Gastown Hidden Gem
The Alibi room is not a place you would stumble upon by accident. But once you find it you are glad you did. It sits on the corner of Alexander and Main Street on a very quite block at the edge of Gastown. The menu focuses on comfort food made with quality ingredients – local, free run, ocean friendly, naturally raised etc. The food is good but it is the 50 taps, the rotating casks and one of the most diverse beer menus in the province that makes Alibi Room a draw for many. The building is also a heritage site and has a very unique decor. Some of the walls remain exposed brick and the floor appears to be original wood, especially in the basement bar. The seating is a mixture of long communal tables, bar seats and a few tables for two. There is a small patio open in the summer months.

Weekend Brunch
The Alibi Room is open seven days a week starting at 5pm. It is not open for lunch on weekdays but does do weekend brunch from 10am to 2:45. The brunch menu is not available on the website but includes some unique twists on the typical brunch menu items. We have been twice for brunch and the service has been good both times. It is usually pretty busy, especially in summer, so arrive before 11:00 in order to not have to wait.

The space is open and light with a view through to the railyard from the back windows. The tables for 2 are small but the leather chairs very comfy. Much of the original 100 year old structure is retained.

There are so many beer options it is hard to choose but almost all are available in a 6oz taster size as well as 10oz and 16oz options which is great. This is the Tariq’s (Big Ridge Brewing) “Wrath of Kahn” IPA and the Iain Hills Hefeweizen. Guess who’s is who’s. We also tried the Green Flash ‘West Coast” IPA and the Logsdon Farmhouse Organic Wittier.

One of the special menu items is a Stuffed French Toast that varies daily. The day we went it was stuffed with apple and served with maple whipped cream. The meal was a large portion, very rich and very good.

The menu also includes several scramble options served with pan fried potatoes and toast. The broccoli, cheddar and back bacon option was delicious: one of the best breakfasts I have had in a while.

This is only part of one page of the two page beer menu. When in doubt tell your server what you like and ask for recommendations. We have done this on both visits and have not been served a beer we did not enjoy.


Jeff & Tara Ciecko of CK Golf Solutions write two blogs on their website, one is their 19th Hole Blog where they share personal experiences and the Biz Blog where they share business best practices and golf industry related opinions. They have owned CK Golf Solutions for 5 years and provide marketing, social media and business services to the golf and other industries.  

 

Related Posts