The Old Apothecary Bakery & Cafe

My new fave. The atmosphere is fun, the almond chocolate croissants are dangerous.

Stopped in today around 2:30 pm with my husband and daughter. I had heard that The Old Apothecary had THE best hot chocolate in Halifax and we wanted to give it a try. All I can say is wow! The hot chocolate is simply amazing. Very rich, intense chocolate flavour. The selection of baked goods was a bit thin but we managed to find something (chocolate éclair) which was also delicious. The upstairs seating area is really cool and a nice place to hang out. Worth a visit.

Wait, I haven’t written a review of this place yet? I find that very hard to believe! I first heard of this bakery & Café probably a year before it opened. I followed it’s progress through renovations and test bakery items via Instagram and patiently waited for it to open. It looked too good to be true! I went here for Open City and grabbed a apple cider and apple donut. I love donuts above all else, but given the choice, I would go for the apple cider first. That’s saying a lot. I loved it! It was the perfect pairing on the cool Open City day. Aside from the beautiful bake goods, and wonderfully crafted beverages, (the expresso is delicious, highly recommend) have you been upstairs? It’s like real life Alice in Wonderland. I can’t think of a more whimsical location to sit and have tea. The décor is right up my alley and the view can’t be beat! Perfect place to settle in and get some work done on your laptop, or just sit with friends. So comfy and victorian cool, you really have to see it for yourself.

My wife and I popped in while doing some downtown Christmas shopping, looking for a snack and energy perk up.
It was pretty quiet, as it was the mid-​afternoon at that point, and options for snacks were thinned out as well. However, there was still enough to not feel like we were settling in our choices, as we got a chocolate donut and caramel-​coated brownie, and a hot apple cider and a coffee for our drinks.
The seating area upstairs is one of the coolest in the city, with an eclectic palette, hardwood floors, brick walls and funky furniture like a claw-​tooth bathtub turned into a love seat.
Their donuts appear to be baked in a shaped pan, rather than deep fried, which isn’t surprising given the lack of a fryer downstairs. While it wasn’t quite like your typical donut, its chocolatey-​ness and overall quality won the day. My wife’s caramel brownie was so moist and dense it was closer to fudge, but if you have a sweet tooth, this will give you your fix.
The coffee was reported to be good, made with a unique rack that let’s them do several fresh drip coffees at the same time. My cider seemed just to be heated up with the espresso machine’s steaming wand, so while it was good cider on its own, it lacked some of the typical flavours that get added in to a pot of warm cider.
Not being a big coffee guy, I’m not part of the café crowd, but if you are definitely check out funky downtown spot with great snacks!

The best chai latte in the city for me — hands down. I popped in on the recommendation of a friend and I’m glad I did. There was a richness to the drink, but not so much I couldn’t finish it — just right.

A sweet spot to grab a treat & a proper European hot chocolate in a cute & vibrant space! I attended a Unilocal event here recently and it was great — I tried out the hot chocolate and honestly, for a super concentrated chocolate fix this will make your day. It was intense in a delicious old world kind of way. I also got to try a croissant — flaky, fresh, and buttery. And then there were the chocolate eclairs… cream of the crop! Made fresh and very full of something quite like vanilla pudding, these sweet mini treats were satisfying in just two bites full of filling. Super high quality. There is a nice spot upstairs to curl up with a book and cup of tea, with high ceilings, several vintage couches, and low tables for setting your things. An easy place to spend a few hours snacking and relaxing, alone or with friends.

I was here on Tuesday for a Unilocal event and I am still thinking about the éclairs and croissants. This place has it all great food, great coffee and great atmosphere! Lovely addition to Barrington St and worth trying trust me you’ll be back!

This is such a cool modern caffe/​bakery to socialize with some friends (the hangout) or have business meetings. Its a fantastic spot to do just that. Consider trying the caramel brownie and latte which I thought was a winner for me. Although the éclair looked scrumptious… I didn’t dare to try… A good Tip: prep with a napkin bib:-) warning~ can get messywhen you take your first bite… But well worth the risk! I look forward to coming again, but this time I will get the éclair.

