Welcome to the Best of Halifax Hall of Fame
Inflate your massive aluminum thumbs-up balloon and cue the Tina Turner—this is the home of, simply, the best Best of Halifax winners. It’s where we raise their figurative jerseys into the figurative rafters, to be honoured in perpetuity even though they will no longer be able to compete for the categories they’ve consistently ruled.
Let us take you back in time for a moment to explain. In the early Best of Halifax days, the Hall of Fame worked a little differently. Our committee would retire categories that had been so authoritatively dominated they’d become stagnant, rather than ushering the businesses who were dominating them off into the sunset. For example, we retired Best Nachos in 2009 instead of retiring the Economy Shoe Shop from the race, and Best Shawarma in 2014 rather than Mezza Lebanese Kitchen. It made sense at the time, but not so much now.
Since 2016, we’ve done things differently. A business, place or person earns the Hall of Fame entry once it’s won gold in a category 10 consecutive times. This was a way of sending legendary winners to Best of Halifax heaven (where they’d be remembered and celebrated for ever and ever amen) and allowing new, exciting, delicious up-and-comers a chance at victory. It keeps the survey lively and relevant while still celebrating the greatness of the many longtime champs. Places like Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria—which was retired from Best Pizza Pie with umpteen wins in 2016—can still win in other categories, just not their Hall of Fame category.
In 2019, we said goodbye to two longtime golden children—Darrell’s Restaurant for Best Milkshake and Boneheads BBQ for Best Ribs. We also welcomed back Best Nachos from its dusty place in the Hall of Fame, celebrating the first new winner in a decade. And, as always, we honour the superpowers of our Hall of Famers—most of which continue to play a role in our city’s awesomeness. —Allison Saunders
THE BEST OF HALIFAX HALL OF FAME
2022Best Bike Store, Cyclesmith
Best Record Store, Taz Records, Halifax
2019
Best Milkshake, Darrell’s Restaurant
Best Ribs, Boneheads BBQ
2018
Best Liquor / Wine Store, Bishop’s Cellar
Best Smoothie, Pete’s Frootique and Fine Foods, Halifax
Best Salad, Pete’s Frootique and Fine Foods, Halifax
2017
Best Activist Organization, Ecology Action Centre
Best Comics Shop, Strange Adventures, Halifax
Best Drag Performer, Rouge Fatale
Best Furniture Store, Attica Furnishings
Best Men’s Clothing Store, Duggers
2016
Best Chinese Restaurant, The Great Wall
Best Donair, King of Donair
Best Patio, Your Father’s Moustache
Best Pizza Pie, Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria
2015
Best Optical Store, Gaudet Optical
2014
Best Newsstand, Atlantic News
Best Shawarma, Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, Barrington Street
2013
Best Place To Satisfy A Sweet Tooth, Freak Lunchbox, Halifax
Best Sex-toy Shop, Venus Envy
2012
Best Movie Theatre, Oxford Theatre
Best Steak, The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
2011
Best Clubhouse, Your Father’s Moustache
Best DVD Rental Store, Video Difference
2010
Best Dim Sum, The Great Wall Restaurant
Best Home Accessories Store, Attica Furnishings
2009
Best Nachos, Economy Shoe Shop
Best Political Cartoonist, Bruce MacKinnon
2008
Best Catering, Scanway Catering
Best Laundromat, Bluenose Laundromat
Best Mussels, Five Fishermen
Best News Anchor, Steve Murphy
2007
Best Cinnamon Bun, Mary’s Bread Basket
Best Falafel, Ray’s Falafel
Best Street, Spring Garden Road
Best Theatre, Neptune Theatre