Tess

This is a great place for brunch. The sourdough toast is out of this world! Food, although a tad expensive, has been consistently yummy. Great patio — great morning sun (a bit of a wasp problem). Major criticism is that the coffee is some of the worst I’ve ever had… But still go because the food is great.

Another wonderful lunch at Tess. The open face beef sandwich was an ample portion, with a terrific side Caesar Salad. A goto place anytime but especially with people from out of town to show oft the almost can’t miss cuisine here in Halifax both for tasty food and very reasonable prices.

This quaint brunch spot is my favourite in town. They make a fantastic Caesar and all of the brunch offerings are delicious, get something light and you might just have room for the European desert crêpe, to die for. Best time to go is in the summer when the back patio is open, beautiful atmosphere and service is always friendly and prompt.

I’ve only gone to Tess for brunch, but maybe supper is better?
The first time I went there everything seemed alright, good enough to want to go again, however every time since then I have found myself regretting it. The service is always very good, but the food is just not.
The last time I went there I had the croque madame: Dijon sauce (greasy nothing sauce) smothering everything, an overly sweet waffle, wet, cold and salty ham slices, loaded with cheese globules. My boyfriend had a bacon eggs benny crêpe: There was so much tasteless hollandaise on the plate it coated the salad, which made the whole plate just a greasy grotesque mess. If the individual components beneath were well made, we will never know. Neither of us ate even the majority of our meal, and we both left feeling like we’d eaten entire sticks of butter.
We get brunch in excess of twice a week, and this just isn’t up to par with many of the other options in the neighbourhood. Even if they fix their menu, I doubt we will go there again. They seem to have a lot of regulars, so I’m guessing they will be fine without us.

Found this place walking by on a date night and it was a happy surprise. We ate on the patio out back surrounded by trees with a live jazz singer performing. I always try ceasers any new place I go and by far the best ive ever had. Being from newfoundland I am use to fresh fish and found my plate to be amazing as was my partners chicken dish which I couldnt help but enjoy a few fork fulls of.

Located just a few blocks from my apartment, I’d been trying to get to Tess for a while now, but they’re only open for dinner on Thursday — Saturday, which is a crime because they have one of the few patios in the north end. However, one evening the culinary stars aligned: it was a beautiful sunny day, and both my girlfriend and I were available so we made the jaunt over to Tess.
We weren’t quite sure what the procedure was for seating, so I popped my head in the front door to ask, and we were free to just walk around the corner and take a seat in the back patio. It’s a courtyard of sorts, contained as it is by the backs of a few buildings, nicely painted and with a plentiful amount of plants to give it some life.
What appeared to be the lone waitress dealing with both the inside and patio (poor woman), quickly came to take our drink orders. The drink list is a compact mix of your typical domestic beer and liquors, plus some local craft beer and, cocktails and wine. Unfortunately they were out of Bulwark cider, but North Brewing saison was something I didn’t feel bad about getting instead.
The main menu consists of mainly of some appetizers, sandwiches and of course crepes. Being where we were, I wanted to try out their crepes so I went with the chicken Florentine crêpe as well as the brie en croute to start.
The brie came out quite quickly, a hunk of creamy, melted brie in a pastry, doused with pecans and a just-​sweet-​enough syrup. Slices of toasted baguette made for excellent carb-​on-​carb delivery, which is always a win. The brie was really good — mild and not as funky as I find some to be. The pecans and sauce were great as well; you could smell them as soon as the plate hit the table. The baguette was just the right amount of crispy without being difficult to chew. The only downside was that the pastry wasn’t as crisp and flaky as I would have liked. It may have just been the syrup doing this, but given how quickly it came out, I think they just need to work on this. That being said, it was still a wonderful way to start the meal.
It took a bit longer for our mains to arrive, as a few more people had trickled in out back and likely inside as well, and our waitress always seemed to be constantly moving with expedient purpose. She handled things quite well though given the circumstances.
When it arrived, my plate looked fantastic, with my crêpe covered in a garlic cream sauce and my Caesar salad topped with house-​made croutons and plenty of shredded Asiago cheese. The first bite was like every one that followed — very, very good. The chicken was moist and flavourful, with a bit of sharpness from the spinach. A smattering of croutons inside the crêpe also added some crunch to what would otherwise have been a fairly mushy dish. And who can go wrong with a garlic cream sauce and Swiss cheese? The crêpe itself was soft and lightly spongy, in a good way, but it almost didn’t matter what my food was wrapped in, it would have been delicious anyway.
My salad had some very healthy green pieces of Romaine that I was happy to see instead of the pallid, light green stuff you all too frequently see. The croutons were herby and crunchy without tearing up my mouth or chipping a tooth, and the dressing had a nice garlicky punch to it. The Asiago added a salty hit to each bite that paired well with the slightly sweet bits of maple-​glazed pancetta These were some real deal bacon bits that just go to show how awful that flavoured soy crap really is.
Not only did we have a great meal out in the sun, but there were a couple musicians that played some solo acoustic sets that added a fun vibe to this little enclave from the hustle and bustle of the city.
I’m sure the inside is fine, but if you’re looking for something different on a sunny day, swing by Tess and get your crêpe on.

