Best spots to go for a drink in Mount Pleasant
Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood is home to a plethora of well-loved spots where locals can grab a drink throughout the week. These seven Main Street bars might fall outside your usual stomping grounds – for now at least – but they're definitely worth a visit. [Image courtesy of Uncle Abe's/Photo credit: Victoria Black/Lindsay's Diet. www.lindsaysdiet.com]
The Acorn Restaurant
3995 Main St, Vancouver BC V5V 3P3Eat, drink and be healthy at The Acorn, an intimate, casual fine-dining restaurant, which doubles as on of Main Street’s most cutting-edge-yet-relaxed cocktail bar. Here, bartenders take inspiration from nature’s bountry, experimenting with ingredients like sour cherry chocolate bitters, and green strawberry foam. Farm-to-table appies and refined veggie-forward mains will offset the effect of all those boozy cocktails.
The Rumpus Room
2301 Main St, Vancouver BC V5T 3C9Known for its nachos, the Foundation is the place to wind-down with drink after a night of dancing at The Fox nearby. Open ’til 1:00 am (and often far later than that), this laid-back, rap-music-blasting eatery offers craft beer, simple cocktails, and wine served in mason jars, of course. To eat, healthy(ish) post-drinking fare like tofu stir-fries, veggie chilli and chickpea curries will help line your stomach.
Our Town Cafe
255 Broadway E, Vancouver BC V5T 1W4To find a great beer – but not the overly active bar scene that comes along with it – head to Our Town Café, a chill spot where where Americanos mingle with craft beers and wine in the evenings (both for less than $6.00 a glass). Or you can try a boozy Baileys-infused Americano. Comfy chairs and eclectic art add to the charm of drinking in this hybrid day-to-night café.
The Cascade Room
2616 Main St, Vancouver BC V5T 3E6Betty and Don Draper types will swoon over the Cascade Room, where traditional cocktails like a Ramos Gin Fizz and Caipirinhas are hand-made with quality ingredients. Don’t see what you’re looking for on the menu? The bartenders here are knowledgeable enough to make anything else under the sun – just ask! In the dining room, jazz music (depending on the night), moody lighting, and antique fixtures help to recreate the boozy, glamorous evenings of advertising’s golden era.
Uncle Abe's
3032 Main St, Vancouver BC V5T 3G5The interior at this Main Street watering hole feels as though the cool kids took over your grandmother’s living room; shabby-chic curtains, well-worn furnishings and quirky artwork give the bar a lived-in vibe that makes everyone feel at home. Pitchers of sangria are ideal on the sun-soaked patio in summer, while a boozy Old Fashioned at the bar will warm your bones on a cold winter’s evening. You might come for Trivia Night, but you’ll stay for the expertly crafted cocktails and hearty plates of shawarma fries (courtesy of Mitra Canteen next door).
El Camino's
3250 Main St, Vancouver BC V5V 3M5This narrow, attractive bar specializes in South American street food – but many visitors don’t even realize that there’s an impressive collection of nearly 200 tequila varieties behind the massive bar. You’ll feel like you’re in a late-night kiosk in Barcelona or Buenos Aires as you sip citrusy pisco sours and nibble on spiced popcorn, nachos and guacamole, and bite-sized tacos.
Cottage Bistro
4470 Main St, Vancouver BC V5V 3R3Even some Mount Pleasant locals don’t know about this decades-old bistro. Serving simple, cheap drinks and a mix of Asian and Canadian cuisines, Cottage Bistro also hosts regular poetry readings, local bands and Open Mic nights, among other community events. On performance nights, this place is packed and an ideal location for making new friends, with approachable staff weaving around tables filled with boisterous buds, families and couples alike.
