Halifax Farmers Market: Everything You Need to Know

I love visiting Farmers Markets. There are usually opportunities to try lots of delicious and interesting things and they do tend to be very photogenic. Importantly, they are brilliant when travelling to get a real local view of the area you are visiting.

Most Farmers Markets have a requirement that any stallholders must have businesses within a certain number of kilometres of the market itself.

This guarantees a genuinely local experience and the fabulous Halifax Farmers Market was no exception. It is one of the most fun things to do in Halifax.

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Halifax Seaport Market is the longest continuously running market in North America. This Halifax market started in 1750 and has moved location several times. In 2010, this Halifax historic farmer’s market moved to its current location at the Halifax Seaport.

This market is so good that you may want to consider getting an apartment rather than a hotel room for your stay in Halifax Nova Scotia. It felt very frustrating not to have a kitchen where I could take some of these fabulous products and cook up a storm.

Where is the Halifax Farmers Market?

Halifax Seaport Farmers Market is located on the Halifax Waterfront. It is at the opposite end of the Halifax Waterfront from the Maritime Museum and very close to the Immigration Museum.

I stayed at the Delta Halifax hotel and it took me about 15 minutes to walk there using Lower Water Road rather than the actual path on the waterfront (it snakes quite a bit so is a longer walk).

Halifax Seaport Farmers Market is spread over two levels although the majority of market vendors are on the first floor. There is quite a bit of parking out the front of the market but limited roads around the market so traffic can be very bad. Better to go on foot if you can.

Metro Bathrooms are on both sides of the first floor and there is wifi.

Staying in Halifax? Click here for the Top 10 Things to do in Halifax Nova Scotia

Halifax Farmers Market Hours

Halifax Farmers Market is open every day. Monday to Friday Halifax market hours are 10-5. However, there the number of stalls is considerably fewer than on its most popular day which is Saturday – particularly Saturday morning.

There will be approx. 250 vendors operating at the market site on a Saturday. Halifax Farmer’s market is open from 7 till 3 on Saturdays and then from 9 till 3 on Sundays.

And in the summer of 2021 Halifax Farmers Market will be extending to the outdoor area around the Pier 21 building. The outdoor market will run in the warmer months of the year in addition to the indoor market.

Halifax Farmers Market Breakfast

Norbert’s Good Food is a fantastic place to have breakfast at Halifax farmer’s market. There are loads of places to get delicious pastries etc and general seating areas but Norbert’s appeared to be the key place where you could order coffee, juice and a hot breakfast.

I had delicious eggs benedict at Norbert’s – with a particular shout out on their lighter than usual colour but more delicious than usual hollandaise sauce.

I also had a fruit smoothie that my gosh was amazing – it was like you could taste how fresh and nearby the fruit was grown. Nice coffee as well. Norbert’s also sells vegetables, fruit etc etc.

I can’t list all 250 stalls at Halifax Seaport market – well I could but that would be quite dull. Below are all the different stalls that caught my eye.

There are loads more people selling their wares here – check out the Vendor Listing on the Halifax Seaport Market website before you go so you can plan the visit to suit your tastes.

Wine and Booze at Halifax Seaport Market

I had no idea how much lovely alcohol Nova Scotia produces until my visit. I never associated Canada with the production of wine and spirits. Well, I was very wrong.

There are some fantastic wine regions in Nova Scotia – the cooler climate makes it more like a Tasmania and produces some lovely flavoursome yet light whites (like its unique Tidal Bay) and some tasty light reds.

It is possible to visit the wineries in Nova Scotia although the majority are about a minimum of one hour’s drive from Halifax. If you don’t have the time to get out to wine country then head to Seaport Farmers Market.

Quite a few of the best wineries and distillers in Nova Scotia have stalls at the market and you can try and buy.

Blomidon is a boutique winery in the Annapolis Valley and Avondale Winery is another good one for some samples. Planters Ridge has a beautiful modern winery in Port Williams near Wolfville and has its wines on display.

For liquor, Coldstream Clear is a fantastic local distiller with a great range from rum to vodka to apple pie liqueur. Ironworks Distillery is a brilliant Lunenberg based distiller that has won many awards, particularly for its Rum.

Don’t miss their berry flavoured liqueurs and the story of their Shipwrecked Rum (and make sure you visit the Distillery if you got to Lunenberg – which you should absolutely try to do as it is fantastic).

Food to go at Halifax Seaport Farmers Market

Steve O Reno’s Cappucino for a coffee and/or a smoothie. They also have pastries and tend to have a queue which is always a good sign.

Roll on Two Chimney cakes is upstairs at Halifax Seaport Market. This is the first bakery of its kind in Nova Scotia. Chimney cakes are Hungarian in origin and are available in five flavours.

Julien’s pastry shop/bakery has some fantastic pastries and bread items. They also have a store in Halifax in the Hydrostone area. I had a lovely coffee there and there were so many tasty looking treats.

