Salt Tasting Room Ltd

Nestled in Gastown’s historic Blood Alley, Salt Tasting Room’s unique approach to wine, cheese and charcuterie makes the narrow, brick-walled bar a destination for anyone looking for a fashionable night out — with an interactive twist.

“Here, people can ask questions and learn about our wines without feeling intimidated,” says owner Sean Heather, who opened Salt in 2006 in response to what he observed as a lack of approachable wine bars in Vancouver.

At Salt, everyone is welcome — from wine and food aficionados to beginner sippers and every day diners. Seated at a long communal table, patrons design their own sharing plates from a chalkboard menu of meats, cheeses and condiments. Next, knowledgeable servers arrange a trio of wines — called a “flight” — to match. Unless you would like to choose your own, of course.

Tailored to customers’ personal tastes, flights of local and imported wines arrive with “cheat-sheets” detailing the names and origins of each. “When you don’t understand the wine you’re drinking, you’re not really having fun,” says Sean, who hopes these cheat-sheets help customers navigate future trips to the liquor store, too.