The Canteen on Portland

Name: The Canteen on Portland
Address: 22 Portland Street, Dartmouth, NS, Canada, B2Y 1G9
Telephone: (902) 425-9272
Price range: CAN$30 and under
Rating: 4.8

4.8

2359 Reviews

CAN$30 and under

Farm-to-table

Top tags:

The Canteen is a full-service neighbourhood restaurant in Downtown Dartmouth, serving up chef-inspired seasonal fare for lunch, brunch and dinner. At the helm in the kitchen is award-winning chef and co-owner Renee Lavallee. Her seasonal menus are influenced by classic French, Italian and traditional Nova Scotian cuisine – with a little bit of Renée’s magic thrown in. Signature items include The Canteen Burger, The Crobster Roll, Seafood Chowder and more.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Mar 26, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 27 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(902) 425-9272

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Seafood, Canadian
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat 10:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(902) 425-9272
Website
http://www.thecanteen.ca/
Payment Options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Renee Lavallee

Location
22 Portland Street, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 1G9
Neighbourhood
Dartmouth
Parking Details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Fish Cakes & Eggs$18.00
haddock & potato fish cakes, 2 fried eggs, green tomato chow, roasted new potatoes and a green salad
The Portland Street Classic$18.25
2 fried eggs, roasted new potatoes, Birdie's sourdough toast and house jam with Oulton's double smoked bacon, mustard pickles
French Toast of The Week$17.50
pullman loaf French toast, featured seasonal topping, served with Oulton's bacon & maple syrup
Brunch Hash$18.00
pan-fried honey ham, fried egg, new potatoes, roasted peppers, onions, Vickle's pickles, salsa verde, fresh herbs
The Grain Bowl$16.00
brown rice, quinoa, fried tofu, radish, roasted delicata squash, pickled red cabbage, frizzled onions, currants, cashewvinaigrette, cilantro
The Canteen Eggs Benny$18.00
2 fried eggs, house hollandaise, on our buttermilk biscuit, a choice of the following: sliced honey ham, spinach & tomato, Nova Scotia lobster (+$6) & choice of roasted new potatoes or a green salad

Drinks

Bottomless Coffee$3.25
Orange Juice$3.25
Prosecco$10.50
Mimosa$10.00
Canteen Caesar$11.00

White Wine

Tidal Bay, Benjaming Bridge, Gaspereau, Nova Scotia, 2021$10.50
Pinot Grigio, Zensa, Puglia, Italy, 2021$10.00
Sauvignon Blanc, Satellite, Marlborough, Nz, 2021$10.50
Flora, Lightfoot & Wolfville, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, 2021$11.00
Le Ballon Rose, Languedoc Roussilon, France, 2021$10.00
Chardonnay, Tawse Winery, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, 2019$10.75

Sparkling Wine

Prosecco, Masotina, Veneto, Italy$10.50
Crémant, Blomidon Estate Winery, Canning, Nova Scotia$12.50

Red Wine

Malbec, Tilia, Mendoza, Argentina, 2021$9.75
Tempranillo, Embocadero, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2019$10.00
Cabernet Sauvignon, Liberty School, Paso Robles, California, USA, 2020$11.50
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Barone di Valforte, Abruzzo, Italy, 2020$11.00
Pinot Noir, Aquinas, California, USA, 2018$12.50

Local Taps

Killick Session Lager, Spindrift Brewing Co.$8.00
Deception Bay IPA Tatamagouche Brewing Co.$9.00
Bohemian Pilsner, Propeller Brewing Co.$8.50
Cole Harbour Red, North Brewing Co.$9.00
Crisp Apple Cider, Lake City Cider$9.25

Bottles & Cans

schooner

Oland Brewery Co.$7.00
Tall Ship Amber, Garrison Brewing Co.$7.50
Cereal Killer Stout, Big Spruce Brewing Co.$8.50
Upstreet Libra (0.4%)$6.00
Piquette Zero, Benjamin Bridge$6.00
Mongozo, Gluten Free Pilsner$8.50

Sodas

Sodas$2.75
Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Limonatta, Aranciata
Sparkling Water, San Pallegrino
- S$3.00
- L$6.00
Ginger Beer, Propeller Brewing Co.$3.75
Pop Culture Kombucha$4.75
Assorted Flavours
Goodmore Kombucha$4.50
Assorted Flavours

Non-Alcoholic

Sodas$2.50
Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Limonatta, Aranciata
Sparkling Water, San Benedetto
- S$3.00
- L$6.00
Libra, Upstreet$6.00
Piquette Zero, Benjamin Bridge$6.00
Goodmore Kombucha$4.25
Assorted Flavours

What 2,359 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.7Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Atlantic Canada
Best Value
Atlantic Canada
Great for brunch
Atlantic Canada
Neighbourhood gem
Atlantic Canada
Most Booked
Nova Scotia
Best Overall
Nova Scotia
Best Food
Nova Scotia
Best Service
Nova Scotia
Best Value
Nova Scotia
Great for brunch
Nova Scotia
Healthy
Nova Scotia
Neighbourhood gem
Nova Scotia
Most Booked

