salt chinatown

This place is a gem! It’s a great place to try something new; you can ask the server to prepare all the pairings for you or you can pick your own. We went with the tasting plate and wine flight. We decided to let them decide on the food selection for us and we chose our own wine. They based the food on the selections we chose for wine and it was such impressive pairings. It also comes with a small basket of bread and crackers to compliment our cheese, meat and condiments. It’s not filling but it is a place to “taste” and “sample” something different so keep that in mind! The staffs were experts in explaining to us about each cheese, meat, condiment and wine. It’s situated right in blood alley so that’s a cool area to check out if you’re in gastown! I loved the decor of this place because it’s very industrial (a big fan of the red bricks). We paid around $18 per person to share the food and wine pairing, so it was a decent price! Highly recommend for low key nights with friends or a date!

I like how the Blood Alley area is becoming a hip place, what a fantastic transformation. The Salt Tasting Room is an excellent addition to it, and the ambiance at this place is simply amazing. The whole concept is fascinating, taking wine, cheese, and meat tasting to the new level. The staff is accommodating and polite. They certainly help a lot by asking about your general preferences and helping you to put together lovely parings. It was here that I tried my new favorite white wine and absolutely fell in love with cured pork neck. The menu items are frequently updated, making every visit one of a kind. Great vibe, great food, great drinks.

still i dont get it why the red wines were pretty cold. I am a mid red wine lover honestly not too big fan but it is not accepted its be cooled of them To be honest, i don’t completely have an idea but wines were super cooling. There were the RED wine glasses. I have heard that some red wine is good 8 to 10 a little bit cooler than usual. This was supposed to be wine bar. I did ask a server why there are cold, she said a maker recommended to be cold but I think it’s too much. I felt a disappointed I thought I would fine a nice wine bar in my neighbor

Trust me when I say this. The cheese would be rated at like 4. Cheap cheese and meat so freaking expensive. And the quantity. Best places to go for cheese would be at the Granville island market. But ultimately this was something unexpected. It might attractive only because of the atmosphere and the service but otherwise uh oh, a no no. I’m sorry salt tasting room. But nope.

Honestly had an average experience at Salt Tasting Room. The pairings were for sure something I enjoyed- some pairings I was entirely suprised by and loved however overall the quality of the cheeses and meats seemed average. Nothing special. Presentation wise could have been better as well (as the price should reflect that) & I was happy to find they represent a lot of smaller BC wineries, however the quality of those wines also to my personal preference was average. For the experience and atmosphere however for sure worth it.

The best & most unique dining experience I’ve had in Vancouver in a very long time. Delicious food, excellent service and such a great atmosphere. My partner and I both went for the cheese & charcuterie and were struggling to speak to each other as every bite was so amazing! Every food item has a story behind it and our server was so knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend coming here to anyone visiting from out of town or anyone living in Vancouver for a cosy date night. Can’t wait to go back.

It's the kind of place you wouldn't come across on your own - word of mouth & personal invites seem to be how most people discover this unique venue. Hosted a colleague appreciation event here for 30+ people in the downstairs cellar. Raul helped us plan & organize the event. Guests chose from one of 4 pre-set plates: all meat, all cheese, all Canadian & a Sherry pairing plate that came with a pre-matched flight of wine. Sat at the long table with a few seats to spare. Positive feedback from all attendees on the cozy atmosphere & experience. Planning to return whenever I have guests from out of town or need a night out with friends.

Great place to catch up with friends over wine and snacks or for a date. Nice selection of cheeses and hams to go with the wines; don’t come hungry excepting entrees. Great ambience with friendly staff. Would definitely come back.

Fantastic wine bar, tapas bar. Super chill vibe and ambiance. Service was just right not overbearing and not ignored. Loved it!

Really nice ambiance. Server was very well informed and helped us navigate the menu. We ordered two tasting plates, a wine flight, and a small dish and were pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity. Would definitely come back again.

Interesting little hole in the wall. Who would've thought there'd be a trendy tapas place like this in the middle of a piss-soaked (literally) alley. Only real marker is a flag depicting a salt shaker in front. To get here, one has to walk past some rather sketchy looking people. Be sure to avoid the puddles, and try not to get mugged on the way in or out. Parking is availalble on the side streets. Try not to get broken into. The layout is quite long and narrow. The decor is classy hipster, with the wood panels up top, and vintage brick walls on the side. Staff are friendly and professional. Food consists mostly of appetizer plates. The typical cheese and crackers type deal, with other things such as olives or dates. Though I didn't try it, the 3 course meal looks really some appie plates with soup/salad as the first course. Great for munching on while making friends. I also tried the wine flight. Not bad for seeing what's out there. The stuff I drank went well with the stuff I ate, though that's not saying much as I don't really know my wines. Neat little place to check out for sure.

This is my go-to place for out of town visitors. I love that they change their menu often so you don't have to get the same cheeses and meats every time you go. There is always something new to discover and a great selection is available. Definitely recommend the flights and wine flights as well. Also share a salad or appetizer and you have your perfect meal! Loved their arugula salad with goat cheese so hoping that comes back to menu for a return visit some time. You might end up spending A LOT OF TIME deciding on your plate. You need to choose 3 cheese & meat combos and 3 condiments. We usually google the name of the cheeses and meats to get an idea what they would look like as there are many from around the world. You can pick your own wine flights or leave it to them to pair up your selection of cheeses and meats. I recommend the mostarda as a condiment highly, it complements well to most of the cheeses. Al The environment is very rustic and dimly lit. Also service is great here. Not sure if I was lucky but we were always given a dessert or an extra appetizer on the house which really shows care and appreciation. Last time I was there our wine flight got mixed up so we were given another complete set for free. I would go back just because I know they appreciate their customers.

