Seaside Shanty Restaurant

The best lobster chowder along the shouts shore; really the best I’ve had in all of Atlantic Canada.
The restaurant is quaint and cozy and the servers are familiar faces as each season comes and goes.
Not only do they have the best chowder, many of their other dishes are 5 star. Fish cakes, mussels, and their homemade pasta all deserve recognition.
Take the time out of your day to make the trip to the restaurant, you won’t be disappointed!

Well we haven’t eaten everywhere on the chowder trail but I struggle to think that there are much better places, sit out on the deck and watch the weather change (normally every 5 minutes)…with a chowder of scallops, lobster, mussels and fish it’s tough to make sure every component is cooked to perfection (but not beyond), they nailed it… also the broth was just thick enough (but not beyond), i.e. not overladen with thickeners. Great little spot!

Best seafood chowder in Nova Scotia !!
Had the lobster seafood chowder it was amazing!
Will be back to try the blueberry grunt desert

I ordered a seafood crêpe with a ceasar salad. The salad was delicious and homemade. The crêpe was not very good and came with red peppers that were not listed on the menu. My boyfriend ordered the lobster chowder which I will say was amazing! Unfortunately both our meals were such small portions and highly priced that it makes it hard to go back here. Our server was nice but not personable. Would like to try again!

A wonderful shack by the water with absolutely killer food, a screened porch and a fresh rose on each table!
We had the chowder, scallop burger and a lobster roll. Each was delicious; not too fussy but carefully prepared with wonderful ingredients. The burger and roll were accompanied by a nicely dressed small salad of micro greens. Maybe it was the setting, but we could not have asked for a better lunch
We tried the coconut cream pie for dessert and it wasn’t up to the rest of the meal but that was not enough to dampen our euphoria so this place still gets five stars.

Recommended by a friend living locally, we had dinner-​in a word outstanding! Everything is cooked to order so don’t expect to be in and out in 8 minutes. We had the evening special: perfectly prepared pan seared halibut, shrimp, and scallops with a tarragon-​butter sauce on the side. Our friend had the generously portioned lobster-​laden lobster chowder, also outstanding. We were too full for dessert but they all looked wonderful. The salads were good but not as spectacular as the seafood. Overall, a lovely dining experience.

We stopped for something light and shared the drunken mussels and Caesar salad. Wow. Both were exceptional, the mussel broth was definitely sop up worthy with the accompanying bread. The salad dressing was different, heavy on the garlic and equally as delicious. I definitely had food envy watching the chowder and lobster rolls go by. Wien will return with more of an appetite next time!

The setting idyllic and the food very tasty. The service was aces too. I had the shrimp, scallop, lobster fettuccine in tarragon cream sauce. Omg! Don’t miss this gem.

I loved this place — what a treat … Food was amazing and service was with a smile. Maybe the best chowder ever? Fish cakes too? Need to go back to check… soon.

This chowder seafood place is the best ever, lobster chowder, scallop burgers, salad dressing, spicy pecan pie& blueberry grunt … Please tell the owners to stay open all seasons!
Brought here by a local and if I never comeback I will be very sad.

Never had better seafood chowder (w/​lobster) anywhere! Have made the pilgrimage every year for the last 12 yrs and not once been disappointed.
Pricey for that particular item, but worth every penny.

First, thanks to the Seaside Shanty for supporting the Nova Scotia Symphony’s auction in 2011 by supplying a $ 50 gift certificate as an auction item. I got that certificate and finally got to use it yesterday.
The Shanty is big for a shanty, and way more substantial! It’s very cozy inside and has an airy closed porch with great views of the basin. It fills with locals at lunch time, so get there early or late or be prepared to wait.
We both had the Shanty Combo: a cup of seafood chowder and a lobster roll. Mercy! The cup of chowder looks small but it’s calorie-​dense, so don’t think you’ll be needing seconds. The creamy broth is silky smooth, delicately flavourful, and just dense enough. The real density is in the abundance of seafood in the tiny cup: haddock, bay scallops, some lobster (I think), topped off with a perfect poached shrimp. Sublime, and hard to beat in any other restaurant. The lobster roll was so simple: a crusty sausage roll lined with a romaine lettuce leaf and stuffed to bursting with lobster. Is there anything on the lobster? Perhaps the merest hint of mayo and a touch of pepper. Really, what does a lobster roll need? When done this well, nothing else.
The blueberry grunt satisfied R’s need for a grunt. Again, with such a simple dish, you can’t mess with it or people will be unhappy. The bowl was scraped clean, so I’d say that was another success. The coffee was pretty good too.
You can eat there for under $ 10 at lunch, but probably not for supper. There’s a B&B across the street so we’ll be back for a night visit.

