Here's why the team behind Dovetail is opening a new Vancouver restaurant down the street

Folks walking down Yaletown may have noticed that signs for a new concept called Bevel have popped up at the former home of MeeT.

Turns out, the new concept is brought to us by the Text Me When You Land Hospitality group, the same group behind the uber-popular Dovetail, which operates just a quick two minutes away from the new concept.

So, why did the team decide to open a location so close? And what exactly can you expect on opening day? We spoke with brand and marketing director Jenn Hang to learn more about the new Yaletown outpost for the team.

What is Bevel?

Expected to open sometime this summer, Bevel will be a 2,800 sq. ft. restaurant with 140 seats that is centred around a bar area, alongside a dining room and an all-season patio that will be launching on opening day.

As for menu specifics, Hang said the team is still working on the details and couldn’t share much. However, what she could share was that pizza will be making an appearance, with a dough recipe that Chef Christiansen has been working on for over three years. Expect a selection of New York-style pizza with that signature crispy, thin crust.

But don’t mistake Bevel for just a pizza restaurant, as Hang said that there will be a full, well-rounded menu with plenty of fun share plates.

“We’ll do our steakhouse-style proteins as we do at Dovetail, so you kind of get your proteins, and then you can order your sides in addition to pastas and stuff like that,” she said.

As for what will be carrying over from Dovetail, it won’t necessarily be food items (you’ll still have to head to Dovetail for its iconic spicy vodka pasta, but there will be an equally exciting pasta program Hang promised). Instead, the team will be drawing inspiration from its successful programming, like its Happy Days, which is essentially Dovetail’s happy hour offerings that run daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“The share plate style of the menu, our happy hour programming, and our martini hour programming are things that you’ll see over at Bevel,” Hang said.

Why open so close to Dovetail?

“Yaletown has been such an amazing community for us at Dovetail, and we really, really, really made some special relationships with our neighbours here, so we’re excited to be able to stay in the community and be able to double down,” Hang said.

Plus, Hang said that they were excited to share a waitlist when things are really busy at one of the locations.

“[We’ll be able] to offer an extended guest experience, so maybe someone is waiting for a table at Dovetail, but we have room at the bar at Bevel or vice versa. We’re really excited to be able to extend our guest hospitality just beyond the doors of each establishment,” she explained. 

She also said that lots of guests frequently ask servers where they should go after dining at Dovetail, with folks looking to buzz around the neighbourhood and go for a drink somewhere else.

“We’re looking forward to being able to offer that for both brands and kind of have them dance with each other in that aspect.

Why the name Bevel?

Hang told us that the name Dovetail actually refers to the woodworking joint, not the bird.

“Chef Ejner Christiansen was the one who came up with it, and it was something that really symbolized that kind of jointed and connected piece. If you look it up, a dovetail joint in the woodworking world is when two edges that kind of come together. We really loved the idea of kind of like incorporating the woodworking in the space, but also just that connection and community piece,” said Hang. 

So, naturally, the team wanted to continue that woodworking motif in the new concept.

“It’s a little bit more of a nod to like, a little bit of a refinement, but still kind of has that connection piece. So we’re really wanting to carry that through the word refinement from Dovetail to Bevel. And that will mostly be reflected in the interior space and our service style.

And while refinement is a key inspiration here, Hang assured us that there won’t be any fancy white tablecloths or white glove service, just a refined room with some elevated little features like a martini program and how steaks are prepared.

“Bevel is a more elevated take on the casual style that we do at Dovetail,” she said.

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An exact opening day for Bevel has yet to be announced, but expect to visit sometime this summer. Be sure to check back here for more information soon.

Bevel

Address: 1165 Mainland St., Vancouver

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