Cyberpunk only gets better with age and so does The Keefer Bar, a 13-year-old Vancouver institution that looks like it sprang from an early William Gibson sci-fi novel and was jacked into a futuristic metaverse. Dark and gritty, illuminated by clinical anatomical illustrations and hung on an ancient Chinese apothecary theme that leans heavily into bitter botanicals, The Keefer also exudes a vibrancy and warmth that make you feel like you’ve stumbled into the world’s friendliest underground booze can where everyone knows your name. Drinks bubble with smoke and are stirred down to perfection. The music is chill. Although it was sad to see the end of the award-winning Keefer Yard, the inside bar didn’t miss a beat and will always be the city’s coolest cocktail OG.

Drink: THE SHADY MARMALADE, STRUTTING A FENUGREEK SUGAR RIM AND SWEET EGGPLANT PURÉE IN A VODKA AND ROSÉ VERMOUTH BASE.

Photos: Dave Hamilton