After a few hours in the sun at Bayswater Beach, my wife and I headed off to find something to eat. We were thinking chip truck, we wound up at the Seaside Shanty. It was definitely not chip truck prices, but I was quite satisfied. The seafood chowder was simply incredible — and it’s offered as a combo with a lobster roll that while small was very tasty. My wife had the club sandwich and was similarly impressed. I think I have a new favourite along the Lighthouse Route!

I stopped and had dinner at the Seaside Shanty on Friday on my way to my parents cottage. The main dining room is small, but there is a covered patio with extra seating. The menu is small and mainly focuses on seafood, but there are other options as well.
They are famous for their seafood chowder, and it seemed at every other table, at least one person had the chowder, which looked to be chock full of seafood. I opted for a bowl of the corn chowder, which came with a mini tea biscuit for the reasonable price of $ 7.00. The chowder was creamy with a bright, fresh corn taste and was served piping hot. I thought the bowl was a bit on the small side when it came to the table, but was surprised at how filling it was. The tea biscuit was light and fluffy, but it was obvious that it had been warmed up in a microwave, because I didn’t eat it right away, as it cooled it developed a slightly gummy texture.
As summer is around the corner, I’m watching what I eat, so I passed on dessert, but did have a bite of my mom’s blueberry grunt, which came with both ice-​cream and whipped cream. The cake was warm and tasted of cinnamon, and the blueberries were the superior small kind, likely from the freezer, but had delicious flavor.
I will for sure stop in again next time I go out to the cottage

Seaside Shanty has certainly come up the ranks for its cuisine.
We went here today for one of The Best Meals along the South Shore you can have. The owners Gillian and Iain have brought the restaurant to the next level with hiring a New Chef, «Jeff Wiper». This man makes one of the best pasta dishes we ever tasted.
For lunch we ordered:
Linguine with a white cream sauce
Chicken Quesadilla’s
Chicken Clubhouse
One order of Bruschetta
First let me say, nothing in this restaurant is deep fried. It is all fresh, real meat and home made sauces. There are a lot of choices on the menu, especially if you like seafood. I will try the crab-​cakes next time.
The pasta dish had just the right amount of cream, accented with herbs and garlic bread on the side. This dish was rich, but not so rich that the plate was not emptied. We all wanted more!
The Club House Sandwich was a real piece of grilled chicken on fresh thick bread with a small side salad. It was delicious.
The Quesadilla’s, well they were a big hit, we have had a few Quesadilla’s before and none compared to these. I am not sure the secret they have for the outside of the shell, but this was one great Quesadilla’s, chunks of chicken, peppers, onions and the right amount of cheese. It came with sour cream, salsa and a side salad.
The Bruschetta, that had a little something extra in it, cucumber, which gave it a little more crunch with flavour. Excellent!
Ah, yes, the Dessert. Chocolate Lava Cake!!! Wow, this was a nice way to complete one of the best meals we have had. It was decadent, warm and melted in your mouth with the rich ice-​cream.
I am so pleased that we went back to try this wonderful restaurant along the water. It is now the first place I will recommend to friends and family that come to visit.
My hat is off to Gillian & Iain for a superb establishment!

The Seaside Shanty has the distinct honour of being the absolute only food establishment in Chester Basin.
Located on the small harbour that juts into Chester Basin, the Seaside Shanty is a seasonal restaurant open from May to October (generally closes after Thanksgiving). Folks from the city drive out solely to feast on it’s generous helpings of salads and chowders, or to try out one of their other delectable offerings.
The Seaside Shanty is also a great place to take kids; the waitstaff are patient and attentive to the needs of little ones, whipping up a grilled cheese sandwich if that’s the only thing a little guy will eat.
The Shanty’s outdoor patio is shaded and an excellent spot to sit and watch the boats on the water while you enjoy some seafood or pasta.
Check out their new menu coming this spring!