as a and i were planning the rest of our foodie trip, salt tasting room was selected as a has never been. we both loved open outcry, sister restaurant to this, and i've actually been with my besties before. plus they have an employee pricing discount going on rn so why not. resos were made for 5:15pm but...we got there a LITTLE early (ok 15mins early - we were eager ok). seán, the owner, was there to greet us and basically called my name once i told him i was early lol. very cute and personal! we were seated, again, safety precaution galore. def felt safe! since i've alr been, seán didn't rly need to explain too much. there is an employee pricing discount (until june 30!) that tasting plates are $8 with a wine flight. or a free tapas if you order a drink. obvsly, we went the wine flight route (because we like alcohol LOL). we actually did 3 tasting plates and flights - sharing the last one. the waitress was great with explaining the meats and cheeses on the board. the wine pairings were great and they will accommodate to your preferences - i.e. you can have reds, whites, rose, mixed or have them match to whatever you picked for your plate. for those that are confused or overwhelmed, there are plates that they alr predetermined on another board that you can pick. you can also get the menu on your phone with the QR code that they give you on a slip of paper. at the end, when seán was helping us with the bill, we got a little confused. splitting the bill was the easiest way but i blame the alcohol. i asked abt whether open outcry was going to be opening on the weekends, and seán stated that it'll just be lunch for now. he was so proud to let us know that he opened that restaurant too! we also asked abt the guinness mustard that is THE BEST - seán did say that they will have jars of it for purchase so we'll def be keeping an eye out for that. the open outcry corned beef, another fav of ours, will be coming to salt soon so....guess we'll be going back to salt sometime soon!

Price/quality (3/4): Quality is never a problem here. You get a nice selection of meats and/or cheeses, which you can (and should) enjoy with a wine flight, which you can ask them to pair for you. However, it does seem a little more pricey than it should be. Service (1/1): Service is friendly and effective. The wine pairings are particularly noteworthy. Would I come here again: Yes

The staff here are amazing! They're super knowledgeable when it comes to pairing wine as well as go through all the different tapas/cheeses/meats. I usually let them know what I am feeling and am never disappointed when they bring it all out. A great place to catch up and try different things.

This place was the highlight of my trip. I decided to go with Truffle salami, Romani salami, and Brie. As for my condiments and wine..I decided to put it in the hands of my server. And he did not disappoint! Everything was delicious! My most favorite was the truffle salami and "A Sunday in August". Our server is so attentive and generous. Always making sure that we were having a fabulous time and refilling our drinks and bread! This place will be a must have for every time I go to Canada!

I absolutely love the concept of this. You get the chance to try a bunch of cheese and meats that you will never really get the chance to otherwise along with wines or non alcoholic drinks as well for a fair price. As someone that doesn't know much about what pairs well with certain wines or condiments they have premade flights and they also allow you to choose your meats/cheese and leave the condiments up to them. They're super knowledgeable and are great at giving suggestions while keeping your dietary concerns (I have a nut allergy) and preferences in mind. I would definitely come back next time I'm in Vancouver to try some more things out Only thing to note is they're located in some sketchy looking alley so either don't come super late at night, come with friends or approach from the illuminated end of the alley and not the darken side

So much fun!! I absolutely adore wine, and if you have friends that aren't too fond of it, I'd bring them here in hopes to change their mind. I really love how knowledgeable the staff is, especially when it comes to pairings and individuals. My sister and I had almost felt as if they had guessed our palates based off our personality or demeanour. Although we had picked fairly similar meats/cheeses, the waiter chose wines that surprisingly blew us away, individually! She of course preferred her flight over mine, as I did mine over hers - but we still tried each other's to compare. It's great how our waiter was a little daring with his pairings and goes beyond what you usually prefer, as it really broadens your taste to types of wine that you're originally not very fond of. It's a great place to compare each other's palates and give each other a myriad of combinations to try with each flight of wine. Will definitely be back!

It's aite. Was prepared to fall in love. Didn't quite get there. LOVE the concept (yummy nibbles and wine flights?!), but delivery was not everything I wanted it to be. Perhaps my hopes set me up for disappointment, alas. Did a wine flight of 3 reds and mooched sips of a couple others, but overall was not impressed by the selection. Food was okay - the feta and honey was bomb, as was the blue chèvre; of the dozen things I sampled, I found a 20% hit rate for things that were delicious versus forgettable. Service is friendly - a bit delayed, but perhaps would be better with a smaller group - and the evening ambience was lovely. In concept though, super fun, and fairly reasonable pricing for the experience ($15 for a wine flight of 3x2oz, and a $29 set meal option including a board, a tapas, and a dessert). May return with a fellow wino for some casual fun with casual expectations.

I want to start this review by saying every time I walk into this place I want to smash all the ceramic piggy banks. I imagine this event to have Mario Bros theme music and coins will be flying everywhere. But being banned from having terrific cured meats, yummy cheeses and to-die-for wines has deterred me in doing so thus far. There's a lot to be said for a simple under renovated chic hideaway so I'll break it down: Why: STR supports local Every experience is unique, you can't get bored Good for people who aren't fussy and just want a good experience Easiest thing to do is the chef's tasting 3-3-3, three flights of wine, cheese/meats, condiments. What's so special about this? Well besides all of these being delicious, you'd never think some of this stuff would pair well. Some, you wouldn't think was even edible! It'll run you $16 and then you'll be like omg i want more! And I can afford it! Even with all this HST and stuff! (haha here's me making fun of BC taxes) The lower level is another experience. Concrete walls, bare floors. Glass enclosure of the biggest treasure of wines ever. It's dark, but a whole heck of a lot quieter for intimate conversations and not as tight spaced as upstairs. Huge communal dining hall bench table for a party looked really neat too. STR keeps it simple and does it well. And open late. My go-to spot everytime I'm in town and 4/4 so far.

Such a fun, novel time here. I was excited to try this out as I love meat & cheese platters, and I've never been to a tasting room before. But FYI, this is in Blood Alley, so it's a little hard to spot from the street - you gotta go walk into the alley until you see an upside down salt shaker sign on the glass door. I'm not educated on wine & cheeses, and I won't pretend that I am. But that's exactly what the staff is here for - to impart their knowledge to you & to ensure you have a great time. After all, tasting rooms are for you to taste new things. I loved how accommodating they were in picking out our tasting boards for us. They were patient & eager to work with us on our preferences, and bam, we had our tasting boards & wine flights ready. Our boards & flights were accompanied with papers of the names of the food/wine so we'd know exactly what we were eating as we were eating it. The cheese, the meats & the side pairings were so delightful. They choose high quality cheese and meats. They also came with baskets of different kinds of breads, crackers and rice crackers. I love how tasting rooms are to introduce you to new foods. Everything on my board was something I've never tried, but familiar enough for me to enjoy. The wine pairing just enhanced the experience even more. My first time going to a tasting room & I had a great time. The manager kept making sure everything was okay so that we'd get the best experience. Also learned about some new foods that I will definitely go on a hunt for now, so shoutout to tasting rooms.

