Ciboulette Cafe & Catering

I’m confident that almost everything here is good. But I can’t speak for everything because every time I come, I get the same thing: the grilled cheese. It is a thing of beauty and wonder and mouth-​watering-​goodness of such a scale that I’m salivating as I think about it right now.
This space is small and tight so if you’re inclined to sit down, you may want to come just before (or after) the lunch rush. There are only a few seats in the place (including some overlooking the yarn store next door).
The cookies available as a treat/​dessert? Also rate a thumbs up.

I’ve heard so many goods things about the sandwiches here, especially their grilled cheese. It was too humid to even think of a hot sandwich when I was there last, so I opted for a cold sandwich option instead.
Ham and cheese! Thinly sliced ham! Dijon mustard! Happy Shannon!
It was a delicious sandwich, though the bread was slightly stale on top. This was due to the sandwich waiting for me in the fridge, unwrapped. It would have been nice to have fresher bread, but the tasty insides made up for it. I would have used more mustard personally, but my homemade ham sandwiches are pretty much 70% meat and 30% mustard, so I know that no shop will ever naturally make them to my tastes as they are weird.
I didn’t realize that the extended seating for this area is above The Loop, which was a pleasant surprise. It was nice to sit down, chat with my gal-​pal, and admire the soft wool all around us.
All in all, a worthwhile sandwich. Not perfect, but enjoyable none the less.

What a quaint little place right downtown! A small café with a nook overlooking The Loop. Cute atmosphere and tasty food. I recommend the roasted veggie panini with broccoli salad.

Oooh, such a cozy lil’ spot! My wife is obsessed with this place so naturally dragged me there.
I loved how tucked away it was and how warm it feels, so I was immediately feelin’ it. It’s a sandwich/​panini joint so again, no complaints! I ordered the club, which came freshly toasted and had a cappuccino. The Capp was delightful! The sandwich was good, however there is a BUT. I am not a fan of avocado so asked for none. The most they were willing to do was scrape it off. I wasn’t overly pleased. The avocado was on one side so so I was hoping for an untouched piece of bread, but nope!
It’s a cute place, I would do it again but probably not ask for special treatment!

Ciboulette! I love you! Here’s a few reasons why:
1. Location: It is located right in the heart of Barrington! (A little too close to my office, my waist line!) It is easily accessible from the street (not wheelchair accessible unfortunately).
2. YUM MY GOD. They have a wonderful selection of sandwiches whether you’re a meat monger or a vegetarian! Their paninis can be hot or cold and you can always pair it with a soup or their amazing brocoli salad.
3. Coffee is great, I can’t drink Tims anymore lets just say that. Plus add in a great cookie and you’ve got yourself a party!
4. Their prices are meh, not bad but not great, I don’t mind paying because I love the food. But if you’re looking for subway price this won’t be it.
All in all it’s one of my favorite lunch places, it’s small but it’s great! Highly recommend it!

I can only review one item at Ciboulette, but it gets a hearty five stars from me: the grilled cheese sandwich. Rich and creamy, I can often barely finish it. But I force myself to, because each bite is like a taste of heaven.
I’m not over-​exaggerating. Aged cheddar, herbs, sun-​dried tomatoes, aioli… insanity.
I’m sure the rest of the menu is great, but I have to eat the grilled cheese every time.