I’ve been here twice now — once just popping in for a bottle of water, and the second time for Unilocal’s Official Late Night Tea Party. Here are the high points: SUPER friendly staff, delicious drinks and pastries, and a fun, eclectic, industrial design.
The first time I was popping in for a bottle of Karma Raspberry Guava Jackfruit water. When the cashier noticed my laptop in my arms, he kindly offered the space to work in their café seating area upstairs (This invitation was totally appreciated! As a student, café spaces to study in are seriously appreciated). Unfortunately, I was in a rush, so I didn’t have a chance to check it out; however, I had the opportunity at tonight’s Unilocal Official Tea Party. The café, downstairs and upstairs, is a large, beautiful, airy, space with lovely brick walls. The main level of the café appears industrial with dark colours, a kitchen space, and brick walls, and in a sense this theme continues upstairs — however, the seating area upstairs is filled with beautiful, colour, eclectic furniture (including a bathtub couch)!
The staff here have been quite exceptional and friendly, and the owner here is no exception. I tried the hot chocolate with a single shot of espresso and it was divine! The flavour of the chocolate was so on point. They even included real chocolate in my drink. My +1 thoroughly enjoyed his latte. Once upstairs, we snacked on mini eclairs and salted caramel brownies. They were both delicious! They sure don’t skimp on the éclair filling, and the salted caramel brownies tasted like pure heaven.
I was also really excited to see the ramp at the entrance to the building. I think it is really fantastic to see businesses taking the initiative to make accessible spaces — thank you TOA! Unfortunately, the upstairs seating area is not as accessible, but you can’t win them all…
Unilocal’s Official Late Night Tea Party was fantastic, and a great opportunity to showcase a relatively new café, and a lovely addition to downtown Halifax. Thank you Lesley M. and TOA staff for organizing the evening.
*Bottom line: I’ll be back again, and I would definitely recommend!

I attended a Unilocal event tonight and this place is awesome they have a really nice upstairs lounge and the hot drinks and desserts were great the place is very cozy I will definitely return
Thanks for hosting a great event

Great atmosphere! I love the cozy vibe, and find it easy to spend hours here. Every time I’ve come the music has been superb, and the room has been at a great temperature– two things that I find hard to come by in some cafes around.
Staff are very friendly and easygoing too which is nice. Would definitely recommend!

I have been out of the city for a few months so when I came back last week I was thinking to give this place another try as I was definitly in need of good bread and a shot of sugar.
When I came in on a wednesday afternoon at 3pm the bakery was almost empty, no baguettes, almost no bread to serve except a white (??) sourdough bread in 2 sizes, no whole wheat, no rye, no real bread I would say…
I noticed that the croissants were still that small and ridiculously pricey. Even if I am trying I cant really find a way to justify this kind of price (3.50 plus tax) for such a small croissant. I think most of the french people entering there would have a heart attack… seriously.
Without almost any choice I ended up with a small sourdough ball, and treat me with a nice looking cardamon tart with meringue on top.
Back home I noticed again that the bread was way too salty, like Wayyyyyyyyyy too salty, too dense, not rised enough and I think not baked enough. I was hoping they made some improvments since my last visit just a few weeks after their opening but they did not. Disapointing.
The cardamon tart, luckily, was really good, with a really nice texture and not as sweet as the others pastries I had there.
So I hesitated to lower my grade because of the pastries but I did so as I have been so disapointed about the bread and the salt issue (which has not been considered since my first review) and the fact that the prices and sizes of the viennoiseries are still such a joke.
Lets hope at one point they are going to improve.
My next visit for the bread might be the last one…

The croissants are way overpriced not to mention how small they are (literally 2 bites) for $ 3.50. The croissants are fine, but the taste no where near justifies the price. I have had better (plus much bigger) and for cheaper. My relatives thought the price was ridiculous especially for the size, not to mention they tasted stale at the end of the day when we came in and they were not even discounted. won’t be back.

So one day I was wondering, «What other coffee shops would be good for Halifax?» And in walks The Old Apothecary. Okay it was the other way around, but that’s the only way I could make that first sentence work.
The Old Apothecary has a mix of old industrial style with regal. The owner definitely shows off their interior design roots.
Staff — The staff are great! I’ve actually only met one, but she has been fantastic each time. Attentive, knowledgeable, quick and fun to talk to.
Food — So far I’ve only had their Key Lime Pie cheese cake which is no longer in season, but it was everything I wanted it to be! And I’m a snob for Key Lime. I promise to try more of their baked goods though ;)
Coffee & Tea — Really good! I wish their tea selection was a bit bigger but I’m guessing they are still in development a bit, so I’ll give them a pass.
Atmosphere — Fun, relaxing with a lot of style! I’m not a fan of coffee shops that blare music. I write on my laptop. If I want music, I can go to my iTunes collection and pull out Bill Whithers, or Tom Waits, or Gustav Holst, or Taylor Swift…(I’m sure one of her songs is floating around there somewhere). There is a nice upstairs area as well with beautiful chairs and seats along with a view of Barrington Street. Not the ocean-​view one would want but for the location, it’s as good as it gets.
Conclusion:
I think I found my new writing spot. Customer Service is top-​notch, the food so far is great, coffee/​tea fantastic and atmosphere is fun and unique for Halifax. The only challenge is they aren’t open after 6pm at the latest. So that makes it hard. But on Saturday’s after the Farmer’s Market, I’ll be heading over.

I have to say wonderful about this place, the second floor is lavish and fancy, the herb tea and cheese cake and tart is made from artist which come from German pretty European stylish sweet