Photo courtesy of JOEY Restaurants
With its skating rink, hotels, restaurants and spectacular view across Burrard Inlet, North Vancouver’s Shipyards District is fast becoming the Lower Mainland’s most social neighbourhood. And now it’s a good place for a cocktail, too.
Photo courtesy of JOEY Restaurants
That’s because JOEY Shipyards has just flung open the stylish doors to its new flagship restaurant. Not only has it introduced several new drinks for a thirsty North Shore, but it has welcomed a bartending icon as the leader of its chain-wide cocktail program.
“[President] Jeff Fuller’s line is ‘We give our guests what they want before they know they want it,’” says Jesse Sahlin, JOEY’s director of bar and lounge. “Beverage culture is growing. Everyone is excited about learning new things and sharing the discovery of it.”
So far, that means crowd-pleasing tweaks to recognizable classics like the Spicy Passionfruit Margarita, Super Sonic G&T or the comeback cocktail of the moment Jungle Bird.
But expect things to get a lot more exciting on the beverage front, and fast. JOEY has just announced its new Bar Development Leader: industry icon Jay Jones, formerly of Pourhouse, the Loden Hotel, Vij’s and Rogers Arena and so far the only bartender ever inducted into the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame.
We can’t wait to see what he’ll shake up for JOEY, and how that will trickle down through other chains’ cocktail programs. Meanwhile, we’ve already picked out our spot on the patio, where we plan to drink in that view along with another round.