Excellent Hospitality... Highly appreciated the owners attention to detail, and helpful suggestions for meat, cheese suggestions and the associated wine pairings. Wonderful Evening

The Salt Tasting Room's concept of create your own Charcuterie and build your own wine flights is FABULOUS! If you are my friend, follower, or happen to have read some of my reviews, then you know I am a wine girl! Wine bars are like candy bars for me and I absolutely love wine flights!! Salt Tasting Room offers fresh and unique, small-batch cured meats and artisan cheeses with tasty condiments, so you can design your very own Charcuterie Plate. The ingredients for your Charcuterie are listed on a big chalkboard on the wall. Pick what interests you, both wine and food, and have them paired for the ultimate tastebud experience. Alternatively, have Salt choose and pair the wines and the Charcuterie for you! High quality food, but unfortunately small portions. A wine flight will run you $15 for a total of 6 ounces (bit steep), and a cheese or meat, or mixed board will run you $16. They do offer a three course meal with a tapa of your choice, board of your choice and a dessert for $29, but there is no vino included with that! This place is a little overpriced, which seems to be the general consensus with yelp reviews, but it's an enjoyable and unique experience. It would be nice if they could provide larger portions for these prices, or at least do a happy hour for a discount on those wine flights. I would suggest eating somewhere else before, or at home, because it's not dinner and it likely won't fill you up. As for service, we had a large group of about 15 people for our "Yelp Sipper Club" and the service overall was a bit slow. I did find the server helpful and knowledgeable with the menu, but I hate waiting in anticipation for drinks or the need to use flailing limbs to get our servers attention. I was also annoyed that my first choice Red was sold out at 7pm on a Tuesday. Maybe it's wine snobbery, but I feel that shouldn't happen at a specialty wine bar, or at least there should be a replacement wine of a similar style readily available.

This is such a fun place to go with a group of friends! I love that you get to customize your own charcuterie plate, and they have such a huge selection of meats/cheese/condiments that they rotate through. Honestly, you could have a totally different experience every time you come here, the combinations are endless. It can be a bit daunting because of all the choices, but they also have pre-made combinations if you just want to keep things simple. I came here with a pretty large group of 10+ people and our waitress was fantastic! She was super patient with all of us, and took time to provide suggestions and answer all of our individual questions. Their wine flights are also an awesome way to try different wines! I gave the waitress some general guidelines about my preferences for whites and reds, and she was able to give me some SOLID recommendations which I really really enjoyed. The charcuterie board is really meant to be more of a snack thing, so don't expect to be filled up completely by it. You can definitely order other food and make it a meal here. Overall, for a board + a flight of three 2 oz. pours of wine, it was around $30+, which isn't exactly cheap. But I think Salt Tasting Room is mostly meant to be a fun experience, and I really enjoyed my time here overall! Looking forward to coming back to learn about/try more cheeses/meats/wine!

This place was really great. We had some time to kill before going to dinner, so my friend and I ordered a wine flight and three cheeses. We had some sort of blue, a goat, and something like a cheddar. I can't remember the names. We also ordered caramelized onions, honeycomb, and some sort of meat as well. Our server was super knowledgeable and she helped us pick out our wines and the pairings. The place was pretty quiet when we got there, but we had a nice time. I was definitely impressed by our server's knowledge. We found the pairings delicious.

Amazing! Wonderful! And hidden from the rest! This place is elegant, fancy, and very friendly with an amazing staff, large selection of beer and wine! Amazing cheeses and condiments!

Best experience in Gastown. Service was perfect, concept is awesome and pricing stayed reasonnable. Thanks a lot for this good time!

I'm a huge fan of this place primarily because 1) I love wine and 2) I love cheese/charcuterie boards. So the fact that Salt Tasting Room specializes in both, makes this spot one of my favourites. It's located right in Blood Alley in Gastown, so if you don't know where to go, it's easy to get lost or walk right by. There's not really any signage outside other than a white salt shaker neon light, so keep that in mind when you come to visit. The service everytime I've come to visit has been top tier. The servers I've had are well educated on the menu and wines, which I always appreciate, because I tend to be indecisive when it comes to choosing good wines. Aside from the wines, they have a tapas style menu - so plenty of snacks and appetizers, as well as an assortment of charcuteries and cheese boards. You can pick between a pre-created board or you can build your own. While the pre-created boards are delicious, there's something so freeing about building your own, so I tend to go that route more often. You can mix and match 3 cheeses and 3 meats or get all meats and all cheeses, totally up to you! The one thing I do have to point out is that their portions are fairly small for what you're paying - yes, the quality is really good, but if you're sharing with 4+ people, the boards don't really fill you up. I'd recommend getting a board and splitting a bunch of different appies if you're looking for more of a filling meal. The place itself isn't very big, so on weekend evenings, they tend to fill up fairly quickly. But if you don't mind sitting next to people at the communal table, there is usually always room there. One of my fave spots in Gastown and I will definitely keep coming back.

What a cool experience! It was my birthday and my friends and I decided to do something different and try out this charcuterie tasting place. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and suggested a lot of drinks he thought we would like. I tried something different which paid off, it was something I probably wouldn't have picked myself but it was really good. I believe it was called a orange peel wine? Definitely very strong but I enjoyed trying something I wouldn't normally. I will say I didn't enjoy ALL the cheeses picked for me, some were a little gross, but others we loved especially with the condiments they were paired with. It was a really fun experience to have with my friends, highly recommend this to anyone who is adventurous and likes to try new things!

One of the highlights of my trip FOR SURE!! Searched for a wine bar and found this little gem - and man am I glad I did! We didn't have any true must haves, so we told our server what we liked and she concocted the most beautiful assortment of meats, cheeses, accompaniments and WINE I have ever had. What a curation! The pairings were incredible. Every bite was more extraordinary than the next. I think we said a collective 2 million "WOW"s throughout the evening. The staff was great, so incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. What a fantastic find. Definitely check this place out!

