It hasn't been an easy journey for Chupito, a rebellious cocktail bar venture that made a home - and a name - for itself operating out of an unlikely Vancouver space.
Accessible through a Gastown alley, the Mexican drinks and share plates spot has called the tiny zone behind the original La Taqueria restaurant home since 2021, using a shipping container as a bar and working diligently year to year to get all their City of Vancouver paperwork to operate.
However, the business has now confirmed this will be its final season at its current location.
As 2024 got underway, La Taqueria revealed it would be relocating to a fresh space just a little west on Hastings Street. Specifically, the relocated La Taqueria will be going in at 327 Seymour St, part of the Waterfront Hub duo of downtown new builds.
Chupito was poised to take over La Taqueria's space
But timelines haven't worked in favour of what was initially mapped out as a gentle transition for the businesses at 322 W Hastings St. La Taqueria would close its OG shop and be up and running on Seymour, Chupito would slide indoors into the vacated taco shop space and would carry on until the building was set for demolition.
However, as 2024 played out, La Taqueria's new space wasn't getting going. In early August, the Mexican restaurant shared that after many months, permits had finally been secured for the build.
In the meantime, Chupito will not be able to carry on - indoors or otherwise - where they are right now.
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce this will be Chupito’s last season in its current space," operators Tara Davies and Marcelo Ramirez shared Thursday (Aug. 22) on social media.
The farewell note, paired with a video and posted to Instagram, continues as follows:
This project has gifted us with life partners, community, friendship and endless growth. It is, has been and will forever be our love letter to Mexico, a place so dear to our hearts.
It all started as a pipe dream on a plastic stool over a beer. We never expected it to turn into this. Thank you to our community, every guest, every producer and every staff member for making this alleyway oasis something so special.
Onto the next. Not without some tears, many hugs and many many chupitos.
From the bottom out of hearts, muchas gracias.
Salud to you!
No closing date has been shared by the restaurant.
While Chupito does not elaborate on the reason for the closure, however, the long-time plan has been for the building to be demolished to make way for a new development.
Chupito began in 2021 under loosened pandemic-era patio rules
Launched in early June 2021, Chupito's walk-in-only cocktail bar with an emphasis on Mexican flavours, local ingredients, and sustainability, sprung - in part - from Vancouver's loosened pandemic-era patio rules. Permits were fast-tracked and Chupito logged an exciting first season, ultimately garnering sufficient attention to land on the city's first-ever Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand (value-driven) restaurant picks in 2022, and appearing again in 2023.
However, thanks to Chupito's untraditional set-up, getting the paperwork stamped in the ensuing years, particularly in 2023, proved challenging for the business, with rules no longer as flexible as they had been in prior summers.
Chupito reopened for its current season in mid-May.
Cocktails on the Chupito menu spotlight Mexican flavours, local ingredients, and sustainability. To pair with the sophisticated sips are share plates that centre on regional dishes from Mexico, including a roster of fresh seafood items as well as tacos, chips and guac, and more.
Every year, Chupito adds new dishes to the menu. For 2024, you can enjoy a beautiful aguachile with their house-made salsa macha, with the option of having chapulines (crickets) on the dish. If you are a fan of chili oil, you will want to try the salsa macha, whether it's dashed onto your tortilla chips or part of a dish.
Guests can expect fork-tender octopus with house-made condiments, freshly-shucked oysters, and a not-too-sweet tres leches cake alongside fun cocktails like The Veracruz, made with Cynar, Palo Santo, green cardamom, soda, and spiced and fermented pineapple. The Acapulco is a frozen pina colada with strawberry and maraschino layers, a delightfully sophisticated spin on the sugary sweet poolside "Miami Vice" drinks you might know from Mexican resort stays.
Chupito is open nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. (weather permitting). Follow @chupitococteleria for updates.
Video: A visit to Chupito, Vancouver's unique outdoor bar and restaurant
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