Pass on brunch.
It’s just not as good as other options in town. The food isn’t cooked properly– poatoes have no crunch, way too many onions and bad hollandaise sauce

So Tess, or Chez Tess as I continue to call it, is one of those places I love to go because it is 1.) always delicious 2.) around the corner from me and 3.) the service is always great!
I recently went for brunch with a friend of mine and although it is right around the corner, I somehow forget until someone suggests it! I am always happy they do and this time was no exception! I think because I am not a huge fan of crepes and this is what MOST people go for I forget it in my mental list of dinning options… but every meal I have had there has not been a crêpe yet still delish! This visit I had a cashew burger with caramelized onions and brie cheese on a brioche bun… Truly amaaaazing!
The prices are not bad either, between $ 11 – 16 for a lunch… I have not been later but I imagine they are still reasonable, plus it is definitely worth it!

I have mixed feelings after my first brunch at Tess. My boyfriend ordered your standard bacon and egg breakfast and didn’t end up eating anything but the eggs. He hated the bacon, it was very burnt and tasted overly smokey. He also thought the beans that came with it were too sweet and didn’t have more than a taste.
My lunch however was delicious! I ordered the traditional eggs Benedict crêpe BUT even though the flavours were amazing and I ate every last drop, my food was served cold. Not even luke warm, cold. Our server never stopped by to check in with us so while I ate, my boyfriend sat there watching me. When the cheque was brought the waitress stood over us as we counted out our cash. Quite uncomfortable. This was about 2pm on a Sunday, and Tess was about half full downstairs. I’d also like to mention that it was extremely noisey inside, and only from the conversations around us since no background music is played at all.

Time for another restaurant review!
In summary, go experience Tess for brunch, it is very worth it! I will be back again soon!
Atmosphere– good
Bathroom-​adorable
Customer service– great
Noise level– moderate
Price– Fair
Parking– street…
Atmosphere/​décor
The atmosphere is one if a cute little neighbourhood café (go figure!) everything works together and nothing pulls attention. The art work is unique, interesting and well placed! The lighting suits the space, as do the tables, chairs and all other accents!
Bathroom
(My favourite part if my reviews)
There are 2! So great to see! They are cute well sized, decorated as well as the outside, because of its size I will not fault for a counter top soap pump, I will however criticize the 3 switches… The first time I went in I couldn’t figure out which turned on the light so I left them off, the night light helped me see (and I was ok with it) second time someone had turned on the light! Love it!
Customer service!
It’s quiet excellent! There is a waitress walking around at different intervals with coffee and water! Food comes quickly, and your given both space and attention! Though you might talk to 2 different waiters it’s still good!
They’re real nice! And definitely professional!
Food!
I had one of the best French toast dishes EVER! The bread was spectacular! The cream was wonderful! I had just enough fruit to make me feel good about eating the cream! I loved it! It was worth every penny (and more)
Noise
Not something I review normally, but this time I will! The noise level is a bit on the loud side when it’s full, but then dies to whisper quiet… Eerie! Keep it in mind if your voice carries.
Price!
For where it us, what it offers, and portion size, it is fair! 9.20 for my French toast, decent price for one yummy dish! My friend spent a bit more doing a plate of sides, but it was just what she wanted.
Parking
Not ideal. It’s street side, so spaces are sparatic if you have someone who’s handicapped, it’ll be a bit of a bear finding good parking but it’s findable! (And it’s not the restaurants fault)

