Inside Calgary's newest cocktail bar that aims to bridge the nightlife gap

It’s not a secret to many Calgarians that the Beltline is somewhat of a cocktail bar hot spot, with several spots including Proof, Shelter, and Missy’s widely recognized as some of the best watering holes in the city.

But now the neighbourhood is home to a brand-new bar, which is set to bridge the gap between the traditional cocktail bar and nightclubs: entering Mount Pleasant Vintage.

Having opened the first Mount Pleasant Vintage in Vancouver in 2022, owner Cam Bogue saw how nightlife was changing and saw an opportunity. Mount Pleasant Vintage aims to bridge the gap between a traditional bar and club by offering an excellent menu of high-volume cocktails, drinks and food, but with space to dance and socialize.

“It’s an opportunity to have a place you can still go party. The lights are on. We have food to the very end. You have corners you can come hide in. It’s a place where you can still mingle, dance, have fun,” Bogue told Dished.

It’s worked so far, with the Vancouver outpost most recently placing at number 91 on the extended North America’s 50 Best Bars list.

Then, just over a year ago, Bogue began the hunt for the bar’s first Calgary location. He was approached by PJ L’Heureux, founder of Craft Beer Market, with an opportunity to partner to bring Mount Pleasant Vintage to the old Home & Away space at 1207 1st St. SW.

“When he pitched the opportunity, I immediately saw our vision in here,” Bogue explains.

“I saw us being able to activate a patio in the sunken front area […] We could throw our parties. We have a rooftop that feels like a backyard. Immediately when I saw the space, it was better than I could have imagined.”

Where a bar and vintage store collide

The transformation of the 1st Street space was a massive undertaking, and one that was miraculously completed in around 100 days.

Closely mirroring the concept and branding from the Vancouver location, the space is touted as a bar and grill and vintage store, where you can actually buy everything from the couches to the light fixtures, leaning into a fun and eclectic ’70s vibe.

“The design lends itself to be a super photogenic and fun space to be in with a ton of different mixed materials. Selling stuff was just a stupid idea, and the idea there isn’t to make money; it’s just to have something social. It’s engaging, and then it also changes the space,” Bogue explains.

The furniture is sourced from all over, from Calgary estate sales to stuff secured on road trips to Winnipeg. There are even some items straight off the set of the hit TV show Riverdale.

Alongside two levels of seating and a large bar indoors, Mount Pleasant Vintage also has plenty of opportunities to make the most of Calgary summers.

Utilizing the huge garage doors at the front of the space, there’s now an indoor patio, which can operate year-round, as well as a large rooftop patio, complete with step-style seating offering a more casual setting to enjoy a drink.

What’s on the menu?

Mount Pleasant Vintage has entered the Calgary scene with a simple goal of making great cocktails at high volume, without compromising on quality.

“We just want to show that you can do great cocktails without, like, aprons or secret handshakes or curled mustaches or any of the kind of culty industry things,” Bogue says.

“The idea is to do great high-end technical cocktails that read approachable with value spirits, so we can keep the cost moderate and not be the price of a high-end cocktail bar, and then also deliver them and execute them really fast.”

Its drinks menu has been developed by bar manager Soren Schepkowski, offering everything from alcoholic slushies to its own vodka sodas (which use a specialized draft system and a super-powered carbonation tap) and, of course, its signature cocktails.

We tried two cocktails: the Hot Girl Shit, featuring Grey Goose vodka, cocoa butter, lemon, foamer and unexpectedly curry, which may sound odd but completely works, and the Shiso Fancy, combining Patron Silver tequila, sour apricot liqueur, clarified Greek yoghurt, and shiso.

As for the food, Mount Pleasant Vintage’s kitchen is being headed up by Chef Richard McLaren. The menu is wide-ranging with a mix of small and larger plates to share, personal-sized dishes, all-day snacks and a stacked happy hour selection, with $1.50 hot dogs. Need we say anymore?

Alongside the hot dog, we tried the fondue, served with bread and tater tots, the hand-chopped Beef Tartare, the burrata and roasted beets, and the smoked olives, all of which we’d happily order again.

Mount Pleasant Vintage is now open to the public, and you’ll want to add this spot to your to-drink list immediately.

Mount Pleasant Vintage

Address: 1207 1st St. SW, Calgary

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