| 01 September 2010
Kick-started by an English ex-pat whose 1867 saloon sparked a city-sized development, Vancouver was founded on the idea of a good drink. But since the days of Gassy Jack Deighton — that fella on the whisky barrel plinth in historic Gastown — the bar scene here has lurched around like a drunk on payday: plenty of quantity but not enough quality. Luckily, recent years have seen a toast-triggering transformation.
Mirroring a renaissance in BC wine and micro-brewed beer, Vancouver suddenly has enough great watering holes to make bar crawling a worthy pastime. From new character taverns like Six Acres to gastropubs like Three Lions and cocktail-hugging haunts like Habit Lounge, there’s never been a better time for a citywide tipple or three. And the best of the older bars still cut it too: the brassy Yale, the den-like Brickhouse and the reinvented Irish Heather easily hold their own among the upstarts.
Intrigued by this dizzying resurgence, I launched an exhaustive weave around the city’s freshly hot bar scene. But rather than stopping after a few brews, I kept on going … hence the new book, Drinking Vancouver: 100+ Great Bars in the City and Beyond. Now that I’ve finally sobered up, here’s a six-pack of some of my favourites, complete with libation tips and raves from their regulars.
| 18 August 2010
Looking for something fun, relaxing and educational to do this fall? How about a trip to Vancouver? Take in the sights, smells and tastes of this beautiful city while enjoying some of the finest Canadian wine. Marquis Wine Cellars has organized two rare tasting and dining events giving you exclusive access to Allen Meadows, the world's leading authority on Burgundy at the members-only Terminal City Club. Both events will occur on September 18, so decide now and reserve your seat.
Here are the details.