For this edition of #ThrowbackThursday we go back exactly five years to the day we poked our heads inside the construction of R&B Brewing’s new Pizza & Ale House at 54 East 4th Avenue.

The second coming of R&B (and East Van original since 1997) wouldn’t arrive for another five or six months but I remember this stage of construction well with its multicoloured PVC pipe-fronted bar and just-installed corner banquette dressed in green vinyl. Here are some of my notes from that day, plus a bunch of photos…

After a turbulent year and sale to Howe Sound, long-time local brewers R&B are coming back with label redux, a wide range of operational/mechanical upgrades, and an 800 sqft food primary restaurant and watering hole called the Ale & Pizza House. Due in February , the 60 seater at 54 East 4th Ave will focus on pizzas, salads, and charcuterie with 12 beers and 2 wines on tap (12, 16, 20 oz pours of the former, plus custom-made barrel stave flights of 4).

I took a look inside yesterday with R&B co-founder Barry Benson (the “B” in R&B), who was like a kid in a candy shop showing me all the new toys. The space is essentially a long, open concept rectangle with a mix of high and low seating running one side of the length and the bar, kitchen, and growler station lining the opposite. The far wall (burgundy in the shots below) is being billed as a “wall of sound” as it’s being stuffed with working analog speakers. It’s great to see more breweries broadening their operations thus. For hours, they’re looking at 10am to 11pm to start. Bonus: 17 seat sidewalk patio!

R & B Brewing Co.

Neighbourhood: Main Street

54 E 4th Ave.

604-874-2537

WEBSITE