The Press Gang: Oysters and Scotch in a 1759 building

There are a few places in Halifax that lean on their history, but The Press Gang Restaurant and Oyster Bar lives inside it. The restaurant sits at 5218 Prince Street in downtown Halifax, occupying one of the city's oldest stone buildings, which dates back to 1759, and the whole place is rooted in the city's seafaring past. It's a formal dining room rather than a casual spot, and the bill tends to reflect that, with the price range listed at C$100 and up.

The oysters are the obvious place to start. The Press Gang claims the widest selection of Atlantic oysters in the city, running at least a dozen varieties and at least three different farms every day, and you can order them raw or baked in any number or combination you like. The bar selection changes daily, and the oysters come from across the Maritimes and Newfoundland: Black Point, Pristine Bay, Caribou Island and Sheet Harbour from Nova Scotia; Beausoleil and Lovers Creek from New Brunswick; Malpeque, Fortune Bay, Raspberry Point, Shiny Seas, Lucky Limes and Puffin Rock from Prince Edward Island; and Puffin Rock from Newfoundland. They run at C$3.75 each, and the menu rounds out with Atlantic halibut, salmon and lobster.

Beyond the raw bar, the kitchen works from a global menu of seafood, meats, game and poultry, and there's a gluten-free menu if you need it. The bar is the other half of the draw, holding one of the most extensive Scotch collections in Nova Scotia with more than 100 single malts. The 1oz pours run through a long list: Aberlour 16, Glenlivet 15 and 18, Glenfiddich 20, Strathisla 12, Balblair 12, Dalwhinnie 15, Oban 14, Highland Park 12 and 18, a run of Glenmorangie expressions from The Original to The Quinta Ruban, Tomatin 12, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Ardbeg 10, Uigeadail and Corryvreckan, Bowmore 12 and Darkest 15, Auchentoshan Three Wood and 12, Chivas Regal 18 and 25, and the Johnnie Walker range from Red Label up to Platinum Label. Wine is available by the bottle and by the glass, with local vineyards represented, and there's a full list of classic and signature cocktails.

If you're planning a group, the building keeps its old character going with an 18th-century private dining room called The Henry Room that seats 12, plus a semi-private space for up to 22, and special menus for groups of more than 25. Gift certificates can be bought in person or over the phone. On the music front, live sets run Friday and Saturday nights starting at 8:00 PM, so those are the evenings to time a visit if you want the full experience. Reservations are accepted, which is worth doing given the room's size. The restaurant opens at 5:00 PM every day, staying late Tuesday through Thursday, closing at 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, and wrapping up at 9:00 PM on Sunday. It's worth noting the land it sits on: Halifax is in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people.