Breaking: The Team Behind Published and Bar Susu Bring New Snack Bar to Main St.

It’s no secret that Published on Main is one of the most beloved restaurants in Vancouver. From taking gold in our 2024 Restaurant Awards to its Michelin star status to its lauded place on Canada’s Top 100—the contemporary Canadian restaurant is nothing short of a powerhouse in the city’s dining scene. Its sister restaurant Bar Susu is just as fabulous: having risen like a phoenix after an unfortunate fire last year, the wine bar has truly enmeshed itself into the fabric of Vancouver. 

Which is why we’re more than excited that Boxset Collective, the team behind the two superstar restaurants, is launching a modern Mexican cocktail bar called El Gato Gab Gab this August. 

El Gato Gab Gab will be located pretty close to its siblings at 2650 Main St, and is following the southern Mexican tradition of botaneros—beverage forward snack bars. So it comes as no surprise that the drink program is set to be a robust one. 

Boxset’s beverage director Joe Casson (previously of Keefer Bar) is heading the El Gato team, and has set out to create a menu that’s inspired by the culinary spectrum of Mexico and beyond. “We want our cocktail list to be a no-fuss, maximalist snapshot of rotating familiar pours along with some more extroverted refreshments, while being approachable and simply delicious at the same time,” he explains. 

While the team is still in the thralls of menu research and development, we did get a sneak peek at some of the future cocktails. There’s the Pinoy to Pińa, a Philippines-inspired mezcal and rum highball with banana soda and ube ice cream, and the ¿Que Pasa, Folks?, a reposado tequila fizz with pasilla chile, carrot and marigold. Also looking good: an on the rocks take on the classic margarita called the Gatorita—which, based on the name alone sounds like it might also be a take on the game-day combo of Gatorade and tequila. 

Helming the kitchen is chef Christian Chaumont (Tultepec, Chuchillo and Mexico City’s Máximo Bistro) who’s also still in menu development but is endeavouring to bring the flavours of modern Mexican cuisine through a Pacific Northwest lens to the snack bar—think Dungeness crab flautas ahogadas and sweetbread tostadas. 

Casson, who previously worked in architecture in the UK and Australia, utilized his design background to transform the space to match the vibe of the menu—bold, punchy colours like aquamarine-teal and burnt orange, handmade walnut tables and contemporary tiles tie the space together while providing a sense of hacienda-style warmth. 

We’re not certain when exactly in August El Gato is set to open, but we do know that once it does it will be open daily for evening service, with extended hours on the weekend. 

Stay tuned to @elgato_gabgab and elgatogabgab.com for any future updates and developments.