We were hoping this place would be special but it fell short. The idea is to have meat, cheese, and condiments with wine. There was nothing unique about their menu items other than the wines. We could have done better going to Whole Foods. To say this place is overhyped is an understatement. The most puzzling part of our night was the fact that our server did not know the names of the wines on the menu and did not know how to pronounce the names of the cheeses or olives. Next time, we will go to Whole Foods for olives, cheese, fig jam, and 3 bottles of wine and turn it up in our hotel room.

I'm not new to pairing cheese with jams, dried fruits, nuts and cured meats. Getting the right pairing to bring out the flavours of all elements can sometimes come down to many trials and errors so when I heard about Salt Tasting room I loved the idea because I think a lot of people are missing out on enjoying cheese to its fullest potential. However, the execution of this concept restaurant missed the mark. For starters the menu is hard to understand. It's only written on the wall which means, depending on where you're sitting you might find it hard to read. The cheese is only written by name, no description of cheese type, flavour, milk. I mean if I said Grey Owl cheese how many people would know that it's a goats milk soft cheese with a blue cheese mould on the outside? Second it's good to give people some direction. They cant choose their pairing for the cheese if they're new to it. They won't know if they should order honey, nuts or pickles on the side. Sure the servers give recommendations but if they pair everything for you then what's really the point of choosing everything? I would suggest a more thorough menu, with a general explanation of what pairs well with what. A better description of each cheese. The overall ordering process was lengthy and way too confusing.

We tried this place for the first time today with two other friends. We were seated in the basement ( almost dungeon-like room). It was beside the wine cellar. I didn't mind the room as it was private and away from the noisy crowd but it could be a little creepy for some. We each ordered a charcuterie plate and we shared a salad. The cheeses and meats were delicious but definitely not filling. We were still hungry afterwards. Wish they had other appetizers but there was nothing else on the menu. It would have been nice if they had some other food options on the menu . This is definitely not a dinner type of restaurant unless you are not hungry and want to just have some drinks and a small snack. But the cheeses and meats were good and worth coming back for. Corkage fee is $25. Service was pretty good.

We had a great time at Salt... after we finally found it! lol The place is in a dark alley, and we passed it twice before calling them and making sure we were in the right place. Maybe we were just tired from the trip, as it was our first night in Vancouver. ;) Once there, the atmosphere is very pleasant and we were treated extremely well, even though we arrived just 30 minutes before closing. Our server was really helpful and patient in explaining their system, and we decided to try a couple of their predetermined selections instead of pretending we knew what we were doing. The result was a very interesting, learning experience. We discovered new tastes coming from combinations we never would have selected on our own. Some we loved, others not as much, but everything was fresh and of great quality. The two combinations we selected were more than enough for me and my wife. We couldn't finish it all! All in all it was a great start to our trip, and we definitely recommend the place.

Wonderful, quaint wine bar in Gastown! I came here with a good friend of mine to try out their wine and cheese flights, but came out loving their cheeses way more than their wine selection. Great service and products; one star docked for wine pairing :( Each listed wine and cheese are in the order in which they are paired. Ordering flights is super easy. There is a chalk board on the wall which lists the possible meat/cheese/condiment combinations. You pick a combo of three meat/cheese and a combo of three condiments. Wine flights you can pick from their wine list. Order: Cheese flight Wine flight Medjool dates stuffed with goat cheese Cheese flight: We were interested in the local chevre and the fig jam, and left the rest to our hostess. Here's the pairing we received: Local chevre - Mostarda di pere Taleggio - Marcona Almonds Piave - Fig Jam The cheese and condiment pairings were lovely. The rich, creaminess of the chevre paired with the sweet mostarda was a hit in our books. However our favorite pairing was actually the Piave w/ fig jam. Nothing beats a combo of pungent and sweet! The marcona almonds highly complemented the nuttiness of the taleggio. Medjool Dates w/ Goat cheese: We loved dates, we loved cheese, so why not both? The goat cheese was mixed with an orange zest(?) I believe, and then piped into a pitted medjool date. We liked the concept of the dish, but hoped that we could taste more of the goat cheese. Medjool dates are very sweet, and it unfortunately overpowered the goat cheese mixture inside. Wine flight: We decided we wanted wine paired to the cheese we picked, so we left our options to the hostess. Here's what she brought out: Zanatta Fantasia Brut Van Western Vineyards Vlognier Le Vieux Pin Pinot Noir Rose The Zanatta Brut was fantastic! Not too sweet, and when paired with the chevre and mostarda, amplified the creaminess of the chevre and fruity sweetness of the mostarda. This combination was by far the best combo of the night. Unfortunately it is the remaining two wines that led me to dock one star. The Vlognier was not good (not a bad cork), and it also did not pair well with the Taleggio. All we could say is that it tasted -- off. The pinot noir tasted average and similar to the vlognier, did not suit the strong piave. Personal opinion, but I think the piave would have been better with a red. How about a Merlot for the Taleggio?

This place so cool!! And I had such a great time!! If you're looking to get super full and stuffed, this is not the place for you. As the name suggests, it's more so of a tasting place! I didn't know that at first when coming here so luckily I wasn't super hungry or anything. The inside is nice and has a cozy vibe. The warm tones and cool ambiance has you feeling very comfortable and relaxed while enjoying your meal. How it work is, you get to order your choice of meats and cheese. The chef then chooses a flight to wine for you dependent on your choice or meats and cheese. When they bring your food and drinks to the table, the staff is very detailed in explaining the drink choices and which food choice it was derived from and which ones it pairs well with. Afterwards, you get to enjoy your meal taste testing everything! For me, I found the experience very fun and we actually spent quite a long time there despite not looking like much food. Reason being was I did all these trial and errors and trying to see how something tasted paired with this or that. And which wine tasted great with what. Or I would make something for my date to eat or have a contest who can make the best tasting combination with a key ingredient. Overall it was such a cool and fun experience for me. I definitely recommend!

