Want to step up your at-home bartending game? From small boutiques to restaurant suppliers, Vancouver is home to plenty of shops that cater to amateur mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts of all sorts. Deck out your bar cart and master the Old Fashioned by visiting these fine retailers. [Photo courtesy of Sips Cocktail Emporium]
This independent boutique on Broadway has a knowledgeable and friendly staff. They cater exclusively to at-home bartenders, so beginners are welcome. No matter how you like to imbibe, Sips has the tools, ingredients, recipes and expertise to get your muddling and mixing. The bright store is fun to browse, even if you’re not a cocktail connoisseur. Shelves are also adorned with fun drinking accessories such as beverage koozies and bicycle wine racks.
A bartending-focused store in the middle of Chinatown seemed like a funny fit back in 2012. Today, the shop has secured its spot as a retail fixture for mixologists and is conveniently located just around the corner from a few of the city's best cocktail hotspots: The Keefer Bar, Juniper and Bao Bei. Enthusiasts turn to the Modern Bartender to find equipment such as ice machines and aging barrels, and to stock up on hard-to-find ingredients like syrups, bitters and tinctures.
Although Gourmet Warehouse is mostly known for its selection of quality cookware, its large space also offers gear for bars. An extensive selection of glassware includes classic, contemporary and unusual styles. Gourmet Warehouse also has novelty gifts for the serious drinker in your life, including a travel-friendly Carry-On Cocktail Kit (“everything you need to craft two delicious Old Fashioned cocktails mid-flight”) and Cocktail R-Evolution, a molecular mixology kit.
The largest (and arguably the best) Ming Wo store is its original location in Chinatown. Ming Wo has always been a favourite for cooks and chefs in Vancouver; including barware in their inventory only makes sense in a city that loves food and drink. The selection is limited, but quality is guaranteed, prices are reasonable and the service is friendly.
Posh at-home bartenders turn to Atkinsons for high end barware. Think crystal glassware, elegant accessories and everything you need to craft a perfect Moscow Mule in a shiny copper mug. Truly special occasions call for the crystal champagne bucket with 24-karat gold fittings. Cocktail tools at Atkinsons make every step of the process – from measuring to muddling – a refined event.
Bargreen Ellingson is aimed at restaurant owners and those in the food industry, but local foodies turn to the professional supplier for equipment that’s hard to track down anywhere else. A large selection bar tools, including shakers, scoops and strainers, can be found along with mixers, garnishes and ingredients in large-scale quantities. Margaritas, anyone?
At 8,600 square feet, Legacy is the largest privately owned liquor store in British Columbia. It stocks local craft beers and international spirits that can’t be found anywhere else in the city. Looking for Chartreuse to make The Last Word? Or the perfect digestif to cap off a five-course meal? This superstore is bound to carry it. Legacy also stocks boozy recipe books, as well as glassware.
Brothers Dave and Geoff Mott offer bartending classes at their Chinatown school that’ll help you take your mixology skills to the next level. Both brothers are award-winning industry veterans with a passion for drinks. They teach restaurant professionals to hone their craft, and hold informal parties and programs for corporate team-building as well as small groups.