The Red Shoe Pub

The Red Shoe pub is certainly one of the busiest, and probably THE most popular eatery in Cape Breton. What is it about this place? There must be something in the water here; you can't turn around without tripping over a musician. The two sweet boys behind the bar were fiddlers and guitarists, whose cousins were musicians, whose siblings were musicians, and, well you get the point.

We weren't famished so we decide to split an order of The Red Shoe's nachos. These aren't your regular nachos however. The base of this dish was deep fried, waffle cut potatoes, a lovely alternative to tortilla chips. These were topped with spicy seasoned beef, sweet peppers and onions, all nestled beneath a melted three-cheese layer. They were served with sour cream and salsa $9.50.

The name 'The Red Shoe Pub' came from a tune by Cape Breton fiddler Dan Rory after local shoe-maker Angus McEachern coloured a pair of his shoes red with Sherwin-Williams paint. The story behind the name emphasizes the community's abundant history and its colourful citizens. The Red Shoe does have a certain old time atmosphere, but the tunes, the food and the staff are all up to snuff.

The pub's entertainment schedule is available online at
http://www.redshoe.com/

The Red Shoe Pub
11573 Route 19
Mabou, NS

902.945.2996
Open June 1st to mid-October