The Metropole Pub has announced that 25% of all yearly profits will go to support DTES organizations

Some fantastic new places have recently opened their doors to the neighbourhood. Everything Cafe, the newest locale to be opened by Sean Heather, adds nicely to a recently revitalized Pender Street that includes the new Blim space, Bob Rennie’s offices, Ming Wo, Bombast Furniture and well, the Building Opportunities with Business office and Co-working space, among other great spots. Everything has a very nice, subtle and welcoming interrior with some of the best coffee I’ve tasted yet. I haven’t tried the sandwiches yet but the menu is excellent and a good price too, if it’s anything like the quality of sandwiches at the Salty Tongue then this place is going to be a fast favorite for locals.

photo from http://goodlifevancouver.com/tag/vancouver-restaurant/

Acme Cafe is one of the most charming little spots to open up recently, someone described it as “Straight out of the pages of an Archie comic, it’s Pop Tate’s Chock’lit Shoppe meets American Graffiti’s Mel’s Diner.” and the food is fantastic (made by a real actual French Chef!). How about a Turkey and brie Ciabatta with cranberry–Grand Marnier sauce, grainy dijon mayo? Or Meat Loaf with garlic baby nugget potatoes and salad for $11.50? Vegetarian options abound as well. Great breakfast items (Omelets, eggs and bacon, breakfast croissants etc) and pints of R&B for $5.00 too. Not too shabby…

And last but certainly not least we’d like to welcome the Donnelly Group’s newest pub, the Metropole. It’s not entirely accurate to call the Metropole a new pub as it’s technically over 100 years old! Between Hastings and Pender on Abbot Street, The Metropole is having it’s grand opening tomorrow night (Wednesday the 20th of May) and I for one am excited to welcome this newest incarnation of the legendary venue as it was recently announced that 25% of all yearly profits from the pub will go to support local DTES organizations including United We Can, The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and DTES Food Bank. I went to a fantastic night here recently called Westbound and Down (Every 2nd Thursday of the month) where the DJs played a great blend of classic punk, post punk alternative, old gnarly country and Ska tunes. I felt like I was in Brooklyn, or Wicker Park Chicago, it was a fresh kind of atmosphere that has been lacking in Vancouver’s club and pub scene since the days of the Starfish Room, Town Pump, Niagra, or Smilin’ Buddha.

It’s exciting to see these new places opening up in the DTES let alone seeing the eagerness to become involved in the community. Will and I will likely be having a game of pool at the Metropole this Friday after work, come and join us. Or maybe we’ll see you at Westbound and Down June 10th.  If you want to hang out even sooner I’ll be heading to Acme or Everythin Cafe right about now to grab a sammich.

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