The case of the pickled pubic hair! Salt came highly recommended - both from friends in Calgary and locals in Vancouver. We are big wine and charcuterie fans, so we were looking forward to a date night during a recent trip to Vancouver. Our first (and last) experience at Salt was beyond disappointing. When we arrived, the restaurant was not overly packed. We asked to move to a table with proper seats rather than benches which was accommodated. We each ordered the chef's tasting menus - I got cheese and my boyfriend got meat, thinking we could share our plates. Our salad came out - slower than what I would have thought for salad. It was 8:30pm at this point, so we were hungry! After finishing our salads, our wine pairings came out. We expected our meats and cheeses to come out soon after, so we left our wine to enjoy with our food. So we waited, and waited, and waited. About 20 minutes went by and still no food. Keep in mind that none of the food is actually cooked! Finally the server brought us corned beef compliments of the chef with apologies for the wait. And we waited some more for our food. Finally our food came after our wine glasses were covered in condensation and were warm. We dug into our food...until my boyfriend threw down his cutlery and said "That's it, we're leaving!" I asked him what was wrong, and he pointed to a curly black hair (photo attached) in his pickles. GROSS! We called the waitress over, and explained our disappointment with the meal, service, and now finding a pickled pubic hair in our food. She was not apologetic at all, and did not offer to rectify the situation. She said she did her best, they were short-staffed and this wasn't her fault. So we said, that's fine but we're leaving and not paying for this horrible meal. So we got up and went to Tacofino...where we gorged ourselves with tacos and had an amazing meal! Do yourselves a favour and skip this place - go down the alley for tacos. You'll be much happier and have some more $$$ in your wallet!

Wow, 179 reviews and counting! First of all, the entrance of Salt Tasting Room is located in a dark, dingy, smelly alley. Going to this restaurant is an adventure in itself. As you approach the restaurant, there's a sign above with a cartoon picture of a salt shaker. Clean, modern and adorable. Inside, they've kept the decor to a minimum with concrete floors and simple tables throughout. There's a chalkboard with the specials on one side and a brick wall, -very Gastown. For $15, there's a choice of 3 cheeses, 3 meats or mix and match. There's also a 3 course menu for $28, which comes with salad, the butcher or cheese plate and a dessert. This is a great place to take a date, relax with friends and have some snacks. Keep in mind not to come too hungry. The whole point of the Salt Tasting Room is to taste the different types of wine and food. You'll love it!

"Are you sure it's down here?" I peered into the dark alley wondering if we'd made a wrong turn. It just looked like an alley. A very dark and scary looking one. And it was raining. So it just looked like a wet, dark, and scary looking alley. It didn't seem likely that such a lauded restaurant would be down in there. But apparently it was so we walked past a few dumpsters and entered the restaurant tucked away into a brick wall. We had made lunch reservations just in case but it was late and the restaurant was pretty quiet. Once we sat down, we looked to one of the walls which was essentially a large chalkboard with all the offerings on the menu. The way to go is to build your own plate with cheese, cured meat, and condiments. We looked over the choices and decided on the fennel salad and a 'Best of BC' plate which is composed of items that are made locally (You can add on a wine flight for an additional $15). The plate consisted of Corned Beef from J. Beethoven's in Cultus Lake BC, a Piccantino from the Oyama Sausage Company in nearby Granville, and an Ash Camembert from Salt Spring Island. Our condiments were a Guinness Mustard, Piccalilli Relish, Apricot Chutney, and an add-on of Cornichons. The Fennel Salad was crunchy with just a hint of lemon juice and strips of celery. Topped with shavings of French Comté cheese which provided a salty and savory contrast, the salad was a nice starter. The Corned Beef on our 'Best of BC' plate was tender with good flavors from pickling spices and perfect with a dab of the tangy Guiness Mustard. The Piccantino (a salami style cured meat) was a little spicy and paired beautifully with the Piccalilli relish which was mouth puckering but very fresh with a warm hint of curry. The Camembert was rich but a little metallic with mineral notes from the ash and the apricot chutney that came with it tasted so much of the fruit it was made of, you could almost feel the fur of the apricot skin on your tongue. I was glad we ordered the Cornichons as they provided some extra sour and crunch to go along with the meats and cheese. The wine flight we ordered along with our meal was composed of three wines- a ROAD 13 Old Vines Chenin Blanc 08 (white), a Pentâge Gamay Rosé (pink), and the OROFINO"Beleza" 07 (red) all from local and nearby wineries in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. The wines were all very unique and lovely in their own way and worked well with the particular foods we had. I also ordered a sparkling tea for myself which on the menu is described as White Jasmine Tea (0.5% alcohol) but it wasn't very memorable. If I had to choose again I'd probably go for my own wine flight or just a glass of the Pentâge Gamay Rosé (a Salt Tasting Room exclusive in Vancouver) which I liked the most from the three wines we had. The service was great- not too intrusive but very helpful when we asked for suggestions. They were extremely informative about their wine list which is always a plus especially since we weren't too familiar with their local regions. Salt Tasting Room is an excellent choice for a light meal and the vibe is very cool and laid back at the same time. I would definitely come back if I happened to be in the city again. Photos and more can be seen here on my favorite blog- http://www.alamodejournals.com/index.php/2010/02/olympic-contender/

It could well have been a one line review: This was a really unique experience. Now, getting into more details. This place is slightly difficult to find, you have to take an alley(Trounce Alley) that goes past the Clough Club and Barber and Co. We had already booked a table for 12 on a Friday night. As we got ourselves seated around a huge table in a hipster place, we were offered the menu cards. We were a bunch of grad students, unaware of the intricacies of fine wining and dining downtown Vancouver might offer, and frankly speaking we were intimidated by the range of wines, cheeses and meats on offer. The person serving on our table came up to us and explained us how a typical tasting platter worked. We could choose three meats+cheese, and three condiments for $16. We could then choose 3 wines to go with the three combinations we had made for an additional $15. Well, the first part was not that difficult, we were shown the wallpaper where the cheese+meat choices were jotted down, and we made our choices known. We had limited knowledge about which wine would go with which combinations, and we asked the waiter to choose the wines that would go best with our choices. The person serving our table was nice, patient and cordial. The meat, cheese, wine, heck everything was good. I have been to many food places, and my reviews are generally just me being specific about what I liked in the menu, or what put me off. This review is different, because this place is not just about the variety and quality of the cheese or meat or wine on offer, it is about the whole experience. I should add that this is perfect place for a date night. Highly recommended!

