Vancouver’s prettiest bars
It might not be a shock to anyone who’s seen it, but the bathroom at Vancouver’s Anh and Chi recently made the final rounds of Canada’s Best Restrooms competition. The visual appeal and innovation of the restaurant’s lavatories certainly appears award-winning to us, but it does beg the question—who’s in charge of such awards?
If anyone is up to the task of making a city-wide ceremony for Vancouver’s prettiest bars, we present our nominations below.
The Roof at Black + Blue
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2BVos4OLki/?hl=en[/insta]Set behind a “freezer door” in East Georgia’s BLND TGR Dumplings is opulent speakeasy Laowai—that is, if you know the password. Think: the glamour of 1920s Shangai, complete with textures of velvet and leather amid smatterings of expensive metals like copper and gold. If the unparalleled baiju selection and incredible cocktails inspired by historical Chinese figures don’t leave you speechless, the interior of this speakeasy definitely will.
251 E Georgia Street, Vancouver
Reflections
[insta]https://www.instagram.com/p/CwqKmn8Nple/?hl=en[/insta]
Reflections evokes an ambience true to its name. This fourth-floor outdoor patio at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in the heart of downtown channels tranquility amid an urban landscape. Dine in nature, in the city, in an inner courtyard adorned with foliage, vibrant flowers, and soft lighting. (Closed until June 1, 2024 for renovations.)
801 West Georgia Street, fourth floor, Vancouver
Bartholomew
[insta]https://www.instagram.com/p/CyY5hb0PuKt/?hl=en">speakeasy Laowai—that is, if you know the password. Think: the glamour of 1920s Shangai, complete with textures of velvet and leather amid smatterings of expensive metals like copper and gold. If the unparalleled baiju selection and incredible cocktails inspired by historical Chinese figures don’t leave you speechless, the interior of this speakeasy definitely will.
251 E Georgia Street, Vancouver
Reflections
[insta]https://www.instagram.com/p/CwqKmn8Nple/?hl=en[/insta]
Reflections evokes an ambience true to its name. This fourth-floor outdoor patio at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in the heart of downtown channels tranquility amid an urban landscape. Dine in nature, in the city, in an inner courtyard adorned with foliage, vibrant flowers, and soft lighting. (Closed until June 1, 2024 for renovations.)
801 West Georgia Street, fourth floor, Vancouver
Bartholomew
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Set atop downtown Vancouver’s Black+Blue restaurant—one of the best spot’s in the city to get an expertly-cooked steak—is The Roof, which offers Black+Blue’s food and drink menu in a more laid back atmosphere. The garden-inspired patio on the fourth floor of the restaurant boasts a red cedar pergola complemented by black powder-coated steel, plus white oak tables and cedar booths amid dark surroundings. Open, airy, chic. We’d come just for the atmosphere—if not one of the best steaks you can find this side of the Fraser.
1032 Alberni Street, third floor, Vancouver
Laowai
[insta]https://www.instagram.com/p/C2BVos4OLki/?hl=en[/insta]
Set behind a “freezer door” in East Georgia’s BLND TGR Dumplings is opulent speakeasy Laowai—that is, if you know the password. Think: the glamour of 1920s Shangai, complete with textures of velvet and leather amid smatterings of expensive metals like copper and gold. If the unparalleled baiju selection and incredible cocktails inspired by historical Chinese figures don’t leave you speechless, the interior of this speakeasy definitely will.
251 E Georgia Street, Vancouver
Reflections
[insta]https://www.instagram.com/p/CwqKmn8Nple/?hl=en[/insta]
Reflections evokes an ambience true to its name. This fourth-floor outdoor patio at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in the heart of downtown channels tranquility amid an urban landscape. Dine in nature, in the city, in an inner courtyard adorned with foliage, vibrant flowers, and soft lighting. (Closed until June 1, 2024 for renovations.)
801 West Georgia Street, fourth floor, Vancouver
Bartholomew
Cocktails, wine, and refined charcuterie plates feature at this vibrant, industrial-chic bar in Yaletown. The 75-foot corridor creates the feeling of intimate seating, adorned by rough-planed heritage beams and plush upholstery. This place is all soft leathers, warm walnut wood, and dimmed lighting. If that didn’t have it already dripping in richness, peek into the open kitchen and marvel at the grand arched wine rack.
