Grapes and Soda

When Dave Gunawan decided to open a wine bar next door to his popular South Granville restaurant Farmer’s Apprentice, his goal was simple: to create a space for his team to learn about natural wine, a product he himself was fascinated by.

“Natural wine is an exploding trend,” says Dave. He points to artisanal winemaking’s current renaissance, the health consequences of chemicals in non-organic wines, and the environmental impacts of traditional wineries as a few of the factors contributing to the craze. “There are dozens of additives, fertilizers and preservatives in traditional wine making, which often relate to allergies,” explains Dave.

Enter Grapes & Soda: Vancouver’s first-ever natural wine bar, and a brilliant one, at that; compact, glittering jewel of a bar where dark wood tables spill over with guests ooh’ing and ah’ing over organic wines recommended by knowledgeable servers. Dave's trademark and delicious farm-to-table snack plates are a draw, too, of course.