Side Hustle Snack Bar

Side Hustle Snack Bar began, as the name suggests, as someone's side project — and became one of Dartmouth's essential restaurants. Co-owners Kathy Jollimore and Brent Darbyson first made their name with a snack counter inside North Brewing Company on Portland Street, where the smash burger they served there earned a Dish of the Month feature in The Coast and turned the brewery into a destination.
The origin story is worth knowing because it explains the restaurant's name. When The Coast profiled the smash burger, the paper noted that co-owners Kathy Jollimore and Brent Darbyson "really didn't mean to" build a burger destination — the snack counter at North Brewing was meant to be exactly that, a side hustle, until the burger made it the main event. The move to 21 Portland Street turned the accident into an institution, but the name stayed as a reminder of how it started.

Today Side Hustle operates as a full restaurant and bar at 21 Portland Street in downtown Dartmouth, a block from the Alderney ferry terminal, with a 4.6-star Google rating across more than 325 reviews, a Coast Best of Halifax Bronze for Best Burger, and a menu that long ago outgrew the word "snack."

The Smash Burger That Started It

The burger that built the reputation is the Smashie — a thin, crisped-edged patty The Coast praised as "nothing fancy and yet everything you've ever wanted in a greasy, diner patty," naming it Dish of the Month. Coast readers later voted Side Hustle a Bronze winner for Best Burger in the Best of Halifax awards, and reviewers have kept the argument alive ever since; the bluntest line in the recent Google history reads in full: "Best burger and fries ever!! Amazing layout and decor!" The burger is not the only fried thing worth ordering. The Spicy Fried Chicken Noodle Burger — a mashup that could only come from this kitchen — and the hot chicken have their own partisans, and the Burger Bash specials cycle through whatever the team is obsessing over that month. Restaurantji's summary of diner sentiment calls the Smashie "one of the best smash burgers in the city," alongside a cauliflower appetizer described as "very flavourful with a little bit of spice." Order the garlic cheese fries or the spicy kimchi fries alongside; both make repeated appearances on the favourites list.

Beyond the Burger: A Globally Inspired, Locally Supplied Menu

What surprises first-time visitors is how far the menu travels. The kitchen describes its cooking as eclectic and globally inspired, driven by the seasons — pork katsu, hustle fried rice, spicy kimchi fries, garlic cheese fries, cauliflower bites with heat, sprouts, mac fries, and a rotating list of dishes that change with whatever local farms are harvesting. Signature dishes stick around; everything else follows the growing season. And "local" is not a marketing word here: the restaurant names its suppliers outright — Off Beet Farm, Obee's Food Market, Martock Glen Farm, Abundant Acres, Withrow's Farm Market, Afishionado Fishmongers, Green Gardens Farm, Riverview Herbs, Have Fun Coffee, Maria's Pantry, Birdies Bread Co, Roma Cheese, Greensmith Growers, Maritime Gourmet Mushrooms, and Konrads Specialty Foods. The business was funded through the generosity of FarmWorks Investment Co-operative, the Nova Scotia community finance organization that backs local food producers — right down to the fries.

The bar program keeps pace with the kitchen. Expect seasonally inspired cocktails, a small rotating tap list of local craft beer and cider, a short but thoughtful wine list, and several non-alcoholic options — the house takes its zero-proof drinks as seriously as its pours. Gluten-free and vegan dishes are worked into the menu rather than treated as afterthoughts, and the happy hour (weekdays 3–5 p.m.) is one of the best-value windows on the Dartmouth side of the harbour. Sunday brunch (10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.) has built its own following, rounding out a week that runs from workday lunches to late Saturday dinners. The service is what turns first visits into habits. A March 2026 Google review is typical: "What a great time at Side Hustle! The cocktails were on point and the food was delicious. Service was next to none. With a comfortable cozy atmosphere. A must visit and will go back!" A September 2025 regular went further: "Have never had anything but a stellar experience. Food is unique and delicious, cocktails are amazing. The restaurant itself is beautiful too but my favorite part is the service! It's 10/10 every time and we're always looking forward to going back."

The room itself earns as many mentions as the food. Diners describe a space that is cozy and beautifully designed — "amazing layout and decor," as one Google reviewer put it, while Restaurantji's summary of the room calls out "a nice and cozy feel and great lighting." It is small enough to feel like a neighbourhood spot and polished enough to feel like an occasion, which is a hard balance to strike and the reason the Saturday-night wait exists.

The Trade-Offs: Closed Mondays and No Parking Fairy

The honest cautions are the practical ones. The room is cozy and popular — expect a wait at peak dinner hours, especially Friday and Saturday, and the room gets busy and loud when it fills. Downtown Dartmouth street parking can be scarce within a block or two; the Alderney Gate parkade is the reliable fallback, and the ferry from Halifax is the most pleasant way to arrive — it lands a block away. The restaurant is closed Mondays, with Sunday hours given over entirely to brunch, which is worth planning around if you had your heart set on a Sunday smash burger. For more on the neighbourhood, see our Dartmouth Nova Scotia guide, and our Halifax Dining Guide covers the full regional table.

The Practical Details: Location, Hours & Essentials

Address & Location
21 Portland Street, Unit 2, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 1H1 — downtown Dartmouth, about a block from the Alderney ferry terminal and Alderney Landing, in the same low-slung block as some of the city's best small restaurants.

Hours of Operation
Monday closed. Tuesday–Thursday: lunch from 11 a.m., dinner until 9 p.m. Friday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday: brunch 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Happy hour 3–5 p.m. on weekdays.

Price Range
Mid-range ($$) — snacks and sides mostly under $15, sandwiches and mains in the high teens to high twenties, cocktails in the mid-teens.

Reservations
Walk-in friendly; group bookings available through the restaurant's website. Plan ahead for Friday and Saturday dinner, when waits are most common.

Parking
Street parking around Portland Street fills fast; the Alderney Gate parkade is nearby, and the Halifax–Dartmouth ferry lands a block from the door.

Contact
sidehustlesnackbar@gmail.com / (902) 469-5899 / sidehustlesnackbar.com. Find Side Hustle Snack Bar on Facebook and Instagram for menu changes and specials.

Side Hustle is best for burger pilgrims, date nights that need a good cocktail, and anyone who wants to eat well on the Dartmouth side of the harbour — take the ferry, order the Smashie, and stay for the happy hour.