1026 Mainland Street, Vancouver
Tocador
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtkEhjJvyMj/?hl=en
With decor inspired by the vibrance of Latin America, you’ll find nothing boring here. Chic, colourful, and unabashedly Cuban, Tocador on Main Street features a butcher block wrap-around bar, decorative tiles, and smatterings of floral wallpaper. Matching the energy of the decor is the one-of-a-kind cocktail list.
2610 Main Street, Vancouver
The Keefer Bar
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1kgYqayFho/?hl=en
This is one Vancouver’s most esteemed cocktail bars, and for good reason. At The Keefer Bar in Chinatown, you’ll find a dark, narrow space where the apothecary motif matches the vibe of its made-to-order cocktails (boasting house-made tinctures and unique ingredients). Though the atmosphere is moody and dark, you’ll find a vibrant culture here thanks to live shows, dim sum dishes, and Japanese desserts.
135 Keefer Street, Vancouver
H Tasting Lounge
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyPboM0KnMr/?hl=en
Modern cuisine, exceptional cocktails, and even better design meet at the H Tasting Lounge inside the Westin Bayshore in Coal Harbour. One can easily indulge in high-end drinks and eats here, but the main features are the plush velvet interiors and ocean views from the waterfront patio—not to mention the translucent domes available seasonally. Don’t sleep on this spot!
1601 Bayshore Drive, Vancouver
Gerard Lounge
Luxury is on display at Gerard Lounge, amid tapestries and leather chairs that are reminiscent of an old English club—complete with a fireplace. Drinks are expertly made, making this hidden spot tucked inside the Sutton Place Hotel’s Boulevard Restaurant & Oyster Bar on Burrard a must-visit.
845 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Bagheera
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2Lfi4AtA0k/?hl=en
Another Chinatown speakeasy behind the doors of the Happy Valley Turf Club, this hidden bar gives nods to turn-of-the-century Indian train car aesthetics and heavily references Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Designed by London’s Bergman Interiors, Bagheera features more than 1,000 coins and bangles from Delhi and Jaipur. Once inside (thanks to a bet on a certain royal horse), impossible to miss is the 45-foot hand-painted jungle mural. There’s also a private drawing room with a cabinet of curiosities, and a 42-foot reclaimed teak bar with polished tiger-eye-blue onyx backsplash. Oh, and the cocktails are fabulous.
518 Main Street, Vancouver
Botanist Bar
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvN7G7BsTmM/?hl=en
Located inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Botanist Restaurant, Botanist Bar is a bright and airy cocktail spot characterized by polished marble, gleaming brass, and abundant foliage. So it’s no surprise the spot is made with—well—botany in mind. Of course, it also gives nods to Vancouver popular culture with signature cocktails like the Rye ‘n’ Reynolds. Come for the cocktails, stay for the atmosphere.
1038 Canada Place, Vancouver
The Flamingo Room
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1GJ47ZP9s1/?hl=en&img_index=1
Tucked behind Commercial Drive’s Havana is a Miami-inspired venue that pays homage to the vibrancy of Cuba. Here, you’ll find floral-tiled tables and a beautifully backlit teak bar amid bright, eclectic touches. If you’ve been bingeing Griselda of late, this spot will definitely recreate the feeling of being in late-1970s Miami.
1214 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Clough Club
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX2jAO3LuS9/?hl=en
This trendy, low-lit lounge exudes old-timey flair, offering craft cocktails in homage to historical one-armed lamplighter John Clough. The space features low chesterman-style puffed benches with a tufted back on a backdrop of bare walls, muted colors, and dim lighting. Don’t forget to check out the cavernous back room with its custom two-way mirror.
212 Abbott Street, Vancouver
Key Party
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzPtO5Qx-EK/?hl=en
Many of the beautifully-designed spots to get a drink in the city are tucked behind otherwise nondescript facades—and Key Party is certainly one of those. Found in the back of an “accounting firm” on Main Street, this dimly-lit speakeasy recalls a 1970s house party with velvet drapes, tufted upholstery, and a large, wooden bar—all set in front of an incredible hand-painted, Romantic-style mural.
2305 Main Street, Vancouver
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