Dinner parties, family gatherings, or for straight-up making it through the holidays, it’s a good idea to keep extra bottles on hand this time of year. Don’t have the time or patience for liquor store lineups? These tiny shops pack a well-curated punch on the take-out wine/beer/cider front that will be faster, friendlier, and more fun than any BC Liquor store.

THANK YOU PIZZA

The good folks at Thank You Pizza have a pretty sweet cooler full of good things to drink: local beer and natural wine, plus a few thoughtfully considered bottles from abroad, all that will taste delicious alongside pizza and good company on location…But, like TY pizza, anything in the bottle shop can also be taken to-go when you order your ‘hot’ meal. Busy in the evening? Get organized in advance by swinging by Hunnybee (the bruncheonette sharing the space during daylight hours) for a morning coffee, and grab something from the fridge then.

GRAB & GO AT THE AMERICAN

Since its opening, The American has always been a grand place to rest your elbows on the bar, knock back a beer, and eavesdrop on (or even participate in) a game of trivia. Among many other things, though, The American serves as a venue for Grab & Go – a bottle shop offering local craft beers and ciders, a solid wine list featuring British Columbian wines, and a few choice international picks. Bonus: while you’re filling your tote bag with wine, you can even grab a Downlow burger to go.

DACHI

Swing by Hastings-Sunrise’s flamingo-pink patio haunt, Dachi, to avail yourself of their carefully curated (and often even personally imported) shelves of natural wine from around the world while also picking through a list of imported natural sake. If there’s a seat open at the bar, pause to try something from the rotating selection of by-the-glass wines for yourself, and get the lowdown on tasting notes to impress (or annoy) your peers.

PIE SHOPPE

You’ve been asked to bring dessert and wine – why make two stops? The Pie Shoppe has you covered with Quince Buttermilk Custard with Pear & Persimmon pie or mince tarts, paired with a bottle from their super classy wine list including all the local winners (from Ursa Major and Sage Hills to Anthony Buchanan, Bella and many, many, fine bottles in-between.) Other nice things to load up on while you’re there: bake-from-frozen tourtière, pastry dough balls for making your own pies at home, and heirloom pumpkin pie kits. Done and done. Wasn’t that easy?

COLLECTIVE GOODS

All things considered, this “French-ish” bistro on the purlieu of Grandview-Woodland has a pretty dope pantry year-round: think chef-chosen ingredients and house made sauces. What Collective Goods also has: a wine cellar. Expect a variety of pre-batched bottled cocktails – perfect for gifts or a less messy way to enjoy a cocktail at home. Need to compensate for your ostensible lack of holiday cheer? From now until the 23rd of December, the grocer fridge will be stocked with mulled wine and egg-nog kits, too.

JUICE BAR

Whether it’s a laidback get-together of good friends or a slightly more high-strung annual family gathering, Juice Bar has a bottle of wine to suit the occasion and they will help you find it. Alternatively, if you’re running low on decision-making bandwidth, their “Juice Boxes” offer a selection of three wines in various phyla: BC Wines, Wonky Wines, Good Vinegar (“for the intrepid palates”), Grand Cru, and a box of staff picks for a Jesus-take-the-wheel option. You’re in good hands.