A fresh crop of happening bars has sprouted up across the country. Some reign supreme in the cocktail scene; others have a wine list that takes you around the world with every sip. After plenty of slurping and sampling, this list highlights some real winners. Cheers to that!
Pourhouse, Vancouver, BC: Around the city’s bar circuit, Jay Jones is the Bruce Springsteen of mixologists. He’s a master bartender who has a flair for creating tasty cocktails of the moment. Now at Pourhouse in Gastown, he is serving up classic cocktails reinvented with contemporary ingredients. Stay for the food, too. It’s a perfect complement to the drinks.
Taste, Calgary, AB: Good things do come in small packages. Taste’s cozy and intimate atmosphere inspires lingering into the wee hours over cocktails and wine. The servers are friendly and savvy, so trust them to pick for you. And what the wine list lacks in length, it makes up in creativity with featured world wine regions.
1210 1 St. S.W., 403-233-7730
Watusi Bar & Restaurant, Toronto, ON: There’s a truly groovy vibe happening at this new Ossington Avenue hot spot. It channels the carefree spirit of the 60s, both in décor and attitude. The retro tunes, polished wood floors, and the overstuffed booths could have been borrowed from the TV show “Mad Men,” but the crowd is made up of modern hipsters who love to be seen on the bar scene.
Bond Lounge Grill, Montréal, QC: The retro spirit continues with Bond, a laidback lounge that pays tribute to the screen legend James Bond circa 1970. The décor is kitschy chic with a red, crushed velvet sofa and futuristic concrete walls with recessed lighting. The drinks are old school classics inspired by Bond flicks. Try the Octopussy made from raspberry vodka, raspberries and sugar cane. Naturally, the martinis are impeccable, shaken or stirred.
Minstrels, Halifax, NS: The spiffy pub on Spring Garden Road is a welcome change from the usual. It manages to strike a perfect balance between sophistication and casualness. There’s an emphasis on local products like beer from Alexander Keith’s and Propeller Brewing Company. Live bands, cold beer, and good food (especially the crispy frites and mini burgers) are a perfect way to while away a night.
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Minstrels, Halifax is no longer in buisness. But halifax has a lot of great bars and has a great nightlife.