A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

This Gastown Wine Bar Was Named After a Stressed Out Animal Suffering a Nervous Breakdown

The ever-evolving Restaurant Graveyard series looks back at the countless, long-shuttered establishments that helped to propel Vancouver’s food and drink forward. Full A-Z with maps and photos here. May they never be forgotten!

Opened in Blood Alley in the Spring of 2010, this tiny, Spanish-inspired restaurant/wine bar came to us from Sean Heather and Scott Hawthorn, co-owners of Salt Tasting Room (also in Blood Alley). It was cheffed for a time by Lee Humphries.

The 21 seat hole-in-the-wall featured a striking mural by local artist Robert Chaplin that spelled out the unlikely tale of a goat that led countless unwitting animals to the slaughter until one day it suffered a nervous breakdown and decided to open and operate a wine bar instead. Heather explains the story in the video below, which was filmed while the restaurant was still under construction.

The name wasn’t a Chaplin fantasy, however. “Judas” goats are real, as Heather explained to me long before the artist got to work on the embellishment:

“When animals are trucked to a slaughterhouse they are often reluctant to get off the truck…..go figure! Most abattoirs have a resident older goat living on the property. The goat is trained to make nice with the animals, and then lead them off the truck to the obvious conclusion. Because of the goat’s treachery, and abuse of his position of trust, he is nicknamed the ‘Judas Goat’. The tragedy of it all is that the goat is ignorant of what is happening around him and his role in it. He is just being friendly. […] The Judas Goat in Blood Alley — for numerous reasons, we couldn’t resist.”

Judas Goat closed in September of 2013. The space would become the irreverent Gringo shortly thereafter.

  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat Salad
  • Scott Hawthorn, co-owner of Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat  corner
  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat 2
  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat
  • Judas Goat Meatballs
Judas Goat
Neighbourhood: Gastown
27 Blood Alley
(Closed)

There are 2 comments

  1. Lee’s rabbit rillette with carrot panna cotta was amazing…. Also whimsical.

On Liquor, Licensing and Loopholes, with Keenan Hood of The Keefer

We catch up with The Keefer Bar’s General Manager, Keenan Hood, for a recap on the closing of the Keefer Yard, and the successes of the past couple of years…

The Cozy Prairie Themed Bar Tucked Away on Cordova Street

This cozy, unpretentious Saskatchewan-themed Gastown tavern was a beer- and bourbon-lovers' living room, with a food menu that could have been featured entirely in Scout's 'Comfort Food Guide to Vancouver'.

The Slick, Pacific Rim-Inspired Restaurant Was a Yaletown Fixture for Five Years

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen was a professionally-run, West Coast meets Asian restaurant owned by the legendary Bud Kanke.

Remembering the West End’s Charming Ligurian Restaurant and Its Stunning Patio

The 110-seat restaurant and bar specialized in the regional cuisine of Liguria, with seafood dishes figuring highly.