The Thirsty Lion is an upscale English public house, serving fine sausages, scotch eggs, meat sandwiches, meal-sized salads and beer! Ah yes, beer!
Alberta's only Irish bar, with a cozy interior and a weatherproofed back patio for those of us who indulge in the occasional cigarette. The food is savory and a godsend if you're hungry late (full menu 'til 11 pm, bar menu after). Irish beer buffs, this is your spot, with Guinness and Harp on tap. Plus live acoustic music nightly, which mostly runs in the folk, bluegrass, and (of course) Irish vein.
Just look for the enormous torches and you'll find an all-ages music venue in the space formerly occupied by Conan's. There is a nice, cozy bar next door, which is a great place for parents and drinkers to hang out while the kiddies enjoy the show right down the hall. A wide variety of food from snacks to full-on dinners is available for your dining pleasure.
Sunny coffee shop in a cool old turn-of-the-century storefront. It has a distinctly gay vibe but has a big neighborhood following as well. Stumptown coffee, loose leaf teas, baked goods, bagels, sandwiches, soup and more are on the menu. A good place to read, chat, blog, cruise (a ton of bear-types meet there every Saturday), play a game of pool or catch some live music.
Sick of corporate coffee? Muddy Waters, a worker-owned java joint just may have your cure. A really comfortable atmosphere awaits inside this old storefront on Belmont. Somewhat rustic with nice little artistic touches along with featured work by local artists. Most of their baked goods are done in-house and they have bagels, wraps and other hunger appeasers. Look for live music, spoken word and tarot card readings and a nice progressive attitude.