4 Reasons Why the Settlement Building is a Vancouver ‘Must Visit’

Located two blocks east of Gastown in neighbouring Railtown, the Settlement Building is a true hidden gem. Built in 1923, the original function of the building was as a steel foundry manufacturing machinery parts. Today, it is home to Vancouver Urban Winery, Belgard Kitchen, and Settlement Brewing.

Until February 5, 2021, in line with the public health order issued on November 20, non-essential travel into and out of BC is not recommended. BC residents let’s do our part by continuing to stay local and support local, with your immediate household or bubble, in accordance with the latest guidelines.

At the Settlement Building, you will be treated to a unique tour of the best the BC has to offer in terms of BCVQA wines, house-brewed craft beer and cider, and a food program highlighting local ingredients and suppliers, all set to a jaw-dropping backdrop.

1. A One-Stop Tour of BC’s Wine Regions

In addition to creating small-batch wines made 100% from BC grapes, Vancouver Urban Winery, Vancouver’s sole urban wine manufacturer, also brings the best of BC wine to the heart of the city, showcasing BC’s top wineries with a selection of natural, organic, and skin contact wines. The tasting room has 36 wines on tap, enabling you to taste and travel through BC’s Wine regions in one sitting, from Naramata to Oliver, Penticton to Keremeos. VUW vintages manufactured & fermented on-site using Okanagan grapes are available for purchase to take home by the bottle!

MUST TRY: ‘Au Naturel’ Wine Flight

2. Craft Beer (& Cider!) fresh from the tank

Here for the beer? No problem. Settlement Brewing, launched as Postmark Brewing in 2014, has a simple philosophy: make great beer to enjoy with great company. Guests are invited to check out the brewing facility (just ask a team member for guidance) and are encouraged to sample beers from “Friends of Settlement”, a small cohort of local breweries who contract tank space for small batch production. Bonus: two craft cideries also call the Settlement space home: Greenhill & Windfall.

MUST TRY: Settlement Brewing’s ‘Good News’ Hazy Pale Ale

3. You definitely won’t leave hungry!

Don’t let the expansive beverage program distract you, Belgard Kitchen is reason enough to make a visit to the Settlement Building. Its wide-ranging food menu is designed to pair with beer and wine and can be shared amongst dining companions as a tasting adventure, or enjoyed as individual dishes. Let the service team guide your experience, or go your own way, but be prepared – with weekday lunch, award-winning weekend brunch, and daily evening menus (plus Happy Hour!), you may need to make multiple trips.

MUST TRY: The Belgard Burger (Lunch), Yam Gnocchi w/ Lamb Ragu (Evening), Salmon Gravlax Hash (Brunch)

4. The ‘Gram-worthy space

Previous occupants of the space, Suquet Interiors, left most of the striking design features in the open-concept space including; the fireplace, the base of the bar, the archway above the bathrooms, and a crane hook in the centre of the ceiling. Original Douglas fir beams from the 1920s frame the building and run along the ceiling. Most notable, however, are the doors at the main entrance. Imported from a historic cathedral in South America, these stunning pieces are over 100 years old. Keep an eye out for tongue-in-cheek accent features like Steve Payne’s series of contemporary actors reimagined as Russian generals circa the Napoleon era, hanging in the washrooms.

MUST PHOTOGRAPH: The Barrel Wall