The Sip List: Vancouver’s Top Drink Spots for Every Sip-tuation

1. For a Spontaneous Drink with Your Crystal-Collecting College Roommate

There’s an antidote for being in a bit of a restaurant rut: Arcana Spirit Lounge, a dark, tarot-inspired hideaway that embraces all things wild and witchy. Arcana amateurs will often walk right by this downtown bar because it’s not labelled as such—yes, you’ll want to enter through the door marked with the neon “Pet Psychic” sign. Inside there’s occult imagery aplenty (think skulls, vampires, Ouija boards and more) and drinks like the Devil (a fruit-forward take on an espresso martini) and the Fool (a playful mojito made with pandan syrup and peppermint extract). 238 Abbot St.,  arcanabar.com

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Take a chance and order the Wheel of Fortune ($20). The first spin decides your spirit (there’s whisky, rum, vodka and tequila) and the second your style (tart, sparkling, tropical, robust or bitter).

2. For a Rowdy Reunion with Your Rec League Buddies

It’s a crowd-pleasing “barcade” with some of the city’s favourite burgers: The American is a classic for a group night out. The Main Street bar is packed with arcade games, including eight themed pinball machines (with old hits like Godzilla and newer sensations like Stranger Things). The joyfully indulgent bar menu courtesy of next door’s Downlow Burgers features the “BFM 9000,” a burger that uses two cheeseburgers as buns (okay, there are normal smash burgers too). And one can never underestimate the seduction of an old-fashioned photobooth—pile the team in there for a great memory, guaranteed, no matter how many beers you have. 926 Main St.,  theamerican.bar

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You can’t go wrong with a Strange Fellows Talisman pale ale ($7.50), and you most definitely can go wrong with an American Rev pitcher ($45) concocted, in part, with Long Island iced tea and Red Bull.

3. For Making a First Impression on Your Opinionated In-Laws-To-Be

Oh, this little spot? It’s no big deal, just one of Vancouver’s 10 Michelin-starred restaurants. Published on Main’s award-winning food, drinks and staff are sure to knock the socks off even the most discerning diners. Get a reso early because both tables and bar seating can fill up weeks in advance. Complex, inventive cocktails live here: umami-powered martinis, herbaceous sours and peachy cosmos are served nightly. If (when) the drinks go over well, we suggest getting the bee pollen milk buns and chicken-fried maitake mushrooms… or really anything on the food menu—it all slaps. 3593 Main St., publishedonmain.com

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Vancouver magazine’s Bartender of the Year alum Dylan Riches’s Lost in Translation ($24) is a luxurious mix of soybean suntory, sake, koji, cherry blossom and pocari foam.

4. For a Third Date that Rockets You Out of the Friendzone

It’s possible there’s no sexier spot in the city than Meo. We dare you to resist the rosy pink seduction of this ’70s-inspired Chinatown bar—the heavy curtains, the velvety banquettes, the glowing jukebox—it feels like a secret, sultry space, but it’s buzzy enough that the room is always lively and fun. A few standouts on the cocktail list embrace veggies, an often-unsung hero in the world of mixology: take the espresso carrotini, a signature cocktail that uses yam cola and a whisky-based drink with miso and pumpkin. 265 E Pender St., meochinatown.com

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Those in the know go B-A-N-A-N-A-S for the matcha highball ($18), a groovy green concoction of gin, matcha, banana milk, lime and tonka bean soda.

5. For an Elegant Pre-Noon Drink with Your Fanciest Aunt

It’s 11:30 a.m. on a weekday and you’re looking to impress. This calls for Botanist, a restaurant tucked inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim and bursting with gorgeous greenery. In fact, even if you have a cheeky third cocktail, it’s practically impossible not to appear glamorous in this airy, modern space. Cocktails are poured with precision and levity. (One glance at the menu will tell you that—a drink made with foie-gras-fat-washed bourbon and pear, for example, is described as “a duck goes for a wander in Central Park.”) If you’re feeling nibbly, order up pan-seared squid with chorizo or burrata di Puglia with beets and meringue to share. 1038 Canada Pl.,  botanistrestaurant.com

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Heavy showers call for a splurge: the Raincouver ($40) mixes vodka, cherry blossoms, yuzu and pine and comes topped with a whimsical edible raincloud.

6. For a Shockingly Affordable Rooftop Happy Hour

We love a casual curbside patio, of course, but sometimes you want to yap over cocktails without cars whizzing by a mere few feet from one’s face—and that’s just one reason why Parker Rooftop is, well, tops. This ninth-floor restaurant has an expansive outdoor space with pretty views and no engine exhaust to be found, plus it offers a daily happy hour with small plates (think truffle fries and sushi cones) for $12, $6 beer and wine and cocktails starting at $10. The indoor dining space is gorgeous, too, with sumptuous, jewel-toned furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows: this is how to ball out on a budget.  1379 Howe St.,  parkerrooftop.com

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The Golden Hour ($12 at happy hour—can you believe that?) is a fresh and fruity blend of Grey Goose, Soho, passionfruit and lime. Order it at actual golden hour for the best photo opportunities.

7. For a Cocktail-Fuelled Catch-Up With An Old Friend

There’s no better place to weave a wild tale of intrigue and betrayal (a.k.a. your one-sided office beef with your new co-worker) than the Jungle Room. This lush cocktail bar blends the natural beauty of plants with moody, architectural lighting—look out for the glowing, origami-esque birds elegantly perched up above. The kitchen serves up a fusion of Indonesian and Japanese cuisine (with some French technique thrown in) and the bar pours colourful, unique drinks like the Honey Don’t, a bright-green cocktail made with gin, pisco, Thai green tea and honeydew cordial. 961 Denman St.,  jungleroom.ca

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The brilliant blue Training Season ($18) is striking to the eye and to the taste buds: blue spirulina-infused tequila, chiaro, white peppercorns, jasmine and lime come together in this vivid drink.