Way back on December 7th (as FDR noted, a day that would most certainly live in infamy), good ‘ol Habit Lounge on Main Street rather suddently burst into flames. We broke the sad news: “No one was hurt, thank goodness. According to the fire department, the fire started in a kitchen garbage can in the wee hours. Co-owner Nigel Pike got a call at 6:30am and found the place filled with black smoke. All that lovely orange covered in black soot!”

We are now happy to report that – nine months later – they’ve finally opened and it’s dead sexy, with shades of your grandpa’s basement circa 1976 (if your grandpa was Hugh Hefner without the creepy). Think lots of buttoned brown leather, vertical stripes of shag carpet in vivid colour, a 70’s soul/funk soundtrack, and more Canadian whisky than I’d ever heard of. Supertender Nick Devine has created a lengthy list of cocktails, including several that guests can create themselves in a kit that arrives in a bento box, complete with shaker, garnish, and instructions. Like the decor, the menu is all new: Canadian home comforts revamped by recently promoted chef Tristan Burley (formerly the sous at Cascade next door).

The new Habit Lounge is open until 2:00am – 6 nights a week – with last call for bell rung at 1:30am (Sundays until midnight). Check out the menu et cetera here, and the shots below (taken without a flash at high ISO – because we like a challenge).

We wish them all the best in their second swing at bat.

All Anticipated Openings

—————————————————————————————