Not a great showing for 3 stars, but it actually was a tasty spot. So give it a try. But be forewarned, it doesn’t hit awesome numbers in every aspect of my review.
Atmosphere: ²⁄₅
Small… Really small. In the main room, they’ve got two seats at the window, so a bit chilly in the winter. In the back (above the Loop) they’ve got 3 or 4 2-​person tables as well. So they really can’t take groups of 3 or more, or accommodate more than 12 eat-​in customers at a time. The décor isn’t great either. Not a dive, just not comfy or welcoming.
Customer Service: ⁵⁄₅
The servers were actually great. Accommodating, friendly, polite… they hit all their marks! They knew just what I wanted based on what I said I tend to enjoy in a sandwich, and that really helped. Nothing worst than making an order based on a suggestion from the server, and it being terrible.
Food: ⁴⁄₅
I’ve stopped in 4 or 5 times now, and tried 3 or 4 different sandwiched, and they’re all pretty good. The only one I didn’t absolutely love was the ham and cheese. It was just a bit too much grease, and just a bit too much… I don’t know. Just too much of it. The chicken, the turkey, the roast beef, the Veg… All delicious though! I’ve only tried the cheese and brocoli salad, but it’s a good one! Fantastic really. And their brownie? Drooool…
Cost: ³⁄₅
Not terrible prices… Just not amazing. A lunch of a sandwich, a salad, a brownie, and a drink came to $ 14, so not the world’s most expensive lunch… but far from the cheapest. I could have gotten a far bigger sub at subway, with 2 cookies and a pop for $ 9… The quality doesn’t even compare, but sometimes that doesn’t always matter when the price is right.
All in all, I would recommend checking it out. I would, however, say that it might be better to buy and take it back to work with you. Still, an ok experience!

I love that I stumbled upon my original review for Ciboulette today and my reaction was, «is this a freaking joke?!» That’s definitely a sign of a required update.
For the sake of keeping things short and sweet, the space is still charming, adorable, and super cute for short stays. It’s not huge and can get pretty warm — so maybe don’t plan an all-​day marathon — but it’s great for a quick bite.
Brady and crew are just cool people. They know their regulars, they go above and beyond to get you what you need, and they put a lot of heart into what they do. Almost every time I visit, they’re happy to call up to the kitchen to make sure more grilled cheese sammies are on the way down.
Which brings me to the main point of this update. Ciboulette’s grilled cheese panini is the best in the city. I’d say ‘prove me wrong’ but don’t even bother. Because you can’t.
Aged white Canadian cheddar, fresh basil, sun-​dried tomatoes, and rosemary aioli?
Stop it. Game over. They win.

Absolutely love this place as a go-​to for out-​of-​the-​office lunches. Great variety of hot and cold sandwiches. I usually mix it up a bit, but always tend to come back to the Southwestern Chicken Club with chicken breast, bacon, tomato (I pick them off), mozzarella, avocado, and chipotle mayo. Nicely complimented by their delicious broccoli salad.
It’s a tiny place and if there’s a line you may find yourself waiting on shakey, make-​shift metal stairs, but if you can deal with that there might be walnut truffle fudge cookies waiting for you!
The staff is very friendly and although small, it also seems like a decent place to eat in if you are lucky enough to snag the window seat and people-​watch on Barrington street. Or there’s a little area in the back that overlooks the floor below which I didn’t even know existed until the last time I was there.
All in all, highly recommended for a lunch choice.

After Unilocaling and debating where to go for lunch after forgetting my lunch bag in my car (R.I.P. yogurt) I decided to take a trot down to Ciboulette for some lunchtime eatin’! I even went solo and I am pretty glad I did, space is limited but it’s these kind of places that make lunch time fun in Halifax.
After reading reviews about the grilled cheese panini, I gave it a try, along with the broccoli salad and a yummy cookie (more on that later!)
I was the only one sat down inside but space is pretty limited although I hear there is more room upstairs. I sat facing Barrington and watched people walk and have fun in the sun (I left my SPF60 at home), and the sandwich maidens gave me my sandwich and salad within a few minutes. The bread is to die for, the cheese is sharp and delish, but I wish the sundried tomatoes and basil were spread out more evenly in the sandwich, I had two bites of tomato and some basil, maybe? It was still good though! The broccoli salad was awesome but the almonds should be toasted, raw almonds are a bit too chewy for salads but that’s just my opinion ;)
The cookie! Omg the cookie. It was walnut fudge I believe, but it had a crisp flaky shell and a soft almost salty sweet gooey inside. I want more. MOAR!
I will go back! If anything to try more of their baked goods!

