The Chatterbox Cafe Pugwash, Nova Scotia CANADA

The Chatterbox Cafe Pugwash, Nova Scotia. Have you ever felt like you’ll never find the coffee you so desperately need – only to be finally rescued by the best cafe imaginable? My summertime cottage dreams in Nova Scotia were shattered by a lack of promised Wi-Fi and a cupboard stocked with instant coffee – not exactly the writing retreat I had imagined. Oh, there was also a surprise herd of goats, but that is a story for another day.

The Chatterbox Cafe Pugwash, Nova Scotia is not so much a café as a hybrid of every kind of service a visitor can desire. It’s a used bookstore, and floor to ceiling bookshelves line the walls. It’s an internet café and trust me when I say that I’ve never been so happy to have a solid connection! It’s also an art gallery, with funky paintings lining the walls.

They pull real espresso shots and as far as I can tell they are the only place along Nova Scotia’s north shore that does so.  I loved the “Seafoam Latte”, a traditional vanilla latte with caramel and sea salt drizzled on the top. Ryan had cup after cup of classic black coffee and was pleased to find a choice between medium and dark roast . After one visit, the Chatterbox felt like a home away from home, the perfect place to work and relax at the same time.

The café menu is simple but offers substantial fare. This is a great place to try traditional Maritime baked goods- cookies, squares, and muffins. They offer bacon, egg, and cheese bagel breakfast sandwiches (the only take out breakfast around) and lunches consist of daily soups and a roster of sandwiches.

My only regret was leaving without saying goodbye. An early morning departure from Nova Scotia meant that we weren’t able to stop in for one more latte and say our thanks to the friendly staff for their incredible hospitality. The Chatterbox is now firmly on our travel list and I know we’ll stop in every time we’re in town.

Bio: Vanessa Chiasson is an ocean loving Maritimer now settled as a travel writer and social media strategist in Ottawa. Her blog, TurnipseedTravel.com is all about great value -getting the absolute most for your hard earned dollars and days off.

All photos by Ryan Wright, TurnipseedTravel