"Bridgewater unfortunately has a notorious reputation of being the fast-food capital of Nova Scotia, but I think this is telling the rest of Nova Scotia and Canada that hey, it's not all about fast-food here, that us and a few other restaurants in town do a very good job," said Aaron Brown, who owns Wildwood Cafe with Mary Gallardo.

 "It's nice to have an independent evaluation like that of our work, because with Where to Eat in Canada, you can't buy your way in and you can't ask to be in. ... It's a real honour to be included with some pretty impressive restaurants."

 Mr. Brown and Ms Gallardo moved here about two years ago from Calgary, where they owned another cafe.

 "They're an energetic couple who seem to have a knack for preparing great food and getting everyone to have a good time," said the guide.

 "[Aaron] is a bicycle nut who wears different pairs of sneakers, all of them bright and colourful, every day of the week. Mary, not to be outdone, also has more than 40 pairs of shoes."

 The guide compliments the cafe's Mexican-accented food and says the cappuccino is wonderful.

 "No wonder the place is always crowded, though nobody is allowed to wait any length of time for service."

 Mr. Brown said Oberon Press, which publishes Where to Eat in Canada, received many e-mails from loyal Wildwood customers urging the guide to include it in the 2010 edition.

 "The customers truly are amazing here. The amount of marketing our clients do for us and how much they really like what we do is overwhelming."

 Earlier this year, the cafe was voted best place to lunch in Atlantic Canada by Progress Magazine's annual readers poll.

 Ms Gallardo said none of those recognitions would have been possible without their staff.

 "We are who we are because of them. They are a huge part of what we do."

 Oberon Press confirmed only one other business within town limits has ever been included in Where to Eat in Canada.

 "Every restaurant in the guide has been personally tested," said part of its website.

 "Our reporters are not allowed to identify themselves or to accept free meals. We accept no advertisements. We accept no payment for listings. This book belongs to its readers and to nobody else."

 Among the other Lunenburg County businesses included in the 2010 edition were:

 - The Best Coast Coffee Gallery in Broad Cove.

 - LaHave Bakery.

 - The Old Black Forest Cafe in Martins Brook.

 - The Biscuit Eater and the Gazebo Cafe in Mahone Bay.

 - Lunenburg's Fleur de Sel, Magnolia's, Salt-Shaker Deli and Trattoria Della Nonna.