Thank you Cheesus for the gift of Ciboulette.
The Unilocal forums alerted me to the delicious fact that today is national grilled cheese day. I, being a lover all things cheese (but not cheez), was more than happy to leave my lunch plans of bag of Smart Pop behind and try the highly recommended panini at Ciboulette, which is within spitting distance from my office.
I’ve worked here three years and have never been to Ciboulette before, mostly because it’s tucked out of the way and easy to miss. I’ll never make that mistake again. It’s a little bit of a tight squeeze, especially if there are more than a few patrons waiting in line, but it’s a nice spot for people-​watching if you can nab the window tables. The cramped quarters is why I docked a star.
A selection of standard and rotating specials fill the display case, so you just need to pick out what catches your eye and they’ll slap it on the panini press and within no time, you’ll be on your way with a delicious sandwich.
And delicious, they are. Quality ingredients make all the difference. Why bother load up a sandwich with six different kind of processed meats and wilted veggies when you only need a couple of really outstanding ingredients to make the best sammie? The grilled cheese only has basil, sundried tomatoes, and aged Balderson cheddar. Those few delicious ingredients come together in this rich, sharp sandwich that actually made me smile while eating it. I’m already thinking I’ll head back tomorrow for the meatloaf with cheddar and tomato-​bacon relish.
If you want to really make your lunch complete, grab a sweet treat. The brownie is huge, dense, and really moist. The perfect brownie for those who like chewy over cakey. All in all, I’m excited to have found a new sandwich spot for lunch.

For starters, any place that lets me say «zucchini panini» is a good place in my books. And when they back that rhyming sandwich up with something seriously tasty? Well, you’ve pretty much nailed it when it comes to lunch.
But for reals and for true, this joint is one of my top five go to lunch spots (for the days when I don’t plan and bring my own). Everything I’ve tried from this place is tasty, so I’m just going to go ahead and say EVERYTHING on the menu is good. The southwest chicken panini = good times. The breakfast wrap = good times AND goo deals ($ 6 and it includes coffee). Carrot soup = fantastic. Zucchini panini = food that rhymes, therefore, excellent.
Coffee is good and y’all need to treat yourself to one of the cookies. The triple ginger is delightful, but Mimi’s toffee and chocolate cookie? I want the whole world to know how tasty it is, but then I might have to share these cookies with the world and I don’t want to do that. I want them all to myself.
And because all that goodness isn’t enough, I find the staff delightful.

Just got back from lunch at ciboulette.
I like it there, we go once in a while for coffee or lunch. Today I had a meatloaf panini with tomato relish and a cup of broccoli and cheese soup. The soup was souper (see what I did there?!) disappointing. Totally lacking flavour. It needed a kick for sure.
The sandwich was good but not amazing. To be fair, I have had amazing sammies there before so I think it was just the selection for me that was lacking.
I didnt have any sweets today, but their ginger cookies will melt your face off in the best way possible, and the florentines I had around Christmas were also melt your face off-​ish.

I have lived right across the street from this spot for over a year and never ventured through the slightly awkward door. That was until a foodie friend of mine couldn’t believe I had never been in especially since I am practically a cheerleader for Chives!
My first experience was so good that I am having a hard time deviating from that order. Meatloaf panini and broccoli salad! The meatloaf is flavourful and still juicy, topped with tomato and aged cheddar — it was like a cheeseburger almost! The broccoli salad uses a recipe from Chef Craig Flinn’s first cookbook that has a light curry dressing, cheese, nuts, red onions. They have chosen not to include bacon as per Craig’s recipe and have added dried cranberries instead which is lovely but come on, bacon is always better!
Ciboulette is now on my weekly lunch list and who knows if I’ll ever deviate from my original and wonderful order!

