5 Best Restaurants in South Shore and Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

You don't have to dine on the waterfront in Digby to enjoy great seafood and good views, and this friendly pub offers both. Just uphill from the main street, its two-story deck has great sea views, and the menu mostly features local seafood that couldn't be any fresher. There are other choices, too, including vegetarian and vegan options, and any dish can be downsized for children. All are made from locally sourced ingredients, cooked to perfection by the talented chef, and there's local beer, locally roasted coffee, and occasional local live music.

Take in a view of the bay from inside this old, British-style alehouse, or enjoy waterside dining on the back deck. The menu includes basic pub fare, such as fish-and-chips and steak and ale pie. Lunenburg scallops are a specialty, as is the Mug & Anchor meat pie, and the kids menu will please even the fussiest young diner. The pub hosts live music on Saturday evening.

Lunenburg is riddled with seafood restaurants, but this one stands out for its location inside a former fish-processing plant at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, overlooking Lunenburg Harbour and with wharf-side dining in summer. Seafood is the specialty, of course, but you can also opt for chicken, steak, or vegetarian pasta. The Ice House Bar has 16 beers on tap and summer rum tasting events.