Mateus Bistro

This is one of the few nicer restaurants that are open during the winter months. If you’re a larger party of people, it’s definitely advisable to call ahead since it’s a small establishment and tables fill up fast.
The indoor and outdoor décor is very eclectic and cool. There’s all sorts of local art hanging from the walls. It’s an old building, which contrasts nicely with the more modern touches they added to the place. It has a very maritime-​ey feel (I made that word up). It’s also very cozy; especially like on a cold night with sleet falling like it was.
Among the typical Atlantic coast fare on the menu, there is also a nice variety of Slovak food, which I’ve heard is delicious (because the chef is Slovak).
We ordered a variety of dishes, so could compare notes. Our favorite appetizer was the Mexican scallops and pork belly. It was delicious and had the most decent portion size of all the appetizer dishes. I had the beef tartar, which had a very unique taste, but was quite tiny.
For the entrée, I had the special of the night which was Atlantic trout with scallops, shrimp and hollandaise sauce. The fish was really good, though I wasn’t much into the vegetables that accompanied it (bok choy was slimy).
My sister ordered the steak. On the menu it says «rib eye», but they had none of that in Stock and so we’re serving striploin. She ordered it medium rare, but it came out well done. They fixed that up quickly.
They have a large and varied dessert menu. Definitely larger than most restaurants I had been to. So I would recommend saving some room for that.
I’d definitely visit again. Next time in the summer though to compare.

We made a little side trip to Mahone Bay on our way back to Halifax, randomly walked into Mateus Bistro, and are so glad we did! My husband had their mussels in white wine as an appetizer and loved it so much he asked for more bread to finish the sauce. I had their daily soup which was unique and delicious. The main courses all looked so delicious that it was hard to decide but my husband had their duck breast done 2 ways (the special for the evening) and I had the halibut with lobster. I think this was the best meal we had during our 3 week visit to Nova Scotia! The good was great and the service was excellent! They have a nice selection of wine and beer to pair with their food as well. If you travel to this to the area, be sure to stop at this Bistro; you won’t be disappointed!

Ordered a steak, tastes good. $$$
A small restaurant. Service is good. The only steak they offer is tenderloin. With seafood sauce on the steak, the taste is special.
Worth to go and give a try.

AMAZING! A friend and I recently stopped in for lunch on our road trip of the south shore and man, are we glad we did!
I ordered the house smoked chicken club sandwich and my friend had fish. The flavours were amazing and the only disappointing part was that we finished it. We joked that we should order another meal to go… and we were both only half-​joking. We are STILL talking about how delicious the meal was. She wants to come back from Ottawa just to eat there again!

Mouth watering food. Polite and effecient staff. The food was laid out nicely and was very enticing.
I’ve been back many times since my first a great place for dinner or lunch

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Mateus Bistro! The restaurant has an eclectic coffee shop vibe, local art on the walls and dark wood Etc. The service is casual and friendly. The food was superlative. I had the halibut special which was lightly seared with lots of peppery spices on a bed of Mediterranean Orzo Salad. The salad was delightful. It had more veggies than pasta all in a zippy light sauce with an olive oil base. The veggies were quite finely chopped but it manages to be warm yet a bit crunchy at the same time — a perfect accompaniment to seafood. My husband had Panko crusted haddock and was very happy with it. My crème brûlée was actually warm inside which seldom happens…
The food is a five but the only thing is that the chairs on the patio were a three.

Disclosure — I grew up with the chef Matthew. I only figured out this was his restaurant some years later. On a visit to the Chester area this summer we decided to visit and have returned 4 more times.
Local foods and seasonal, they balance casual and upscale quite ably. From brunch, dinner and dessert everything has plenty of taste. Simple and complex. Prices are reasonable and service excellent.
I have recommended this to at least a half dozen people and everyone has had a tasty experience.
Worth a visit!

Excellent food, thoughtfully prepared and featuring locally sourced ingredients. A charming setting — purple and yellow café by the sea. Highly recommended. The food is not just tourist fare, it actually tastes good!