South end Chinese restaurant feels ‘like home,’ customers say

In the heart of downtown Halifax, tucked along a quieter stretch of the historic Schmidtville district, Happy Garden Chinese Restaurant stands as a diner, but also a gathering place, source of comfort and testament to its owner’s belief in connection, kindness and community.

Mei Wong, 52, and her husband took over Happy Garden nearly 13 years ago after moving to Halifax from Markham, Ont. With backgrounds in restaurant work — often logging 60-hour weeks — the couple dreamed of being their own bosses.

“It’s better to be an owner than an employee … if you succeed. But we are doing very good,” Mei says, smiling. Their success has turned their restaurant into a beloved community fixture, particularly among international students and locals seeking authentic Cantonese food.

Originally from China, the Wongs have lived in Canada for 20 years, 18 of them in Halifax. They chose the city for its less-competitive restaurant scene and vibrant community.

“The neighbourhood is very nice. Everyone loves us,” Mei shares, recalling how neighbours rallied to her aid when a drunk young man accidentally broke the front door.

Instead of pressing charges, Mei worked out a repayment plan, noting, “If you charge him, it will give him a bad record. We wanted to give him a chance.”

The restaurant’s menu is a labour of love. While Mei isn’t a cook — she leaves that to her husband — she takes pride in offering handmade staples such as spring rolls and dumplings.

“Everything we make by ourselves,” she says. The hard work has paid off. The restaurant survived the COVID-era shutdowns with the support of a loyal customer base.

Beyond the food, Mei values the relationships the business has fostered.

“I can make more friends,” she says warmly. Some loyal regulars have become more than customers. Mei shares the story of Michael, a regular who suddenly stopped coming. Concerned, Mei visited his home, only to learn he had been hospitalized for surgery.

“He was so happy I stopped by,” she recalls. His wife later called to express gratitude, saying, “We are not only customers. We are friends.”

Mei also remembers a regular who always came in before Christmas to order their holiday meal.

“One customer, he always comes here one week ahead of Christmas and asks me to help pick what’s good for him,” Mei said. “I remembered his order from the first year, and I had kept it for him. He came back the next year and I had his order ready.”

Isabel Talmage, 22, reflects on her time as a Dalhousie student, calling Happy Garden her favourite spot in downtown Halifax.

“The owner was so sweet,” she says. It became the go-to late-night destination for her and her friends after a night out, where they’d gather around a big table to share dinner.

“It felt like home,” she adds. Even on a recent visit back to the city, Talmage made it a priority to stop by. “We’d sit around a big table, order way too much food, and share everything family-style. It’s a big part of my memories here,” she says.

Her friend Kyra Lang, also a former Dal student, who was with her on the visit, chimes in: “It’s just one of those places you wanna keep coming back to. The food always hits.”

For Mei Wong, Happy Garden isn’t just a business — it’s a reflection of her values and her deep ties to the community she now calls home. “We are connected together,” she says.

Happy Garden Chinese is located at 1304 Birmingham St. They are open daily from 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m. during the week, and 12:30 to 9:30 p.m. on weekends.