OUR STORY

Everything has a story at The Garden Halifax, from our design and decor, to our food and staff and everything in-between.

HAND-CRAFTED & IMPORTED

The Garden Retreat (formally Garden Food Bar & Lounge) is centrally located in downtown Halifax, at the corner of Clyde and Queen. Our 4,000 sq ft beautiful restaurant/bar is illuminated by wall-to-wall windows, letting in an abundance of natural light, and our interiors feature a variety of exquisite, hand-crafted and imported materials from a variety of Iran and Turkey including turquoise-tiled walls and Persian artifacts, a modern, open kitchen, and a lovely array of seating options, including locally-built hardwood tables, chairs, and a playful set of swings as dining seats.

OPEN 5 DAYS A WEEK, INDOORS & PATIO, LUNCH, DINNER & BRUNCH

We offer high-quality and curated lunch, dinner and brunch menus, and hand-crafted cocktails. We are one of the largest single location, independently run restaurants in Halifax with a capacity of 110 seats currently, as well as a patio capacity of 30 seats. Our space is open for lunch, brunch, and dinner service as well as late night drinks. Our space lends itself to special events and we are always hosting community and private events.

SUSTAINABILITY

The Garden works diligently to be an environmentally sound organization. This can only be achieved by actively working with suppliers who share the same values and educating ourselves and staff on being conscious in the decisions we make.

Carrying a line of recyclable takeout containers, eco-friendly cleaning products, and eliminating the use of single use plastics, The Garden has adapted the changing economic times and continues to take note of how to improve and do better for our planet.

SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE

Offering a business model that supports a sustainable livelihood, a rarity in the service industry, The Garden guarantees staff a liveable working wage, full health and dental and mandated 2 days off per-week with capped number of workable hours.

Routine staff check-ins are consistently done by management, ensuring employees are able to reach personal and career goals. The Garden encourages staff to have open conversations regarding mental health, and shares resources for staff to seek guidance and support. The Garden team also creates a safe space for minority groups, new immigrants, and pan-queer community members.

SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

The Garden believes in running business with a purpose, and we create many avenues for giving back. 90% of our economic activity remains local and profits earned are invested back into the employees, restaurant, and local subcontractors to aid in a constant improvement of the establishment. By investing back into the economy, we understand it benefits all parties involved, as well as our community as a whole.

Our menus are designed seasonally to reflect the best of Nova Scotia’s and Atlantic Canada’s local and available food. To achieve that, over the past year, we have taken the time to build strong local relationships with farms and local suppliers so that our menus are sourced mostly local.