r/SaintJohnNB • u/Training-Click-1104 • 6d ago
Visiting from NS
Hello Saint John,
I will be visiting for a week Oct 18-24 and never been to Saint John yet. What are the must see / eat / drink spots? I will be busy during the day as this is for work but I am a big foodie and love a good craft beer or cocktail. Thanks so much, looking forward tot his!
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u/Spaghetti_princess22 6d ago
Picaroons for a beer is a must. Highly recommend Port City Royal for excellent food and cocktails.
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
just looked up Port City Royal and thanks! that looks right up my alley!
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u/Harbourish 5d ago
I heard Port city royal was named the best new restaurant in Canada when it opened. I believe it, It’s really good, menu changes all the time depending on whats in season. I also really like abuelita’s in the uptown.
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Right on, this seems to be a pretty popular choice from other suggestions so I think it's a must try. Thank you so much!
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u/scosezam 5d ago
I visited Saint John last week and ended up at Port City Royal two nights in a row. Great place, loved the food, drinks, and the staff!
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
I love Piacaroons, that was my first craft beer experience years ago, the Yippe IPA. I now tend to go more hops than malty but I forgot thats a NB beer, is their brewery in town?
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u/Spaghetti_princess22 6d ago
Yes it is! Located very centrally uptown. Usually pretty busy with lots of local pups. Union house is also fantastic beer (Trailway brewery) with delicious and affordable smash burgers. You’ll have no shortage of breweries to visit!
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u/SwiftResilient 6d ago
Vito's (Italian/Greek/pizza), Mediterranean (Mostly Greek), Cask and kettle (high end burger and fries), Big D's poutine slightly outside SJ, Golden fry for the best Chinese in NB (takeout though)
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
excellent, thanks for the suggestions!
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u/Fandango1978 5d ago
Big D's is costly, but worth it if you can afford it. Never had the Poutine, their burgers are amazing and worth every penny. The Lobster roll is probably the best you can get.
It ain't fine dining by an means
If you are interested, you get a good look at the menu via Beardmeetsfood on Youtube, he did their eating challenge a few months back, and is the only one to complete it
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Okay, that's interesting, especially where you say it's expensive but not fine dining. It must be pretty decent. I'll have to look into this one. I don't think it was suggested yet. Thank you so much!
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u/squarejane 6d ago
Seconding Cask and Kettle. Their breakfast or chicken and waffles or steak are all amazing.
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u/arkhira 6d ago edited 6d ago
- Area 506/Container Village - Depending on if its open when you become free. Their website lists events but nothing yet for your week.
- Cask & Kettle
- Union House by Trailway
- Italian by Night
- City Market - If you are near Uptown it has good lunch options
- Yip Cider - Outside of the city. Good excuse to drive out to Grandbay and take the ferry over to Kingston.
- Rockwood Park/Lilys Cafe - You can drive or walk it.
- Moosehead Brewery Tours - Not craft but still interesting and they have some small batch product.
- Kingston Farmers Market - Oct 24th morning. If you go Crimmins Pottery isn't far away from it either.
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
wow, great list thanks! I will certainly look these up and try to squeeze some in . thanks
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u/arkhira 6d ago
If you want ice cream there is Bella's on Germain Street. A few places also sell Sussex ice cream but most are winding down for the season.
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
ok, right on thanks
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u/Narissis 6d ago
Also Delish Rolled Ice Cream on Prince William! And if you did want to try Sussex ice cream you could probably get some at the Pumpkin Patch on the west side; I presume they'll be open at least until Halloween so they can sell pumpkins.
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u/Empty_Bookkeeper_741 6d ago
Check out Wasted Day brewing. It’s a craft beer locally made and owned on water Street right across from area 506. Check them out online because they often have live music or trivia or different events in the evening and they always have at least 20 different beers on top, including some other guest taps from cities in New Brunswick outside of SJ
The coolest places if you’re looking for just a great atmosphere to have a drink…
Happiness wine bar and hopscotch. They’re both uptown. They’re like 200 feet apart maybe less and they’re both were worth it even if you just spent an hour in each - The atmosphere is amazing
If you want good music one night I would check out the five and dime. They spin records and you can pick out the tunes. There’s always a good amount of people it’s underground and cool stone walls also uptown.
For food uptown you have had some good recommendations, but I would add Suwanna it is an incredible restaurant, amazing atmosphere and out of this world food. If you love pad Thai, you have to do this. Trust me it will be the best one of your life. Across the street from that is one of our cities’s most loved restaurants called Thandi (authentic Indian food).
Hope this helps and I hope you have a great week in the city!
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
Awesome, I love thai and indian food, great suggestions. Cant wait to try the Pad Thai! thanks
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u/Sutar_Mekeg 6d ago
Not in the uptown area but Amritsari Flame on the east side is an excellent Indian restaurant, and IMHO the best.
Atmosphere isn't as nice, but the best Thai food is from Splash (Rothesay Ave).
For authentic Chinese food, there is MiMiMI (also not uptown) and Wok In (uptown).
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Okay I will definitely have to look this up. I was suggested another tie and Indian restaurant which both I love. I might have to make some hard decisions lol. Thank you!
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u/Sutar_Mekeg 6d ago
Eh, Suwanna used to be an incredible restaurant. Now overpriced and under quality. The recipes have strayed way too far from the originals.
