Vancouver's Best Wine Bars.
March 03 2023,
Peak wine tasting at local vineyards may be seasons away, but we’ve noted which bars in the Lower Mainland offer the best selections of wines from BC, and across the globe, to keep your taste buds satisfied till vineyard grapes are ready for harvesting.
La Fabrique St-George
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant
Instagram: @fabriquestgeorge
Loving known as FSG to fans and patrons, La Fabrique St-George is one of Vancouver’s few wineries. Set in a rustic tasting-room reminiscent of a quaint farm barn, this Mount Pleasant staple offers natural wines made in qvevri – the oldest method of winemaking. Fermented in ancient styles of clay amphoras created in Georgia, this style of winemaking requires high quality grapes, which FSG sources locally in BC.
Wine lovers can enjoy tastings, glasses, or bottles of FSG’s vintages along with charcuterie items from their market. FSG’s picnic style approach allows you to build your own charcuterie board to go with your wine selection. Designed as a store, in which you can enjoy a glass of wine and taste your purchases after shopping, FSG is a true haven for the bohemian soul.
La Fabrique St-George
Is That French
Neighbourhood: Gastown
Instagram: @isthatfrench
Is it French? Not in the slightest.
Snuggled in the quaint Gastown spot that used to house the Salt Tasting Room is newcomer, Is That French. Just like its predecessor, Is That French is an intimate wine bar located in Blood Alley offering an innovative wine collection and a stunning raw bar menu.
Having quietly opened its doors last summer, the bar still holds quite the mystique to diners. With no rules to its menu and wine selection, Is That French’s goal is to deliver only the freshest ingredients from the Pacific Northwest and pairing their tapa-style dishes with minimal-intervention, biodynamic BC wine.
Is That French?
Bar Gobo
Neighbourhood: Chinatown
Instagram: @bar.gobo
Tucked away in the corner of Chinatown, Bar Gobo is an unpretentious space to explore exceptional wine from around the world while delighting on Michelin-worthy bites.
Michelin-recommended and #6 on Canada’s 100 Best list in 2021, Bar Gobo is a wine bar that follows a philosophy of serving bottles that respect the land they’re harvested from, for their artisanal techniques, and contain no unnatural additives – whether they’re hyper-local selects from BC or reserves from Champagne.
Known for their eclectic menu focused on fresh ingredients from partnerships with local BC farms, Bar Gobo offers tantalizing bites and an impeccable naturalist wine collection curated by Wine Director, Peter van der Reep.
Bar Gobo
Burdock & Co.
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant
Instagram: @burdockandco
We cannot mention Bar Gobo without giving a nod to its sister restaurant, Burdock & Co. Following the same wine philosophy, Burdock & Co. is home to exceptional quality – in both food and wine.
Recently heralded with a coveted Michelin Star, the restaurant’s sommelier, Kelcie Jones was also just named the Best Sommelier of BC at the end of February 2023. Friendly and highly excitable about wine, Jones is flawless with journeying diners through the bottles she pours.
Located in Mount Pleasant, Burdock & Co’s ever-changing locavore menu by Chef Andrea Carlson can only be elevated by the fine naturalist wine pairings by Jones.
Burdock & Co.
Grapes & Soda
Neighbourhood: South Granville
Instagram: @grapesandsoda
Grapes & Soda is Vancouver’s first natural wine bar. A tiny gem of a place, tucked away in the South Granville area, serves a provocative selection of biodynamic wines from around the world. Curated to allow its patrons to sip on unique natural wines not generally available in Canada, Grapes & Soda offers a truly special wine tasting experience.
With their casual fare and rustic atmosphere, Grapes & Soda is a cozy nook to enjoy exceptional drinks, including innovative cocktails by Bar Manager, Satoshi Yonemori. Satoshi Yonemori earned his cocktail-making stripes at The Diamond, a bar known for their highly-skilled and highly-creative bartenders.
Whether it’s a glass of natural wine you’re after, an elevated cocktail, or a delectable bite, we highly recommend visiting this small wine bar on the south of Granville.
Grapes & Soda
Juice Bar
Neighbourhood: Gastown
Instagram: @juicebaryvr
A cute play on its name, Juice Bar is a night-time, pop-up wine bar located in Gastown and shares the same space as coffee shop, The Birds and the Beets. Open weekly from Tuesday to Saturday at 5pm, Juice Bar is a Gastown favourite for those who are both new and familiar to the wine scene.
Serving up a revolving rotation of natural wines, this grape juice joint is characterized by its infamous, neon “Juice Bar” sign and its goal to make natural wine accessible and approachable to everyone.
Grapes & Soda
This spring, book a table at a new wine bar and enjoy premium selects of wines from across the world.
Searching for more foodie destinations? Check out our 10 must-try restaurants.