Sort by

Filters

SA
SteveA
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Rueben sandwich with cream of tomato soup. Do delicious I’m now speechless!
CS
ChrisS
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely amazing dinner and service. Top notch!!
M
Mair23
Orange County
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is one of our favourite brunch or lunch reataurants in the HRM. Food and service are always outstanding. On this visit I had the chowder and my two family members had haddock burgers with fries.
O
Odin
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely top notch food all the time!! Best chowder and lobster roll anywhere in Canada!!
E
Erica1111222222222222222
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, good service, cute and well decorated location!
C
Clair
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had been to the canteen for brunch but this was the first time for dinner. The steak and potatoes were amazing!! We also had the cod which was great and we had the beef tartare for an appetizer. We could not get over how good the beef tartare was!!
CH
ChristineH
Atlantic Canada
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Portland Street punch is too delicious. The mushroom risotto was outstanding! It’s my second favourite compared with a pear and blue cheese risotto I had in Italy 22 years ago. The creamed lobster was a wonderful shared appetizer. No room for dessert!
MS
MarcelS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Brussel sprouts were excellent. Really enjoyed the scallop dish and the pasta. Keep doing what you're doing!
DW
DamonW
Orlando
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
This was one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I have ever had !! Starting with the food , ABSOLUTELY TOP NOTCH !!!, honestly among the best meals I have ever eaten here or abroad. Service was great as well, highly recommend you give this place a try.
VM
VickyM
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was a delicious meal, and the service was great. It was extremely busy, however everything arrived in a timely manner, hot and yummy!!!
KA
KarenA
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
My 2 friends and my experience at the Canteen for brunch was a delight! We ALL had eggs Benedict with ham and roasted potatoes- I ask you, is there any other way to serve eggs Benedict other than in a homemade biscuit?? I think not! So good! As well, our server, Phoebe was attentive and friendly without being overly ‘hovery’…just perfect! It was a bit noisy but what can you expect from a successful brunch-time? 😊
SK
SeafarerKate
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
First time for brunch on a Saturday and no surprise…It was fabulous!
SM
SharonM
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was delicious! Sitting in the booth helped to decrease the noise of happy people enjoying their food and drink.
R
Richard
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and atmosphere. Service was excellent. Very fun place.
KB
KerstiB
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of my favourite restaurants!! Excellent food and our server was amazing!! The menu just changed and the Brussel sprouts were next level!!!! Thank you we will be back soon!!!!
TM
TanyaM
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall3food2service5ambience4
I was disappointed that I could not get a chicken or fish sandwich which is what caught my attention on Instragram. We went in for supper and the menu is different than lunch which I did not know. All 3 of us got the double hamburger and fries which tasted good except we had very few fries and my son and husband have huge appetites and for the price there should have been more. The person next to us got the same mean and had a huge heaping of fries. Value for money these days is important. Also the carrot cake was dry, very dissatisfied for $9. We drove in from Lawrencetown, I don't think we would go back. The service was good and we left her a very good tip.
The Canteen on PortlandResponded 3 days agoHi Tanya - Thanks so much for taking the time to provide us with this feedback. We're disappointed that your visit with your family did not meet your expectations. We have take this feedback back to the team to make the necessary adjustments. We do offer a different menu for lunch, brunch and dinner. We try our best to make this clear when we promote our various menu items on social media, but it's possible that it's not as clear as it should be. Value for our guests is something that we take very seriously and it can be challenging to satisfy all appetites but this comment has been shared with our team to ensure that portion sizes remain as consistent as possible. We hope that this isn't your last visit to The Canteen. We wish all the best to you and your family as new Nova Scotians. Cheers.
JK
JaniceK
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best Seafood Chowder in the city! Service was excellent as well
d
deborahc
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 16, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Food was wonderful - fresh and flavourful and the service was excellent. We did find the noise level in the main room too much for a comfortable conversation but were happy to be moved to the quieter side room.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The canteen is always phenomenal
O
Odin
Atlantic Canada
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always amazing food!!!! One 9f the best restaurants in all NS!!
JA
JoAnneG
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
As we've come to expect, the experience at The Canteen was wonderful. I don't think I've ever had such huge mussels as the ones served there. There is no question that they have the best fries in the city and don't even get me started on the dessert. They have a real winner in that olive oil cake. We've been going there since it opened and every time it is excellent in every way.
PT
PeterT
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very short menu with really interesting combinations.
CC
CedellaC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food served hot by friendly professional waitresses. Overall a great experience. We will be back!
N
Neets
Atlantic Canada
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
Service and food very good (although the tea biscuit was a little burnt). Very busy for Saturday brunch, therefore very noisy. We will return.
MC
MaxC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Had soup and salad. The kale caesar was good and the Mushroom soup was amazing!
S
Stephanie
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and service. Absolutely would go back.
PT
PennyT
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 9, 2023
overall5food4service3ambience3
Servers knowledge of the food was poor. Food was as usual tasty
DK
DonnaK
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service, presentation and food was very good. One small problem was the burger bun was a bit small making it a bit hard to eat. Having said that it was juicy and flavourful. Mushroom soup was delicious!! . My husband had the Ruben sandwich which was also fantastic. It was our first time and we can’t wait to come for dinner.
TH
TerryH
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Always enjoy The Canteen. Such great food and great servers. Went there for a gals birthday lunch. Five of us with varied meals and all were great. I really enjoy the chowder and biscuit!
O
Oceanwalker
Morelos
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on March 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always great!
JL
JulieL
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Canteen never disappoints! The crab dip was amazing.
P
Pippy
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was truly a wonderful, satisfying and most enjoyable experience. Excellent service, tasty well prepared meals and a comfortable ambience. Will definitely be returning and recommending. Thank you for not be disappointed . Cheers
SQ
SuzieQ
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Canteen is a centrally located cafe in downtown Dartmouth. It is always busy and the service is consistently excellent. Third item I have tried on the menu and as has been my experience during every visit the food was delicious. Just enough attention by the wait staff. Will go again.
MR
MurrayR
Atlantic Canada
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
We enjoyed our lunch- my friend had never been to the Canteen before and she bought a $100 gift card before we left!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
By far the best mushroom soup I have ever had!!!! Ever so yummy!!
MG
MrGerry
Hawaii
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful 5 course dinner with wine pairings presented by chef Renee and guest chef Martin Ruiz Salvador. It was a fantastic event.
PC
PatriciaC
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Brunch was delicious. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Service was fantastic!
j
jbubbles
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
The canteen is one of our favourites. Food is always delicious and service great!
AH
AlexH
Atlantic Canada
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 28, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
The food was great, the service excellent, and the prices just fine (since we opted for the fixed menu price). But it was quite noisy.
MS
MaryS
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding as usual! Simply the best restaurant in Dartmouth.

