The Keefer Bar

Get a dose of Eastern medicine
Tipple of choice: Try a Sweet Intention; a blend of bourbon, vanilla, infused green chartreuse (herb liqueur) and Yun Zhi, an herb long-used in Chinese pain relief medicines.

One of Vancouver's favourite cocktail bars, Keefer Bar offers unique drinks based on ancient Chinese medicine. Not so much cocktails as alcoholic prescriptions, many ingredients are sourced from neighboring Chinatown markets. Try a Keefer 75 with gin, wine and lavender syrup; or a Tiger's Tail, which mixes Shochu (rice spirit), Campari and pineapple, with Astragalus, a root used to treat immune deficiencies.
The interior mixes contemporary, chocolate brown furnishings with Chinese wall art and shelves of old medicine bottles. The clientele is varied, with groups of fashionable 20-somethings nestled comfortably alongside wise-looking Chinatown elders, who look oddly at home here. Outside, there's a pretty, tranquil patio, which packs out on summer evenings.

Age limit: 19