Rawthentic chocolate has amazing looking and tasting raw organic vegan chocolate. Their products are made in hand batches and have no sugar and are dairy free. Normally I find this type of product tastes like cardboard but their samples were delicious.

Food to take home

Perhaps the winner of best stall name at Halifax Farmers Market for me was That Dutchman’s Cheese. There is a lot of gouda and they are best known for their blue.

Maritime Gourmet Mushrooms have exotic and unique mushrooms that look delicious and are very Instagram friendly.

Pam’s fine foods have some great looking dips.

Elmridge farm is a third-generation family-run farm in the lovely Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. They have lovely packaging on their jarred goods – loads of different jams, relishes and whatever else you can put in a clear jar.

Elmridge Farm also sell their organic fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and even dog treats at the market.

Farmhouse Foods has a prime position in the very centre of the market. Farmhouse Foods sell everything – fresh vegetables and fruit to sausages and all kinds of meat.

Windyview Farm is a small family-run farm in the Annapolis Valley. They are completely organic and local and focus on meat, chicken and eggs. Their sausages, in particular, looked amazing.

Riverview Herbs is a year-round greenhouse that grows about 150 different herbs – all of which looked amazing and fresh.

Arts, crafts, toiletries, things that you can’t eat or drink etc

Slice Soapworks have goats milk soaps, lotions, deodorants etc etc. Their products are vegetarian, made with local ingredients and cruelty-free.

Lismore Sheep Farm has a range of wonderfully warm and woolly looking products from dryer balls to steering wheel covers. Their sheep farm is located in River John between Tatamagouche and Pictou.

Watershed Wood designs have fantastic looking chopping boards using east coast of Nova Scotia hardwoods like maple and birch.

Wolfville is only a one hour drive from Halifax. It also has an excellent farmers market which runs on Saturdays and their are some fantastic Wolfville Wineries to visit.

The second floor of Halifax Seaport Farmers Market has some food stalls but tends to be heavier on the arts and crafts stalls.

Boutique Hotels in Halifax NS

Halifax is a little light on the ground when it comes to the full-on boutique hotel movement. But that’s ok as my gosh it is a town with a lot to offer in terms of food, wine, views and things to do. And there are quite a few very nice hotels with good thread counts available.

I stayed at the Delta Halifax (thanks for sponsoring my stay guys). I had a lovely stay. The staff are super friendly and the location is great. And the food! I must confess I was a little snobby going in when it came to the food and boy did I get it wrong.

I had a fantastic seafood dinner there (and thanks to George for the introduction to Digby scallops) and they have a great local wine list.

The breakfast is also sensational – a choice of a la carte or a fantastic buffet breakfast menu.

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On my second visit to Halifax, I stayed at the wonderful Prince George Hotel. This is not exactly a boutique hotel – more a general high-end hotel.

But it is very stylish and the rooms were fantastic. It also has a lovely big lounge area that I hung out in and got some work done.

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If you’re looking for somewhere romantic to stay in Halifax check out historic boutique Hotel the Halliburton

≥ Read Reviews of the Halliburton on Trip Advisor ⇒ Book Now

Or go 3-star boutique hotel with the Waverley Inn

≥ Read reviews of the Waverley Inn on Trip Advisor ⇒ Book Now

Or enjoy a nautical theme at your boutique hotel at the Seawatch B&B

≥ Read reviews of the Seawatch B&B on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

Getting to Halifax and Getting Around

Halifax is an international airport and the main airport for Atlantic Canada. It contains pre-clearance for US customs which is super helpful.

⇒ Flights to Halifax

You won’t need a car within Halifax itself as most of the key things to do are within walking distance. However, if you want to go beyond Halifax (which you totally should as there are loads of fab day trips) either look at a tour (see below) or hire a car.

As experts from VisaGuide.World mentioned, be sure and don’t forget to get take out travel insurance before you go.

Great Tours to Go On in and around Halifax

There are loads of great things to do around Halifax. Why not take a Segway Tour of the Harbour? Or see Halifax from the road as well as the harbour on the Halifax Harbour Hopper tour.

The Annapolis Valley is absolutely stunning and can be visited as a day tour from Halifax. And don’t miss seeing Canada’s iconic Peggy’s Cove and lighthouse. 

⇒ Read all about nearby Lunenburg in my post on the Top 16 Things to do in Lunenburg and around Lunenburg.

Lunenburg is a must not miss and you can combine it with lovely Mahone Bay in one day trip from Halifax.

Who Paid for What with this Trip

The lovely Nova Scotia tourism department took care of my hotel, car hire and most of my meals – thanks guys. I covered the cost of my flights, lunch, snacks and some wine. But as always, my opinions are my own.

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on them and make a purchase I will make a small commission. Just wanted to make sure that you knew.

READ NEXT: HARBOUR HOPPER HALIFAX TOUR – YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE

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