Every restaurant has a signature drink – it’s an age-old tradition! Gastown’s best restaurants are tipping their hats to cocktail culture featuring signature concoctions created by the city’s best bartenders. So, why not come down for a cocktail hop? Here’s a guide to discovering the signature cocktails served at Gastown’s finest.
Bambudda
Signature Drink: Tsui Hang
Bambudda offers a creative twist on traditional Chinese fare featuring nouveau dim sum and house cocktails. Bartender Buck Friend creates original concoctions with exotic ingredients and fun names like Secrets of a Geisha and Madame Butterfly. The real highlight is their signature cocktail, Tsui Hang – a cold tea cocktail with Dark Horse rye infusion of slated plums, goji berries, and Bittered Sling Moondog bitters. Grab a seat at their indoor patio, and strike up a conversation with one of their friendly bartenders.
Notturno
Signature Drink: Felice
Sharing plates and craft cocktails are a specialty at Notturno. The sophisticated boite serves delicious cicchetti plates (small sharing plates) from their bar side kitchen using seasonal, market-fresh ingredients. Award winning bartender “H” mixes craft cocktails using Italian inspired alcohols like vermouth. Their signature cocktail, Felice, is a menu staple. Inspired by Chef Bill Robitaille’s grandfather, Felice is like Tuscany in a glass with Italian vermouth, white truffle oil and Chianti red wine reduction syrup, topped off with Aphrodite bitters.
The Diamond
Signature Drink: The Gastown
When it comes to cocktails, the Diamond does not disappoint. This cocktail bar is a local favourite offering an extensive menu of to-die-for cocktails and tasty Pan-asian snacks. The Diamond pays tribute to classic libations, but it’s their original cocktails that steal the show. One favourite is The Gastown, a crafted blend of London Dry Gin, Grapefruit, Orancio Vermouth, and Ramazotti. Come for the cocktails and stay to enjoy the stellar second-level view overlooking Maple Tree Square.
Clough Club
Signature Drink: Clough Club Cocktail
Step into the dark side. This dark spirits cocktail lounge offers classic libations and barrel-aged cocktails crafted by reputable bartenders. You can entice your appetite with authentic South American tapas, and entertain your gaze with optical illusions in Clough Club’s back room. We love their signature Clough Club Cocktail, a seductive mix of Bourbon, amaro, agave syrup, and Peychaud’s bitters. Pop by on Tuesday nights for weekly tiki cocktails and surf rock music.
L’Abattoir
Signature Drink: Slaughterhouse
Set in a refurbished brick building, L’Abattoir offers a beautiful space to eat and drink with an elevated dining space and sun soaked atrium. Award winning tender, Shaun Layton, serves innovative concoctions that pair perfectly with their delectable West Coast-French fare. Seats at the bar are hot commodity – so, be sure to arrive early and order The Slaughterhouse, an enticing mix of Cognac, sugar, Elixer Vegital, orange oils, aromatic bitters, and green chartreuse mist.
Pourhouse
Signature Drink: Sazerac
Visit Pourhouse to experience a century-old style of dining. Pourhouse tips its hat to comfort and class with custom antique furnishings, indulgent homestyle fare and old-fashioned cocktails crafted by skilled bartenders. The cocktail menu is ever changing, so it’s hard to pin down one signature drink. Pourhouse does serve a killer Sazerac using cognac, creole bitters, and absinthe. Sit by their bar and raise your glass with fellow local cocktail sippers.
Blacktail Florist
Signature Drink: The Giant Cedars
Satisfy your appetite (and thirst) by tasting the best of what B.C. has to offer. Blacktail Florist provides a dreamy culinary experience with innovative dishes by former Top Chef Canada contestant, Chef Jimmy Stewart, showcasing wild seasonal ingredients and foraged edibles. In harmony with Blacktail’s cuisine, Barman Connor Gotowiec serves four original cocktails inspired by the great outdoors. Try the Giant Cedars cocktail, a mix of Buffalo Trace bourbon, sherry, amaro, and cedar scent.
Chill Winston
Signature Drink: Spooning Jesus
Enjoy al fresco dining at their grand patio, or relax inside their gastrolounge – Chill Winston is a great place to “chill” with a cocktail at hand. The cocktails are original and crafted with unique ingredients. Chill Winston’s sharing plates are a refreshing accompaniment to their creative cocktails, and made with locally sourced, organic, and sustainable ingredients. Try the signature, Spooning Jesus, a delicious mix of Appleton Rum, Lychee Liqueur, Triple Sec, lime and sour cherries.
Revel Room
Signature Drink: The Revellation
Get ready to revel in good company. This casual lounge offers throwback entertainment and is a great spot to spend a funky night out nibbling on South American tapas and sipping bourbon-forward cocktails. Their signature, the Revellation, is guaranteed to tickle your taste buds with Revelstoke spiced whisky, muddled blueberries, Jalapeno, and maple syrup. Daredevils can come and play cocktail roulette: choose a spirit and flavour profile and their talented barmen will create a custom concoction!
Check here for the second part of Gastown’s signature cocktail guide!
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