Yet another stylish newcomer to join Vancouver’s Gastown dining scene comes to us courtesy of the Heather Hospitality Group (Salt Tasting Bar, Irish Heather, Everything Cafe and plenty more). Known to locals as Bitter, this sweet tasting room is anything but and we think you should note it.
Brew aficionados will simply adore the rotating choice of craft beer goodness coming from locally-sourced BC brewers alongside impeccably-chosen import offerings. Get into the swig of things and order a tasting flight of beer to satisfy your curiosity if you’re not quite sure what to commit to. Looking to complicate matters? Find a cozy spot at the beautifully-polished, reclaimed wood bar and choose from a list of 50 different bottled beers from around the world. Not pining for a pint so much as a cocktail? No problem; Bitter has plenty of imaginatively delicious ‘beer cocktails’ to float your boat. Speaking of floats, try their Milwaukee Float that combines everything we love – coffee, beer and chocolate. Or, channel the tropics and savour a Michelada, made with beer, Tabasco, Lime, Clamato and a salt rim.
To accompany all the brew-minded bevies, Bitter has a menu skewed to enhance just that. Grab a handful of saloon nuts or nosh on a house-baked pretzel while sipping the night away. They’ve got plenty of more filling options as well, with everything from salads to sausage rolls and cassoulet to cauliflower. We love their menu’s dedicated selection of sausages, served in batches of 5, making perfect for sharing.
We love the personality that comes with Bitter’s comfortable space; it’s cozy, without pretension, and a smattering of saloon-style tables force you to get to know your neighbours, in a friendly way. This tasting room offers a taste of the past and pays homage to its roots (it was home to a meatpacking warehouse about a 100 years ago). Images of old-time Vancouver are etched upon thick glass display windows, adding to that old brew house charm that makes Bitter a notable watering hole we think you’ll love.
Find Bitter located at 16 West Hastings Street in Gastown, Vancouver.