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

The Canteen on Portland offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (902) 425-9272.

The Canteen on Portland is rated 4.8 stars by 2359 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Mar 26, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 27 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(902) 425-9272

22 Portland Street, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 1G9

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighbourhood
Dartmouth
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat 10:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Seafood, Canadian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Parking Details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Executive Chef
Renee Lavallee
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.thecanteen.ca/
Phone number
(902) 425-9272

The Canteen on Portland

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Canteen Burger

Mussels & Frites

Brunch

Fish Cakes & Eggs$18.00

The Portland Street Classic$18.25

French Toast of The Week$17.50

Brunch Hash$18.00

The Grain Bowl$16.00

The Canteen Eggs Benny$18.00

Drinks

Bottomless Coffee$3.25

Orange Juice$3.25

Prosecco$10.50

Mimosa$10.00

Canteen Caesar$11.00

White Wine

Tidal Bay, Benjaming Bridge, Gaspereau, Nova Scotia, 2021$10.50

Pinot Grigio, Zensa, Puglia, Italy, 2021$10.00

Sauvignon Blanc, Satellite, Marlborough, Nz, 2021$10.50

Flora, Lightfoot & Wolfville, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, 2021$11.00

Le Ballon Rose, Languedoc Roussilon, France, 2021$10.00

Chardonnay, Tawse Winery, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, 2019$10.75

Sparkling Wine

Prosecco, Masotina, Veneto, Italy$10.50

Crémant, Blomidon Estate Winery, Canning, Nova Scotia$12.50

Red Wine

Malbec, Tilia, Mendoza, Argentina, 2021$9.75

Tempranillo, Embocadero, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2019$10.00

Cabernet Sauvignon, Liberty School, Paso Robles, California, USA, 2020$11.50

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Barone di Valforte, Abruzzo, Italy, 2020$11.00

Pinot Noir, Aquinas, California, USA, 2018$12.50

Local Taps

Killick Session Lager, Spindrift Brewing Co.$8.00

Deception Bay IPA Tatamagouche Brewing Co.$9.00

Bohemian Pilsner, Propeller Brewing Co.$8.50

Cole Harbour Red, North Brewing Co.$9.00

Crisp Apple Cider, Lake City Cider$9.25

Bottles & Cans

Oland Brewery Co.$7.00

Tall Ship Amber, Garrison Brewing Co.$7.50

Cereal Killer Stout, Big Spruce Brewing Co.$8.50

Upstreet Libra (0.4%)$6.00

Piquette Zero, Benjamin Bridge$6.00

Mongozo, Gluten Free Pilsner$8.50

Sodas

Sodas$2.75

Sparkling Water, San Pallegrino

Ginger Beer, Propeller Brewing Co.$3.75

Pop Culture Kombucha$4.75

Goodmore Kombucha$4.50

Non-Alcoholic

Sodas$2.50

Sparkling Water, San Benedetto

Libra, Upstreet$6.00

Piquette Zero, Benjamin Bridge$6.00

Goodmore Kombucha$4.25

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Filters

Cleaning & sanitising

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does The Canteen on Portland offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Canteen on Portland restaurant rated?

Is The Canteen on Portland currently accepting bookings?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Dining areas

Additional information