I stopped by Salt Tasting Room last night for a quick glass of wine and light bite... Our party of three didn't have a reservation, but we were able to get seated promptly. The space itself is great. The name is fitting as it really is just a room, but it has a lot of character. Love the brick walls and chalkboard with the menu on it. Unfortunately, the service was not the friendliest or the most attentive. Back to the bright side, the wine menu is fabulous and the selection of meats, cheese, and condiments is diverse and unique. And while our server was not the friendliest, she did choose the meat and cheese for our tasting plate, as well as our wines, and we all left happy with our selections. It's worth mentioning that I was a little nervous to walk down "Blood Alley," but it wasn't as bad as it sounds. That being said, I probably would not want to walk there alone after dark.

A rather hidden but certainly unique bar in Gastown. I walked past the alleyway a few times until finally being able to find it, but the little hunt to find it was met with an overall pleasant surprise as to how quaint Salt Tasting Room turned out to be! I came here twice, both in the span of exactly a week apart, and both times we were served by the same female sever. The selection was rather extensive in terms of the ranges of wine, though in retrospect, I preferred the meats and wine over the cheese selection. We tried the Spanish cured meat, brie, fig jam, some kind of special honey, dates, and a kind of salami. The fact that it was tailor made to your tastes and preferences was a huuuge plus one, so we decided to pick three wines which would complement our condiments and meat choices, and another three based off our own personal preferences, including a really nice Riesling and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The layout of the wine flights was pleasantly aesthetic. Having been only on Sunday nights, I wouldn't be able to comment on what the ambience would be like during busy hours like on a Friday night on Sunday nights however, STR is quiet but not too quiet - definitely a fun spot to be conversing and catching up with friends. Overall, this would be my go-to spot to bring friends from out of town, or a place to bring a bunch of friends looking for something fun to do.

"Egh...am I in the right place?" With my heels and summer dress I stepped into the Blood Alley feeling a bit nervous seeing the man peeing in the corner and another ruffling through the garbage can few feet away. Salt Tasting Room deserves two thumbs up for the bravery of opening up a shop in this bloody alley, I mean the Blood Alley. With some relief I pushed the door open to the spacious and industrious looking minimalistic setting. The exposed brick wall juxtaposed with the zinc bar is quite pretty and guests can crowd along the long communal table to nibble and sip on flights of artful pairings, which can also be put-together by the friendly staff, should you are daunted by the extensive list of the day's selection of charcuteries, artisanal cheeses and condiments, all scribbled on the large blackboard (re-written daily). The highlights that stood out for me were: - Local honeycomb with blue cheese - Soft and buttery Chevre with ripped juicy dark cherries - Smoked beef with Jalapeño pepper Salt features picks from the Oyama Sausage Co., J,N, & Z Deli, and Salumi (in Seattle). As well as imported cheeses from Neal's Yard in London, and from our backyard of Salt Spring Island. Not to mention the cool condiments such as Spanish Marcona almonds and rosemary-marinated olives. They all speak to Salts' commitment of bringing innovative culinary experience to Vancouver. My nibbles were all beautifully paired with JOIE 'Noble Blend' 11, HAHN Pinot Noir'10, and SIX HATS Shiraz '10, all from the fantastic list of some 50 wines ranging from bubbles to Sherry, to Sake, and Birch Beer. I wish I'd come here earlier, now that I've discovered a cool tapas spot, I'll be back. Cheerios~

My favourite little spot for wine and cheese pairing! This place is always busy any day of the week. I can understand why because they've got a great selection of wine, cheese, meat, and jam to pair. The staffs are very friendly and helpful. I am new when it comes to pairing, so I just asked the girl to surprise me, and she did a really good job. She chose 3 sweet and fruit wine for me, with good meat and cheese to pair with. I loved every bite of it! This would be a perfect spot for a date or a girls night out.

I went here for the first time with an expat friend of mine who was visiting from Louisiana during the 4th of July weekend. I was always meaning to go here and be all fancy pants because of good reviews, and yessss, I finally made it. We had to go through Blood Alley to get here, but hey, if little old Chinese ladies can walk around Main & Hastings, we can walk around Gastown alleys with all the dumpsters and piss. Anyway, my friend has had way more experience with wine tasting than me, and I have a non-existent sense of smell (yes I can taste, no I won't explain) - but I still appreciated the different tastes we had and how the flavours went together. We ordered 2 Daily Plates (3 meats/cheese with 3 condiments) paired with 2 Wine Flights (3 different wines), for $15 each. We also got a plate of a variety of breads to go with everything. The waitress was very knowledgeable and went over what to expect with each wine, and the flavours of the meats/cheeses, and recommended what we should start with. ----- Best of BC Plate (all ingredients and wines from BC) 1. Vista d'Oro Pinot Noir with Corned Beef & Guinness Mustard I'm not really too into corned beef, but it was really good with the mustard! I'm not really into pinot noir either, but ahhh well, good to try. Little strong tasting. 2. Joie Reisling with Kulen & Picadilli Relish Mmm! This wine was refreshing (I think it was sparkling), and Kulen was divine...I love this kind of meat. 3. Black Widow Oasis with Ash Camembert & Similkameen Honey OMG, this was a very tasty wine for my inexpert palate. Very refreshing and light, and lovely sweet finish. My favourite. The camembert with honey went really well with the wine...my mouth is kinda watering just thinking of the combination... ----- 4th of July Plate (some ingredients from the US) 1. Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon with Bermuda Triangle & Similkameen Honey I don't really remember this wine - but it was my friend's favourite. The cheese (goat's milk) was a little strong though...hmm. We had a hard time finishing this one - it took a lot of bread and honey. 2. Dutton Goldfield "Dutton Ranch" Chardonnay with Humboldt Fog & Fig Bread This wine was also nom-licious, but I lack the knowledge to really describe it. The cheese was also from goat's milk, but was much milder and better tasting than the Bermuda one. First time trying Fig Bread - it's very sweet - can't have too much of it. 3. Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noir with La Quercia Proscuittio & Piparras Peppers Now we're getting into specifics...I'm pretty sure I liked this wine, but again, don't remember much. But ohhhh proscuittio! and spicy sweet peppers! I could eat you all day long! Okay, so I kind of treated myself, as this cost me $30 plus the damned HST...but so lovely to spend my afternoon here with a wine lover and trying all sorts of foods I had never had before. I hope to revisit this place with other people - this is a great place to chit-chat with friends and get to know someone a little better. Five star love!

