About the Dickie Baxter
THE BISTRO
Walk into the Dickie Baxter and the kitchen looks small. That's the point. Plates come out built around what the valley's growing this week — vegetables from up the road, fish from off the coast, cuts from farms inside an hour's drive.
The room is warm. The wine list starts with what's grown two kilometres away and goes from there. Quiet weeknight, Saturday celebration, bring the kids — we're set up for all of it.
A BIT OF HISTORY
The house went up in 1852, built by Eliakim E. Dickie. From 1861 to 1863 it belonged to the Hon. Charles Dickie, MLC, who hosted legislative assemblies here — politics happened in this room before food did.
Later it belonged to W.H. Baxter, a master shipbuilder. Across the street stood the Bigelow shipyard, where Baxter built the Preference, the A.B. Barteau, and the W.H. Baxter. Those ships sailed from a working harbour that's now a quiet street. The house stayed.
When we took it on we wanted it to feel like the Canning version of itself rather than restaurant set dressing. The bones are still the bones. We added a kitchen that could feed people properly.
GRAEME MANSKY — CHEF
"I have a passion for all things culinary. Local and seasonal ingredients, relationships with local growers and producers — I aim to showcase the best of what the Maritimes has to offer. Originally from Winnipeg, I first stepped into a kitchen at fifteen, and I now bring more than twenty years of experience to your table. I live and farm in Gaspereau. Raising cattle, pigs, and chickens has taught me what farm-to-table actually means."
HOW WE COOK
Local where local makes sense. Scratch as a default. The menu shifts because what's good shifts. If you have a dietary need, tell your server — we'll figure something out.
CLARE RIVARD - OWNER
Veteran of the wine and cider industry before bringing that same eye to local food. Runs the front of house and most of the things you don't see.
RYAN WALLACE - MANAGER
Ryan brings flair and professionalism to the Front of House and makes a mean margarita!