Pipa Restaurant – Halifax (Closed)

Brazil drinks Pipa Restaurant

Sadly, Pipa Restaurant (later re-named “The Brown Hound”) closed its doors in October 2014.

Two years ago, Drew and I discovered Pipa Restaurant (@PipaHalifax) through Groupon.  We hadn’t tried Pipa before buying the coupon, but the menu had a lot of gluten free options and we love most things on Argyle street.  It took us a few months to use our groupon, but once we were there it only took a few bites to win us over.

Pipa is a Portuguese/Brazilian restaurant tucked between The Carlton and The Foggy Goggle. You can choose to dine in one of two stellar seating areas at Pipa (three in the summer). The main dining room is candle lit during dinner and filled with sultry latin music.

Pipa Restaurant Halifax Dining Atrium Great Event Space

Your second dining option at Pipa is The Atrium. The Atrium’s ceiling is made entirely of glass giving it the feel of an open air courtyard.  That, coupled with the Brazilian style decor and wicker chairs, makes it your best alternative to a destination wedding or an outdoor venue. The best time to get a sense of the space in optimal use is during the Friday and Saturday night Salsa sessions night at Pipa. Watch dancers of all levels spin and style on the dance floor, or take the free introductory lesson and then join in yourself.
Brazil drinks Pipa Restaurant

Pipa has some of the more unique dining options in the city. We highly recommend forgoing a full plate and ordering a number of their appetizers, especially the Cheese & Cassava bread, Mushroom Escondidinho, Muscles Malagueta, and the Grilled Chourico.  They also make a great white sangria.  Gluten-free diners take note, because Brazilian cuisine traditionally uses tapioca flour, this is a very gluten-free friendly menu.

Brazillian Food Shrimp Duck Figs

For our wedding, two of our (very) good friends arranged a full course dinner for us at Pipa.  When the first course came out we thought they must have made a mistake.  It was a full plate with a 1/4 piece of succulent duck, a chick pea basil tomato salad and a dish with some rich shrimp and cassava concoction that was amazing, paired with a white wine.  We figured they had forgone the appetizer and went straight to the main course.  Turns out, this was the appetizer!

Seared Scallops Sausage Beef Brazil Cuisine Pipa HalifaxOnce we were finished we took a salsa lesson break to digest and make room for the next course.  The main course had thinly sliced beef on a bed of something similar to couscous with scallops, paired with red wine.  Our eyes, and our taste buds, were overwhelmed.

Brazil Dessert Pipa Chocolate Mousse Avocado Creme BruleNot to be undone, our dessert was in fact three desserts, avocado brulé, dark chocolate mousse and almond cake, paired with a port.  It was an incredible dining experience, as we spent nearly four hours relaxing, dining and dancing.  A certain must-try restaurant in Halifax.

In addition to their salsa nights, Pipa has nightly specials, including two for one Brazilian caipirinhas each Monday and two for one tapas on Tuesdays!

Pipa Restaurant & Bar on Urbanspoon

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The Local Traveler

Two travellers' tales of finding adventure on the East Coast. This blog is dedicated to the best parts of travel, and to discovering, celebrating and promoting things to do in our corner of the world, and sometimes beyond. We especially love craft beer, day trips, romantic escapes, local food & hidden gems. Join our community on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and share tips and photos of your favourite East Coast adventures.

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