I've only been to Salt to host wine tasting events, and I have to say they are excellent to work with. From booking the event, to how it runs on the day, everything is smooth and easy - Tammy Gamel did the guided tasting for us and she is awesome! She ran all the wines by me (because I am a BC wine snob, I admit it!) and was super accommodating for all the little changes to food etc. that we wanted to make, and did a really great summary of the wines and food pairings on the day. The Salt Cellar is also a great space - the booze cabinet is beautiful, and I love that the walls are chalkboards so you can write personalised welcome messages to your guests. The servers were also prompt and helpful. I have yet to come here while not working, but hopefully it'll be a similarly excellent experience!

Oh my goodness. I can't say enough to express how wonderful our experience at Salt Tasting Room was. This delightful little restaurant in Blood Alley packs quite the delicious punch. The simple but diverse menu had us all reeling at first, what to choose? What should we do?? The wait staff immediately came to explain and show is the way and soon we were all enjoying some of the most delicious meat, cheese, and condiments we had ever had. The wine flights they paired with our selections were also fabulous and the waiter's knowledge of a DJ description of each different selection was incredible! Even the decor-simple but classic and modern-lent to the overall experience. If I can say one thing, I would say leave some decisions up to the staff, and try the three course meal. It won't disappoint!

Located in a small, yet well lit alley, Salt is a dime in a dozen. I'm sure there are many small cured meats restaurants in Vancouver, but as a first-time visitor, my sister, friends, and I were happy to find this gem. The menu changes weekly if not seasonally so that no one wine or cheese is repeated. When asked if we could purchase the wine in the restaurant, we were quickly directed to specific stores that had them, so that it was helpful. No reservations are needed since the restaurant is quite small, but there is both a dining room and a drinking only area. Order the flight because it gives you a good chance to try as many cheese, cured meats, and wine as they provide. There was one Belgium cow cheese I could only purchase at this one small grocery store in Vancouver and I never did. It displeases me that I had no traveling time to get it because it was on the other side of the city and we were running late for a dinner back in Seattle. Given the chance, I would revisit Salt and hopefully find out the name of this mysteriously delicious cheese.

Walking down the creepy "Bloody Alley" made me a little nervous but I wasn't going to let that keep me away. As soon I step in, Amazing! Very small and intimate, reservations are highly recommended BUT silly me, I hadn't called ahead. My fiance' and I were so sad assuming we wouldn't be able to get a table but luckily a table opened up! YAY! :) Being cheese fanatics we felt like kids in a candy store! The menu is written on a huge chalk board where you can select between quality meats, cheese and sides. When we finally made up our mind, we decided on sampling three very different kinds of cheese and asked our server to pair it with sides that she felt would compliment our choices. Genius! The parings were perfect, honey, peppers and chutney along side our salty, milky and nutty cheese. The honey alone was delicious! Excellent for the wine connoisseurs and cheese lovers. I am a Salt fan and plan to return on my next trip back to Vancouver!

Truly one of the more unique and enjoyable dining experiences I've had, but I write this review with a caveat: Salt Tasting Room is great, but not great for everyone. WHO SHOULD GO: Serious foodies who are keen to taste some of the best of the cheesmaker's and charcuteriere's craft. Folks looking for some daring new ways to serve and pair wines/meats/cheeses/condiments. WHO SHOULDN'T GO: Cheapskates, folks looking for a night out where the food and wine is a sideshow and not the main event, anyone who has gone to a Cheesecake Factory - by choice - more than once. Salt Tasting Room is what it says it is - a tasting room. You order a platter which gives you a selection of 3 meats or cheeses, they are each paired with a condiment, and you can (and should) order a flight of three 2oz pours of wine to pair with the bites. You can choose your options from what's currently listed on the chalkboard, but the best way to go is to let the staff assemble you platters for you. The servers here are not merely food delivery units. They are well-trained, and will set you up a truly remarkable experience by offering up a meat/cheese + condiment + wine combination that is always appropriate, and frequently downright brilliant! They emphasize local meats, cheeses and wines, and thus STR is a showcase for the best of Canada. The STR has a wine list that is nothing short of astonishing, This is not an 'eat it and beat it' dining experience. Plan on spending some time here, and don't be afraid to drop some dough. This joint isn't cheap, but it's great value for money. So if you're serious about finding and enjoying the best in meats & cheeses & wine, you've got to check out Salt Tasting Room!

Took us awhile to find the place though since it listed an alley as its address, and it really is located in an alley! We came around 2pm, so the place was just us and another table. Didn't really know what to order so we just told the guy to bring one meat and one cheese plate, as well as a grilled cheese combo they serve during lunch. When the meat and cheese plate came, our server explained each type of meat and each type of cheese. I also liked how they wrote down what we were eating so we can kinda experiment with the different condiments they provided as well. For the meats, we got the smoked beef, Argentinian, and the hot capicola. The Argentinian was probably my favorite out of the three since it's really similar to salami. I'm also a fan of the piparra peppers that we got. For the cheese plate, we got the local chevre, la riopelle, and the Lincolnshire poacher. All three were very good, and the chevre and the riopelle were soft spreadable cheeses. With the chevre, it was our first time trying cheese made in Canada too! The Lincolnshire poacher is a hard cheese and much nuttier. They also provide baguettes. For the grilled cheese combo, I forgot what cheese were in our grilled cheese but it was good, made with a panini press. The soup we got that day was butternut squash. I was hoping for tomato soup since that's just such a classic combo, but the butternut squash was smooth and it actually goes well with the salad. The salad had this light creamy dressing with pine nuts, so the flavors were all very winter oriented. Plenty of wines to choose from. They even have a "cellar" that you can go take a look! Service was pretty damn good, since we were the only table halfway through our meal :P

I WANTED to like this place, and based off the reviews I was super hopeful! Maybe it was because I went during the week at an early time, or because it was EMPTY, or because they had the doors open and we were swatting at flies and bugs the entire meal... just was not feeling it. To top that off, the wine & charcuterie was nothing special. And there were homeless people coming up the windows making faces and really causing me to strategically plan when I was leaving... Sorry, not a fan.

