Seafood restaurants in Canada
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A
Palate
For well-prepared fine Continental dining with contemporary flair and a seasonally changing menu, this personable corner spot is recommended. The purple and yellow room is especially highly regarded for its seafood, but meats, pastas and chicken are also well represented. The Atlantic salmon is superb.
reviewed
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B
Whalesbone Oyster House
If the local chefs are purchasing their fish from Whalesbone's wholesale wing (or should we say 'fin'), then there's really no doubt that it's the best place in town for seafood. The on-site restaurant offers up a short list of fresh faves like lobster, halibut and scallops ceviche on small plates.
reviewed
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C
Bullock's Bistro
Take away Bullocks and you take away half of Yellowknife's personality – this scruffy old fish shack is insanely popular despite abrupt (verging on rude) service, lack of printed menus, a help-yourself drinks fridge and ridiculously expensive prices. The secret: fantastically fresh fish, whale-sized portions, loads of character and the exciting notion that you never know what's going to happen next. The decor is backwoods cabin meets Hell's Kitchen and the clientele is bush pilots mingled with thick-skinned locals. Arrive early and prepare to be yelled at.
reviewed
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D
Kettle of Fish
'Eat lotsa fish' is its motto, and staff will do what they can to help you do just that. Oddly and overly decorated with land-based vegetation, Kettle makes phenomenal dishes with ingredients from under the sea. Daily fresh sheets might include Szechuan spearfish or cornmeal-encrusted oysters.
reviewed
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E
Mercato
Traditional Italian cuisine in a relaxed setting. The menu is fantastic with authentic dishes from the old country. Delicate pastas are intertwined with seafood and other carnivorous options. The wine list is stellar, with a great selection of Italian wines to complement the fine food.
reviewed
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F
Harbord Fish & Chips
This graffiti-covered, white-brick fish shack wins big smiles for its generous portions of haddock, halibut and shrimp, all freshly fried. Get yours wrapped up in newspapers, or chow down at outdoor paint-peeling picnic tables while your laundry spins at Coin-O-Rama across the street.
reviewed
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G
Fishbones
Catch live jazz nightly through the summer at this indoor-outdoor sidewalk restaurant. The open windows and fake (yet tasteful) trees make it feel like summer here. Oysters are the house specialty but you do pay for the music and decor - everything seems a few dollars more here.
reviewed
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H
Red Fish Blue Fish
On the waterfront boardwalk at the foot of Broughton St, this freight-container takeout shack serves a loyal clientele who just can't get enough of its fresh-made sustainable seafood. Highlights like scallop tacones, wild salmon sandwiches, tempura battered fish and chips and the signature chunky Pacific Rim chowder all hit the spot: find a waterfront perch to enjoy your nosh but watch for hovering seagull mobsters.
reviewed
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I
King's Table
A fraternal, back-slapping feeling suffuses this storefront, which we'll crown King of The Beaches' fish-and-chip shops. Cheery tables fill up fast with diners ordering hearty halibut or salmon grills and salads.
reviewed
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J
Aqua
The mains at this hip bistro incorporate local seafood and wild game, resulting in inventive dishes like caribou with warm bakeapple coulis, molasses-glazed salmon and prosciutto-wrapped cod.
reviewed
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K
Salty's Beachouse
You expect deep-fried but what you get is a nuanced menu of seafood with global accents. Typical is Cayman Island chowder, which is rich and multifaceted. Dine under the stars on the patio or enjoy the lake views from the upper level.
reviewed
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L
Peake's Quay Restaurant & Bar
The atmosphere here is fantastic in summer. Patrons pack the huge balcony overlooking the historic waterfront to enjoy local seafood and nightly live Celtic music.
reviewed
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M
Blue on Water
This hip restaurant does inventive takes on seafood dishes such as cod tongues and scruncheons and maple salmon with organic veggies. Brunch includes banana pancakes topped with rum-roasted walnuts. If nothing else, grab a drink in Blue's loungelike bar next door.
reviewed
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N
Smiles Seafood
Since 1934 Smiles has served classic, casual seafood meals. Slide into a vinyl booth or sit out on the deck.
reviewed
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Dock Restaurant
This scenic spot sits next to the wharf and prepares great chowder and seafood, plus it serves Moo Moo's ice cream (from the popular eponymous shop in St John's).
reviewed
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Codfathers Seafood Market
There's fresh fish of course but picnickers love the array of smoked salmon and other smoked goods. A small cafe serves chowders, fish and chips etc.
reviewed
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Clam Digger
Cars park three-deep outside this teeny red-and-white seafood shack, a summertime tradition in these parts. Order your clam platter or juicy, dripping cheeseburger, and claim one of the red-painted picnic tables. Don't forget an ice-cream cone! It's in Chamcook, about 9 km north of St Andrews.
reviewed
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O
Catch
The problem for any saltwater fish restaurant in landlocked Calgary is that, if you're calling it fresh, it can't be local. Overcoming the conundrum, Catch, situated in an old bank building in Stephen St, flies its 'fresh catch' in daily from both coasts (BC and the Maritimes). You can work out the carbon-offsets for your lobster, crab and oysters on one of three different floors: an oyster bar, a dining room or an upstairs atrium.
reviewed
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Back Eddy Cocktail Lounge & Restaurant
This low-lit dining room is probably the best in town. Featured is fresh-caught Great Slave Lake fish, including pan-fried whitefish topped with scallops and shrimp ($18).
reviewed
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Bacalao
Cozy Bacalao sources local, sustainable ingredients for its 'nouvelle Newfoundland cuisine.' Dishes include salt cod du jour and caribou in partridgeberry sauce, washed down by local beer and wines. Located 1.5km west of downtown; take Water St south to Waldegrave St, then Barters Hill Rd.
reviewed
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R&J Restaurant
Sink your teeth into fish 'n' brewis, shrimp, scallops or battered fish. Pizzas and burgers are also available.
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Old Loft Restaurant
Set on the water in Woody Point, this tiny place is popular for its traditional Newfoundland meals and seafood.
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Ocean View Restaurant
Good fresh seafood (try the halibut) is the specialty at this casual dining room, where some tables look out to the harbor.
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Lighthouse Restaurant
The ladies at this diner cook up a storm out back and deliver Gros Morne's best fish and chips, cod tongues and other Newfie dishes, along with cold beer.
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Les Terrasses du Capitaine
Behind the fish market, this is the best place in town to taste local catches.
reviewed