Some of the best seafood in Canada is on the East Coast, and it is ingrained in the region’s culture. This is evident in the plentiful fishing boats hugging the shores and menus from New Brunswick to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Most people have tried seafood, but fresh seafood is in a league of its own. You’ll taste that difference at each of these Maritimes restaurants, which feature top-notch locally caught fish and crustaceans. Read on to discover the 9 best restaurants on Canada’s East Coast that you need to try for the freshest catch!
Related: Our Favourite Canadian Seafood Restaurants From Coast to Coast
Half Shell Oyster Bar, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Address: 108 Montague Street, Lunenburg, NS
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more Maritimes dining experience than the Half Shell Oyster Bar. The restaurant is an open-air seafood and oyster bar overlooking the historic Lunenburg waterfront.
The bistro gets its local catches directly off a boat and displays the brightly coloured shellfish on an iced trough lining the bar. Order one of the catches at market price, or try them all on The Half Shell’s three-tier seafood tower. It includes freshly shucked oysters, an entire lobster, snow crab, black tiger shrimp, steamed clams and scallops. Seafood is the star throughout the entire menu, with small plates including tuna tostada and haddock chowder, as well as larger dishes like scallop carbonara and paella.
Adelaide Oyster House, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Address: 334 Water St, St. John’s, NL
A lively cocktail bar in the heart of St. John’s, Adelaide Oyster House is as much of a destination for a night out with friends as it is somewhere to get top-of-the-line seafood. The bluefin used for their wasabi pea-crusted tuna is picked up from a local supplier and elegantly paired with flavours of soy and sesame. Fresh Atlantic oysters arrive at the bar daily and are shucked to order. It’s a bonus that the bar leans into the East Coast’s “Kitchen Party” culture of bringing together people to eat and sing, with guests having the option to order a round of beers for the kitchen staff for only $25.
The Inn at Bay Fortune ‘FireWorks Feast’, Prince Edward Island
Address: 758 Route 310, Fortune, PEI
Cookbook author, Food Network TV host and Prince Edward Island food ambassador, Chef Michael Smith, has developed a one-of-a-kind fine-dining feast at The Inn at Bay Fortune. It’s an eight-acre property turned culinary gem and luxury inn. Before taking part in the farm-to-fork meal, guests are given a tour of the greenhouses, herb gardens and farm beds that make up the coveted ‘FireWorks Feast’. Smith honours the sea through his meticulously crafted courses with components like cured fish, striped bass roe and braised sugar kelp. All of the seafood is sourced from nearby producers, including PEI oysters, which are shucked raw or ember-roasted with butter to emphasize their natural sweetness.
Rhubarb, Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia
Address: 8650 Peggys Cove Rd, Indian Harbour, NS
Just a few minutes’ drive up the road from the infamous Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, you’ll find Rhubarb. A seaside restaurant with simple, delicious plates. Rhubarb’s intimate, living-room-style atmosphere paired with its elevated, no-fuss dishes is Nova Scotian charm at its finest. Cozy up next to the fireplace with an equally comforting lobster roll, made with its daily delivered lobster and an in-house baked garlic bun.
Blue Mussel Cafe, North Rustico, Prince Edward Island
Address: 312 Harbourview Dr, North Rustico, PEI
Since 1994, Blue Mussel Cafe has been serving authentic PEI seafood with a wrap-around view of the North Rustico harbourfront. It’s home to dozens of fishing vessels catching everything from lobster to tuna. The nautical-inspired joint is open seasonally from May to October to ensure ingredients can be harvested, caught or raised within hours from their front door. Known for classics like their white wine, garlic and rosemary steamed PEI mussels, and inventive renditions like their seafood chowder poutine, Blue Mussel Cafe is a must-stop on your next road trip (and worth making a road trip for).
The Caves Restaurant, St. Martins, New Brunswick
Address: 82 Big Salmon River Rd, Saint Martins Parish, NB
Bruce and Nancy Huttges have been running The Caves Restaurant for over 40 years in the village of St. Martins on the Bay of Fundy, which is home to the world’s highest tides. Family recipes are the operation’s backbone. Notably, their decadent seafood chowder is made with generous chunks of fresh haddock, scallops and lobster, as well as their homey seafood casserole that’s broiled to crispy perfection. The Caves Restaurant prides itself on making an average of 40,000 litres of chowder each season, feeding locals and tourists alike.
Lobster Barn, Victoria, Prince Edward Island
Address: 19 Main St, Victoria, PEI
Lobster Barn has pub-style seafood down to a tee. The menu is playfully split into two sections: “Low Tide”— comprised of an array of shareables and salads— and “High Tide”— featuring golden fried scallops, panko-crusted fresh haddock tacos and more. Located on the wharf in quaint Victoria in a cedar shake-sided barn, the eatery specializes in PEI lobster with a twist. From their lobster sourdough grilled cheese and lobster tacos to a unique lobster roll: “The CLAW” with tarragon and lemon mayo.
Chafe’s Landing, Petty Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador
Address: 11 Main Rd, Petty Harbour, NL
If you’re lucky enough to be in postcard-perfect Petty Harbour, check out seafood eatery Chafe’s Landing for the fish and chips made with premium local cod. Traditional Newfoundland seafood delicacies line the menu. Namely cod tongues, which can be ordered with bite-sized pieces of pork fat and rinds called scrunchions, or alongside mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Chafe’s Landing is located in the oldest house in town, which was constructed in 1878 by local fisherman Edward Chafe.
The Rusty Anchor Restaurant, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Address: 23197 Cabot Trail, Pleasant Bay, NS
The Rusty Anchor Restaurant is a hidden gem along the world-famous Cabot Trail. It offers nearly everything you could ask for in the realm of local seafood. From Northern Emerald oysters that taste like a salty breath of ocean air, to snow crab legs caught just off the shore, the family-style bistro highlights the incredible ingredients Cape Breton’s waters have to offer. The Rusty Anchor’s seaside deck is the ideal setting to enjoy their straightforward and tasty eats.