I have been into Tess’s so often lately, I’m afraid they’re going to start turning me away for my own well-​being. It seems like every Sunday, when my friends are looking for a brunch spot, we always end up here. And I am not complaining.
The reason I know Tess’s is great, is because I’ve been in there in just about every state of mind imaginable: Hungry enough to eat two breakfasts (that happened, and I regret nothing); Hungover and not able to eat anything except sourdough toast (that toast is the stuff hangover dreams are made of); Tired and grumpy (and the delightful staff and delicious coffee put a little spring in my step) and just about everything in between.
The crepes benedict are amazing (I usually get it on a homemade biscuit with Brother’s double-​smoked bacon and brie *drools*) and the daily quiche is always a safe bet too. My boyfriend gets the «croissandwich» almost every time we’re there, but they have a rotating list of specials that are always tempting.
The restaurant itself is fairly small, so go early if you’re trying to get a table for more than two on a Sunday morning. It fills up quickly!

I have visited Tess once in the summer for lunch and sat outside on their lovely back patio. Then I visited recently for brunch, sitting indoors. It seems to me that the food was better the first time I went.
Good things about Tess — the location and atmosphere. The inside is small but charming and the service is always really good. The décor is simple but pretty, with a vintage French vibe. I love the lights they have running across the top of the ceiling — they bring a nice glow to the room. They have a lot of selection as well, which was great, although it made it really difficult to choose something as everything sounded amazing. The coffee was very tasty, too. It’s really close to a bunch of other awesome North End businesses — Local Source, Smith’s Bakery, Dee Dee’s, North Brewing — so you can easily browse, run errands or grab another drink/​snack if the crepes are not enough for you.
Bad things — my crêpe on this visit was only ok. I had the crêpe with sausage and overall it was dry. There was supposed to be a dill cream cheese inside but I didn’t taste much of it. Perhaps there was too much sausage? Not sure but I was expecting more. The greens with berries on the side was tasty though — very fresh with a sweet vinaigrette dressing. But that was my favourite part of the meal in the end.
Although my food was only ok, I still enjoyed the experience overall and would go again — but I think I’d order the Croissantwich next time! Or perhaps try lunch/​dinner again instead of brunch.

Nice restaurant! The menu was a little small and the three dinner plates were all pasta, which I wasn’t really interested in.
I had the quinoa salad (add chicken) with the scallops (with a maple-​syrup glaze). The scallops were fresh and delicious. You get 5 for $ 10, which is OK, I guess.
The quinoa salad was good, but could have used more kale .Or maybe slightly baked kale. You know, the crispy kind? That would have been better.
Overall, it was a healthy and fairly tasty meal. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain about, either.
Apparently breakfast is good here. I think that or lunch would be much more appropriate than dinner.

Oh my GAWD, this is amazing food. Thanks to my mother, who never gets it wrong when she suggests a restaurant. We arrived here for some lovely motherly-​daughterly time, eager to try this well-​kept secret. Someone had recommended it to Mom, and I know how much Halifax Unilocalers sing its praises. As soon as we saw the menu, we knew we were in for a treat.
Deciding what we wanted was hard, but when we heard the woman at the front counter endlessly complimenting the Caesar salad, we knew we weren’t leaving until we tried it. My mother had it paired with a BBQ Chicken crêpe. Crepes are a bit of a house specialty here; they appear multiple times on both the main menu and the dessert menu. I, for whatever reason, am distrustful of crepes. I ordered the Veggie Taco and ended up eating one anyhow– a crêpe version of a taco shell was what cradled my tofu, veggies, and sour cream. (Side note: How great is sour cream?) I nibbled at it first, narrowing my eyes against the sweet notes. Was this taco going to pass the test?
Yes. The answer is yes. It was delicious. I do remember that. However, I forget everything else because the Caesar salad was so good that nothing else really compares. Not even the crazy delicious chocolate mousse we finished lunch with. The homemade croutons, the fresh greens, the amount of cheese… it was heaven in my mouth. Easily my second favourite Caesar in the city!
This is a great place to take almost anyone for any occasion. I’m going to make sure to return here often. There’s too many delicious things there I still need to try. Salted Caramel Tart, anyone?

