Bars and Lounges

The Best Happy Hours to Hit Right Now

Save a little, sip a lot. In our new Happy Hour column, writer Nikki Bayley tracks down the best early-bird drink deals in town.

By Nikki Bayley /

The breaking point for me came when I realised my bill for snacks and a couple of drinks was going to be—including tax and tip—just north of $100. What the hell? But instead of swearing off going out, I’ve rediscovered Happy Hour; so let’s dive into some of the most delicious delights that Vancouver has to offer to satisfy those Champagne tastes on a ginger ale budget.

 

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For All-Day Deals: Dovetail

Make day drinking A Thing at Dovetail in Yaletown, which has one of the most impressive Happy Hours around, running daily from 11:30 a.m. till 5 p.m. Pints are $5, wine is $9 and cheeky 1oz ‘patio pounders’ are just $7 (the Paloma is especially good.) Dangerously, as Happy Days drinks end at 5 p.m., you can slide into Martini Hour from 6 p.m. till 7 p.m. on weekdays with 2 oz.Martinis and Paper Planes. Remember: eating is not cheating; have the deliciously messy cheeseburger ($12) and fries ($6). And you know what? If you’re gonna splurge on a main menu item here, make it the Brussels sprouts ($22), which are freaking astounding thanks to a plate-licking blend of black aioli, lemon and Grana Padano.

 

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For a Taste of Italy: Caffe La Tana

The all-Italian wine list is an absolute cracker at Caffe La Tana, where on its daily Aperitivo menu (from 3 to 5 p.m.) you can score wine at 50 percent off (sorry winos: limit to one bottle per table) and beautiful 2 0z. aperitivi ($10) on king-cube ice or as a spritz ($12). If you’re a fan of grapefruit zest and roses, snag the salmon-pink Hotel Starlino Rosato  Marinated olives ($6) and artichoke hearts with cipollini onions ($8) make for a tastily sophisticated snack.

 

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For a Little Grog at the Grocery Store: Urban Fare

Broke AF and need a seriously cheap Happy Hour? Don’t overthink it: head for Urban Fare, where Happy Hour runs from 3 to 7 p.m., and—as it’s self service—there’s no need to tip. The different locations offer up different $5 menus, from shrimp tacos and poutine to Szechuan chicken lettuce wraps and pizza bread. Is it the World’s Best Poutine? No, but it is perfectly fine, and for $5 it’s warm, filling and a pretty decent size. Five-dollar pours of wine and beer are on offer too. Again, it’s not Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but neither would it double as paint-stripper, so let’s just enjoy it for what it is.

For Happy Hour With a View: Dockside

A switcheroo in the kitchen has neatly lifted Dockside from the ‘Place We Take Someone for a Pretty View’ category of restaurants into the ‘Damn, That’s Tasty’ roster. Take advantage of this at the daily Happy Hour from 2:30 to 6 p.m. for their personal-size pizzas, either spilling over with capocollo, Calabrese and fennel sausage, or roasted mushrooms ($10), wash that down with 5 oz. wine pours, highballs and beers ($6) and maybe find room for their mini-Caesar salad, just for the anchovy-crumb of it all ($8).

For a Rooftop Experience That’s Somehow Cozy-Warm: Lavantine

Yes, it’s a rooftop restaurant and, yes, I know that we’re ducking into ‘when, oh when, dear Lord, will this wretched rain end’ season, but bear with me; they have a retractable roof and Lavantine (atop the Azure Legacy hotel) is excellent. Try the super-crispy, masala-marinated fire-cooked chicken wings ($12) which have a tasty lick of char and suuuuuper silky hummus ($9) with the most joyful puffed-up balloon of a pita bread. For drinks, there is a terrific Rosewater Clear margarita ($10) or sip beers and house red, white and rosé for $6.