The Modern Bartender

The Modern Bartender's claim to fame is simple: when it comes to high quality barware, it's literally the only game in town. Whether you're a cocktail aficionado or an industry professional, it has quickly become the go-to place to pick up high-end essentials – from ice cube trays (including the coveted King Cube), to mixing spoons, to mixology books, to flavoured syrups and more than 100 varieties of bitters (cocktail flavouring that no self-respecting drinking establishment would be without).

In addition to having the largest selection of bitters anywhere in the province, The Modern Bartender is also the BC distributor for The Apothecary Bitters Co., a local company making small-batch cocktail flavouring that can't be found anywhere else.

“Vancouver just has this complete lack of places where you can go and buy all the essentials for imbibing drinks and cocktail culture,” explains owner Rod Moore. “What happens if you're a new bartender, and you want to get the essentials together? There was literally nowhere to go. There were a couple places you could get a few things, but the rest you had to do online.”