Vancouver Good

At the edge of Gastown near the train station and the cruise ship berths are two restaurants/pubs: Steamworks and Transcontinental by Steamworks. Both are perfectly fine.

But.

Walk into Gastown. If you are visiting Vancouver you’ll be walking through Gastown anyways. Keep walking a few blocks down Water St, past the clothing shops, the steam clock, the high-end furniture stores, and the Old Spaghetti Factory. You’ll come across Chill Winston, a beautiful, casual restaurant/lounge with one of the best patios in the city.

I was looking for dinner at 10:30pm last night and stopped into Chill Winston, which is open nightly until 1am. A few notable features:

- HUGE, round patio in the front. Fantastic for meeting friends and enjoying a sunny, summer day
- Interesting bathroom set-up. Communal, but not. Separate, private stalls with a communal sink. Kind of strange, but it’s a conversation starter.
- Beautiful room. Exposed brick walls. Big couches and tables that encourage chilling and conversation.
- Interesting beer and cocktail menu. We drank some fruity Blanche de Chambly beer last night.

Food is pretty good and they try to use local/organic. Last night we had a tasty poutine with cheese curds and a truffle gravy ($8.75).  My husband ordered the mushroom ravioli (sizable portion, but a little tough) in a herb sauce and sliced duck breast on top – a good deal at $15.  The menu is HUGE, but it works for the eclectic crowd they attract. Lots of vegetarian options and lots to keep the meat eaters satisfied. The menu is online – but beware downloading as it’s a 52 page pdf!

I have held many group events at Chill Winston – service is always professional and organized.

My only question…who is Winston?!

Chill Winston
3 Alexander St, Gastown
604 288 9575
Open everyday 11am-1am