So yesterday I was struggling… Struggling to find a spot to grab some takeaway for lunch. Someone suggested Ciboulette and off I went.
Located between the Loop and Chives, it’s a blink and you miss it spot. But heck, I love adventure so I went in. A small spot, if you have more than 4 people in the lineup you are out the door. But it moves quick and soon I was faced with decisions.
They offer a myriad of hot beverages (coffee, tea, lattes, etc), paninis, cold sandwiches, a soup of the day and a salad of the day (most often a broccoli one I was advised by another patron), and some cookies for dessert. I also saw a breakfast sandwich on the menu. All paninis and sandwiches are pre-​assembled and in a case for easy viewing.
I ordered the meatloaf sandwich/​soup combo. The soup of the day was potato and leek. The wait wasn’t long, they grilled my panini and off I went.
Back at the office, I tried the soup. Just lovely — flavourful and just enough in the cup. Next? Meatloaf sandwich — yummy! On a white bread with some old cheddar and a tomato topping. Really, really nice. I ate it and tapped my feet a little in joy.
Oh… Did I mention the triple ginger cookie? Really? I forgot? Wow. That was a whole baked circle of deliciousness. I love ginger anything and this did not disappoint, crunch with some chewiness, the tart yet sweet combination was a standount (and the candied ginger in the middle didn’t hurt).
Will I return? Oh yeah. I want that broccoli salad and another kick at the cookie jar! With a sandwich on the side.
Cheers!

It has taken me a long time to try Ciboulette, but I finally met a friend here yesterday. The small, warm cozy atmosphere was a great remedy to the cold wet weather outside. The staff were friendly and let us take our time before deciding. The menu mainly features sandwiches and there is a soup of the day. The sandwiches are premade and are finished in the panini press. This is good if you’re in a rush, but not great if you want to make a substitution.
Because we met for an early lunch, I decided to have breakfast instead, and opted for one of their famous muffins, I snagged the last blueberry oatmeal. It lived up to it’s reputation, bursting with flavour and blueberries, moist, it was a real muffin and not a frostling-​less cupcake. I had a café au lait with it, which was also good. I noted with delight that their scones are served with clotted cream. If you’ve never had the opportunity to have clotted cream, you are missing out.
Overall, I am not a huge fan of sandwiches (weird I know, who doesn’t like sandwiches?) so this won’t be my usual lunch spot, but I will definitely be popping in to try some more muffins and have some scones with my clotted cream.

I walk by this little café everyday and never walked in until a few weeks ago. When I stepped inside I was in a dream, their freshly baked muffins were just coming out of the oven, there food case was full of unbelievable panini sandwiches and salads. I just couldn’t take my eyes off the display! I got a coffee and couldn’t wait to go back to try a sandwich. The coffee was delicious! A few days later I went to have panini, with all the fresh selections it made it very difficult to choose, so I went with a hearty meatloaf panini, lets just say that sandwich is what dreams are made of!

Ciboulette is a great little lunch spot. Specializing in a tasty fare of breakfast dishes, paninis, sandwiches, sweets and soups– its a foolproof grab if you are in the area.
I will highly recommend both the Curried Butternut Squash and Ginger & Carrot soups. Magnifique! While I haven’t tested the sandwiches or paninis, it is evident that Ciboulette emphasizes fresh and local food. They are mindful and display expertise in their collective offerings. In regards to dessert, the Dark Belgian Cookie is a divine indulgence. FYI.
Overall, Ciboulette offers a pleasant café experience with well constructed fresh food. Everything is made from scratch, with the best of ingredients. Je taime!

As a semi-​frequent shopper at the Loop I had noticed this upstairs café but just managed to make it in a few days ago. I had a simple Americano, which was very nicely done. My barista was clearly not interested in chatting, but made a good coffee so I can’t complain.
Like Ruth (see below), I had heard the muffins were delicious but when I was in there was only one sad looking guy left on the plate, unlabeled. Uninspired, I passed. Everything else looked good, though; cookies in triple ginger, double chocolate chip and Snickerdoodle sat in big glass jars and Belgian chocolate brownies smiled up at me from the chilled display case. Most exciting were the in-​house-​made fleur de sel caramels — my soul mate in the confectionary world. A fresh batch was being cut while I drank my coffee so I had to indulge. Delish.

I was told that their muffins were «to die for» by my husband and his co-​workers who often take their coffee breaks and pick up a lunch to go at Ciboulette. Lucky them, it’s just around the corner from work.
It’s tiny, so most people use this as a take out spot. There is only seating for 8, but it’s fun to people watch while munching on the best cranberry orange muffin I ever ate.
Ciboulette is owned by Chef Craig Flinn of Chives Bistro right next door, so you know everything will be fresh and delicious. And by the way, you can pick up his latest cookbook there too. I wonder if the muffin recipe is in it.