Where and What to Eat and Drink in Saint John, New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick

When I visited Saint John earlier this year I had no idea what a gastronomic treat I was in for. As I expected, I found fresh and tasty seafood, but I also discovered delicious curries, excellent craft beers and ciders, and melt-in-the-mouth desserts. I left Canada with no doubt that Saint John’s food scene is flourishing and on the up.

Possibly the dish most associated with the Maritimes is the lobster roll, and I’ve two great suggestions here of where you should eat these. Dulse, a seaweed I first came across in Northern Ireland, also grows along the coast of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and is eaten dried as a snack or in a sandwich (or a bagel in Slocum and Ferris). British dishes, such as bangers and mash and fish and chips, are also popular.

Saint John, however, isn’t just about the traditional. There are some fabulous restaurants, such as Port City Royal, putting a new spin on old dishes. And, at Queen’s Square Farmers’ Market, I found cuisines as ethnically diverse as the people of Saint John, with food stalls from Nigeria, Cameroon, Thailand, Mexico, Haiti and Syria.

In an atmospheric setting of exposed brickwork, wooden beams and open fireplaces, Thandi has taken the Saint John food scene by storm with its classic Indian cuisine. I can vouch for the deliciousness of its most popular dish, Butter Chicken - a boneless chicken with cashew nuts simmered in a mild and creamy curry sauce. While specialising in Indian cuisine, they also offer excellent international dishes including a superb Pad Thai and great steaks, I’m told. I’d love the opportunity to return here to try something else from their menu. Mind you, I enjoyed the Butter Chicken so much I think I would find it hard not to order it again. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).