Finally got an excuse to stop here for lunch. Opted for soup and crêpe and topped it off with a pint from Bridge Brewing.
It’s a small spot, can get very loud when at capacity (20 people). but good service, great quality dishes. Prices might turn off some, but frame this as a «occasion» spot and you’ll be fine.

Went back on a whim today and had another outstanding meal. I tried the croissandwich, a croissant with ham, smokey cheddar, and an egg. The accompanying salad was fresh as could be with super fresh berries and the lovely light house vinaigrette. Coffee from Java Blend was fresh and plentiful and the service was excellent and friendly as with our first experience.
I hadn’t noticed the Terrace in the back on my first visit, when we sat inside. Today was such a beautiful fall day that we opted for the front porch area to catch the sun. The back would have been delightful as well. Definitely looking forward to giving that area a try. You can’t go wrong at Chez Tess!

This little paradise for a brunch seems a bit lost in such a residential area. Tables are a bit too small especially outside on the terraces (one in front, the other one in the back).
Service is fast, friendly and precise. Food is excellent. Portion size is moderate, which is for the best considering the quality.
Definitely recommended. Arrive before 11am if you want to avoid the line.

We ended up at Tess after my sister’s other recommendations didn’t pan out (too busy or closed!) so we took our Sunday brunch crowd there.
They have two patios, so even though the front was full we got a great spot in the back (plenty of shade!). After studying the menu for a bit we decided to order — unfortunately they were out of the fish cakes and didn’t tell us, so we had to take some additional time as we perused a second time. We ended up ordering Huevos Rancheros Crêpe (topped with pulled pork — YUM!) while the others got Vegetarian Western Crêpe, and the French Toast.
The food was decent, even though annoyingly enough they served potato pancakes (which are cooked in bacon fat) to my sister, even though she specified vegetarian. We ended up sending it back after hair was also discovered in her salad — yuck. I know however that these things happen, and it isn’t the only situation making this a two star review!
The service was slow and servers kept forgetting to bring us stuff (such as an orange juice that was ordered, cutlery, the sour cream that came with my order). They explained that they were short staffed, but it was still pretty annoying.,
The food was good, especially the non-​vegetarian potato pancakes (YAY BACON!), but overall I wasn’t overly charmed by my experience at Tess, especially with all the other brunch competition in Halifax.

When my in-​laws messaged two Sundays ago that they were on their way into Halifax and wanted brunch, we thought we’d head to a spot they have frequented often. That first stop was over packed with people waiting. Trying to think of a good alternative, Tess came to mind as we’ve driven by so many times never taking the time to stop in.
Collectively we enjoyed a Burrito Crêpe, the Belgian Waffle, and two Quiche dishes. All were excellent! The side green salads were a nice and fresh with a light dressing. My mother in law and I were both feeling pretty under the weather, but still could not resist and ate anyway. Our server was kind enough to bring us each a tea to help us feel better, which it did.
The set up of this spot is unique for Halifax. I love the patio out front and how easy it is to find a street parking spot along the block. The interior kind of makes you feel like you’re in a much warmer region of the world.
I had a colleague bring up Tess the other day after also just discovering them and loving their crepes. They are almost like one of Halifax’s best kept secrets, but as the good word spreads, I’m sure they too will soon have a line up for brunch… They are however, more worth the wait then many of the alternatives that already have lengthy lines. (Note that we personally never wait more than 10 minutes to be seated before seeking alternatives).
This will be one of our destination of choice when up early enough for brunch on a Sunday or when making recommendations to guests of our city.

I was at Tess for my second time on Sunday, we had the same server as the first time when we visited this summer and sat on the patio. Obviously we went in for brunch both times; it’s the best meal of the week! The first time I had the eggs Benedict on a waffle and I liked it better than the Croque Madame, maybe I should have had it on the waffle instead too. The ingredients were excellent quality, prepared well and we arrived before 10am so it wasn’t too busy.