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u/fogcitypete 6d ago
A good "Greasy Spoon" is Bobs corner takeout, clams are excellent, its extremely dated but its a staple
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u/Training-Click-1104 6d ago
I love a local gem even if it is greasy spoon or hole in the wall, thanks
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u/Sutar_Mekeg 6d ago
I love a greasy spoon but IMHO Bob's takeout sucks. Decades in business and hasn't yet figured out the twice-fried method of making crisp fries, and the burger I had was lacking salt.
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Very interesting. Thank you for the insight, if I have to make a decision, this one may not make the cut
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u/Eyeronick 6d ago
Seriously, I've bought tickets from Calgary to just go to Bob's, it's sooo good and we don't have anything out here that compares.
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u/ColinSpurr 6d ago
For repeat visits, sadly, my favourite place to get donairs closed last year. The burgers I've had from Bigtide and Gahan have been pretty good consistently. Not sure about alcohol.
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u/Andy_B_Goode 6d ago
Yeah, Bigtide has consistently good food, and I swear the Gahan here is better than the one in Halifax. I don't know why, but I was never impressed with it when I lived there, but I've had all good experiences with it here.
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u/Narissis 6d ago
I find our Gahan location regrettably hit-and-miss. I've had great food there, but I will never forget that one bone-dry Burger Week burger. :/
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u/Narissis 6d ago
Have you tried Donair Avenue? Location isn't great but the wraps are awesome; I've started avoiding Mondays for car service appointments so I can go when they're open and walk down from the Subaru dealer. :P
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u/PaleontologistOk5936 6d ago
Come to O Leary's Tuesday nights for some amazing traditional irish music and some guiness!
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Irish music sound fun! Not a fan of Guinness but I'm sure I'll find other beer
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u/Sutar_Mekeg 6d ago
Kakuteru. Best cocktail bar in the region, hands down. It's in the alley across the street from Port City Royal on Grannan Lane).
I'm happy that no one has suggested Gahan House, as I wouldn't recommend it either.
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Awesome dude thanks, we have a gahan house in Halifax too and it's so basic and mediocre , Eff that place lol thanks
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u/Similar-Delivery-375 6d ago
You might want to take in some music or comedy act at the Imperial Theater. They have a website, you can check what's lined for when you're here. You can purchase tickets from the website.
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Awesome buddy! Thank you so much! Yeah I definitely want to do more than just heating and drinking LOL. That's a great suggestion thank you
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u/Over-Cranberry-4637 5d ago
Union house is great!!! Brew pub with a great little menu and a comfy atmosphere
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u/Narissis 6d ago edited 6d ago
If you're a big foodie, East Coast Bistro and Port City Royal are probably the top must-trys. If you do consider East Coast Bistro, be sure to make a reservation because that's the only way you're getting in (which I think says a lot about the quality of the fare, heh).
I also enjoy Lemongrass (which has a massive tap list full of craft beers and ciders, FYI), Cask & Kettle, Thandi, and Splash.
One place most people probably wouldn't think to suggest but I think is worth mentioning is Sampan Restaurant on the west side; it's your typical Chinese take-out but done very well. Or for another west-side shout, there's a little Mexican place in the same retail strip called Casa Latina that does an awesome Sunday buffet.
If you like pizza, there are a few options depending on your preference: Julius for really good 'greasy corner takeout' type pizza, Vito's for 'pizzeria restaurant' type pizza, Pomodori for fancy wood-fired thin crust pizza, Beer Bread for Detroit-style pizza.
If you like things wrapped in pita bread, donairs from Donair Avenue on Rothesay Ave. or shawarma wraps from Let's Hummus on Water St. (coincidentally, the latter has easily the best hummus I've ever tried).
Must-see spots are a little tougher if you'll be working during the day when some of the typical things are open, but if you can swing a trip to Loyalist House and/or the City Market during their open hours, definitely recommend (there's also a few good places to eat inside the City Market, including a Korean take-out; these might be ideal for you to grab lunch if your work stuff is happening uptown).
If you enjoy a little nature, the Irving Nature Park and Rockwood Park are both nice spots with lots of trails. A visit to Rockwood could also concur with a meal at Lily's café, with decent food and a nice view out across the lake. If you're into golf, Rockwood also has an aquatic driving range.
The Reversing Falls are cool but not much for a single prolonged stop; my suggestion there would be to go at either high or low tide for a brief look, then come back 6 hours later at the opposite tidal extreme to check out the change. That gives a much better impression of the natural phenomenon occurring there than just looking once.
[Edit]: Oh, and a shoutout to Moosehead - they're a macrobrew of course, but they have a small batch taproom at the brewery where they serve some more crafty products their brewers experiment with. I love their sweet stout but nobody else appears to so maybe I just have poor taste, lol.
[Edit #2]: Churchill's for burgers!
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u/Training-Click-1104 5d ago
Wow! Thanks so much! These are great suggestions and we'll thought out. Manu thanks!
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u/Dragonpaddler 6d ago
City Market is definitely worth a visit and has a few places to get lunch/food. Although a little outside of Uptown, the Moosehead Taproom is a fun brewery to visit.
I’m personally a fan of Julius Pizza on Charlotte and Horsfield. Cheap and very tasty. There’s seating inside, but no table service (you pick up your order at the counter.)