house-made pasta.
My favorite Neapolitan-style pizza is the Valentina, with lemon-herb oil, chicken meatballs, pickled grapes, mozzarella, kale, romesco, and shaved Manchego.
Piatto
1299 Hollis St, Halifax, NS B3J 1T7
Phone: (902) 406-0909
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Piatto is an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria and enoteca in the heart of downtown Halifax. The Pizzaiolo at Piatto follows strict VPN guidelines, using imported Italian ingredients and the classic Neapolitan wood-fired method to create authentic pies certified by the Italian government.
The bustling, urban kitchen reveals a giant wood-fired oven with an iron rim and white-tiled exterior as a centerpiece.
There is a tailored wine list and beer menu with local, imported, and draught beers, not to mention a cocktail list with tried-and-true favorites along with seasonal creations.
I recommend starting with their famous meatballs baked in San Marzano tomato sauce served with house-made garlic focaccia. For the pizza, I’d go with the most authentic Neapolitan and VPN-certified Margherita pizza.
Freeman’s Fairview
3671 Dutch Village Rd, Halifax, NS B3N 2T1
Phone: (902) 445-5256
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Freeman’s Little New York is an iconic Fairview New York-style Italian food restaurant and pizzeria in a cozy, old-school dining room and lounge that has been a part of the Halifax culinary scene since 1956, making it by far the oldest pizzeria on my list.
They’re open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving the most authentic Italian American pasta, pizza, and comfort food favorites.
Their giant New York-style thin-crust pizzas are just the tip of the iceberg, with an expansive menu of bar food favorites like nachos and fried pickles, classic pasta dishes, and a fusion of entrees like veggie stir-fry, chicken and waffles, and fish fries.
Still, we’re here for pizza, so I recommend the Lil’ Frankie, with chicken, bacon, cheddar, and red onion.
Ristorante a Mano
1477 Lower Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 3Z4
Phone: (902) 423-6266
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Located right on the waterfront at St. Bishop’s Landing, Ristorante a Mano is a high-end authentic Italian Trattoria owned by famed restauranteur Hakan Uluer who owns and operates three other successful restaurants around Canada.
The beautiful downtown trattoria has a rustic-chic interior with a beautiful marble bar, colorful hanging, blown glass light fixtures, and classy, old-school leather seats and bar stools.
The same attention to detail paid to the design of the restaurant goes into its delicious menu. The menu offers a classic scratch-made selection of antipasti, pizza as an appetizer, hand-made pasta, and main entrees.
The pizzas are perfect examples of Neapolitan-style pizza. My favorite is the Prosciutto E Rucola with prosciutto crudo, arugula, chili oil, and shaved Parmigiano.
La Piazza Resto Café
6430 Chebucto Rd, Halifax, NS B3L 1L2
Phone: (902) 404-5885
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La Piazza Resto Café is a gourmet Italian kitchen, wine bar, and café in the Westmount Subdivision that offers guests authentic Italian appetizers, entrees, and wood-fired pizza in an elegant yet cozy dining space.
Whether you’re there for a multicourse meal or one of their amazing Italian coffees and desserts, La Piazza Resto is a classy and decadent experience.
Their menu has delicious antipasti like crab risotto, salads, fresh pasta, and entrees that include everything from pistachio encrusted salmon to a steakhouse burger.
Their wood-fired Neapolitan-style pies have a fusion of flavors. Take, for instance, the Crispy Cauliflower with deep-fried cauliflower, tahini, red onions, green onions, and crispy pita bread strips.
Tomavinos Pizzeria
1113 Marginal Rd, Halifax, NS B3H 4P7
Phone: (902) 425-9111
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Located on the waterfront in downtown Halifax, Tomavinos Pizzeria is a cozy, friendly restaurant serving authentic Neapolitan pizzas and fish-centric sandwiches using locally sourced, organic ingredients.
They’ve been a Halifax favorite for contemporary Neapolitan pizza for over two decades. They also offer a wide selection of local beers on tap.
Their lobster rolls are incredible and served open-faced with a heaping portion of the freshest Atlantic lobster along with a Caesar salad. My favorite specialty pie at Tomavinos is the Palermo, with goat cheese, soppressata, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic.
Rinaldo’s
2186 Windsor St, Halifax, NS B3K 5B8
Phone: (902) 425-0400
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Owned and operated by Sam and Tony Rinaldo, two Halifax-born brothers born to Sicilian and New Yorker parents, Rinaldo’s is a culmination of their heritage and the food they grew up eating.
Located a block from Halifax Common in downtown Halifax, Rinaldo’s offers Italian American sandwiches and pizzas using local ingredients and multi-generational family recipes.
Not only do they offer New York-style thin crust, but they also offer Detroit-style deep dish, a take on Sicilian square pizza with extra charred sides and toppings and cheese that extend to the very edge.
Both styles are excellent, but Detroit-style is my favorite, so I recommend the pepperoni pan pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Grana Padano.
Dimitri’s Pizza
6469 Chebucto Road
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia B3L1L3
(902) 453-5333
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Located in the Westmount Subdivision, Dimitri’s Pizza is a pizza and donair restaurant with affordable prices and a welcoming atmosphere. They combine Middle Eastern flavors with their thin-crust pizza creations for a unique and flavorful pizza.
They also make the classic donair, a kebab meat pita with fresh vegetables and yogurt sauce.
Their signature pizzas are akin to Lebanese cheese and meat flatbreads in round form, and they are absolutely delicious. However, they also make conventional thin-crust pizzas with nice, chewy edges and build-your-own toppings.
I recommend the Chicken Shwarma Pizza with garlic sauce, mozzarella cheese, tomato, spinach, chicken shawarma, topped with pickles and garlic swirl.
Rush Hour Pizza
3646 Windsor St, Halifax, NS B3K 5G9
Phone: (902) 482-8888
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Located in between Fairview and North End, Rush Hour Pizza is a fast-casual pizza joint inside an old house that has a small dining room but is mainly a take-out and delivery service.
They specialize in Canadian comfort food with a Turkish flair, offering everything from poutine to local seafood to Turkish kebab sandwiches called donairs.
They have great daily specials, including cheap pizzas and donair and pizza combos, with a different specialty each day. Pizzas are classic thin-crust rounds with spongy and light edges.
I liked the Donair pizza that uses donair meat, garlic spread, onions, tomatoes, and mozzarella.
Tomaso’s Pizzeria
256 Bedford Hwy, Halifax, NS B3M 2K6
Phone: (902) 457-2277
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Owned and operated by Italian-native Tomaso Prato who immigrated to Halifax in the 1960s, Tomaso’s Pizzeria is an authentic Italian pizzeria that uses Tomaso’s grandmother’s early 1900s pizza recipe.
Founded in 1969, Tomaso’s has served Italian-style pizza to the Bridgeview neighborhood for over 50 years.
You can build your own thin-crust pie, but Tomaso’s also has an Italian specialty and gourmet specialty pizza menu. The gourmet specialty pies are the cream of the crop with imported Italian ingredients.
My favorite was the Spinaci and Galo Arrostito with red sauce, sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, red pepper, Italian sausage, roasted garlic, and olive oil.
Final Thoughts
Halifax may be a small city at one of the farthest Canadian outposts on the Atlantic seaboard, but that doesn’t keep it from having a diverse, fresh, and happening pizza scene.
You can find everything from Italian American to VPN certified Neapolitan and even fresh new Canadian takes on pizza. Whatever your favorite style might be, you’ll find the best pizza in Halifax at the above list of restaurants, trattorias, and slice shops.
Did we leave a pizza shop out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment, and we’ll check it out!
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