I went to the Salt Tasting Room for the first time last night as part of a meetup event (met some awesome people!). Although the Salt Tasting Room is tucked away in an alleyway smelling of urine and garbage, I didn't have any trouble finding it. When I entered the Salt Tasting Room there was an employee standing near the entrance and right away she asked me if I were there for the meetup and directed me to the group (through a doorway, down the stairs). Unfortunately when I arrived at the Salt Tasting Room I was having a blood sugar crash, so I explained my situation to another employee and asked if there was something small I could order to tide me over. She was very understanding and brought me some bread and a cut up fig. I really appreciated that. Excellent service. I enjoyed the food and wine, although it was on the pricey side. The sampler plate at $16 for a selection of a combination of three cheeses/meats and three condiments wasn't overly expensive, but the samples were small--this is definitely not a place to come if you need a substantial meal. (Bread is also provided.) However, I thought the wine sampler was too expensive for what you get--a flight of wine consisting of three samples for $15, with each sample being 2oz. So that's $15 for the equivalent of one glass of wine. So to be more economical, four of us shared a bottle of wine. The bottles of wine were very expensive--the price range was $45 and up. However, a bottle of wine at $50 split four ways is cheaper than the wine sampler, and we each had two decent sized glasses. Despite the price, I really liked the Salt Tasting Room--excellent service, nice atmosphere (they have a large, cozy room downstairs that is perfect for a large group), and tasty food and wine. I'd definitely come back again. It would definitely be a good place to go on a date, especially if the other person is paying!

Give 5*s to Salt Tasting room for hosting events like these and to make me crave meats from Oyama over and over again! Give 5*s to Oyama Sausage for the always giving me a variety and educating me on cured meats and cheese to the point where I have now become an addict. Give 5*s to Vista D' Oro winery for complimenting the meat and condiments so nicely and allowing me to experience such different flavours, even if it wasn't my cup of tea... i mean glass of wine. My co-worker thought this would be interesting and I thought - what the heck. For $50.. I didn't want to do it because I'm always looking for a good deal and thought the price was a little steep, but in the end it was all worth it. We started off with a pear appertif, the smell of pear was so aromatic, quite different than when you actually drink it, more subtle and bitter but tasteful. As we sat down, our flight of wine was already on the table, two reds and a white........ little did I know that we were going to get TWO flights that night! That's like two meals!!!!!!!!! Two gentleman from the respective shops and winery would explain what we were eating, how things are made, and we would EAT! I'm just going to say everything went nicely with one another, from the meats, to the cheese to the condiments, there was a variety of textures, tastes and colour. The wild board salami was softer in texture and the cipolini sweet onions balanced its salty taste. I love the picollini relish.. wish there was a huge bowl of it and the bajonne ham was as good as the proscuitto I've been eating from oyama lately... the lonzo was a little more strong in taste, and I wasn't a big fan of the fig bread, but none the less.... it went together somehow. The breads and crisps were constantly filled so it was never empty and our table of 9 had plenty to eat.......and I was pretty much full.. until: "You can now turn over your sheet of paper for your second flight"!!! holy smokes, meat and cheese overload! The sherry beef from the second plate was too dry for me, so I didn't like too much. The duck liver mousse was super rich.. again not my thing but still extremely complicated in tastes... the olives definitely helped. The last meat - the grelots were my favourite of the whole night. It is a salami with hazelnuts in them. I mean who thinks of that!!! It was so good that I think I'm just going to have to buy some and share with my bf (because sharing is caring!) The bassett stilton blue cheese that came with the honey was absolutely divine, I wish there was more honey! I wish I could comment more on the wine but I'm no connesieur. All I can really remember was that the Pinot Noix (not Noir) had this crazy smell that I have never even inhaled from wine. The taste was really different, not in a good way and tasted a little like wooden stained fence. I know it sounds disgusting but I'm sure that many others would love it. The Syrah, was a much lighter wine which was nice with the much stronger sherry beef. and the D'Oro 07 that went with my favourite grelots was also my favourite.. similar to a dessert wine that just touched all the different tastebuds on my tongue. There was one more dessert wine, at the end of the night, to finish things off which just made me completely satisfied. So was it worth it? On average - one flight of meats and cheeses with a flight of wine would cost $30. For $50, I had two flights of meats/ cheeses, and wines, and two additional tasters at the beginning and end. With good conversation and a lesson on meats and wine.. I really do not think that it could've been any better.... BUT WAIT.... there was an apple trio for dessert.... and I was too full to try it (WHY!!!!!!) I'm just going to have to call them and hope that they'll have it again - watch out :)

This is the fourth time I have been to salt and it still has not let me down. The one thing I did notice since the first time I went (1 week after it opened), is that the portion sizes have increased. You definatley feel like your getting something. I know alot of poeple out there think that its only meat, cheese, condiments, and wine and that you pay waaaay to much for it, but the simple fact is that your paying for the expieince and the knowledge that you can take away and add to your own repitor! Best pairing ever IMO - Comte cheese + quince paste + Reseva Raventos (bubbly) = OMG! Another fun fact about Blood alley and how it got its name which has never been proved by historians is a) Gas town is where vancouver began and right around blood alley is where it was so named because unsuspecting ship-workers of the Granville townsite would walk through the alley after pay-day only to get murdered if they didn't surrender their cash. b) Blood Alley may have also been the site of the city's first civic buildings, butcher shops (who would toss blood into the alley at the end of the day) you decide.... enjoy!

When a foodie friend takes you to a restaurant down "Blood Alley", you know that either you're in for a treat, or you've unknowingly insulted your friend and this is your last meal.... Fortunately for me, I was in for a great lunch. My review really has to be quiet simple: I enjoyed a smoked Jarlesberg & caramelized onion grilled cheese sandwich with two side salads (an arugula salad, and a beet salad), and a pot of jasmine green tea. Simple, delicious food in an airy, lovely restaurant with a good friend. As the other reviewers will tell you, there more to this place than a good lunch. Since I didn't get to experience the joys of mixing and matching meats, cheeses, condiments, and wines, I don't have much to say on the matter except that it's a fantastic idea, and I'll give it a try the next time I'm in Vancouver.

Cute wine tasting room located in an alleyway of Gastown. It came to us as a recommendation from a local in our search for great food in Vancouver during our 4 day stay over the winter holiday. We went on New Years Eve 2015 without a reservation. We had checked Open Table several times and there was plenty availability so we skipped reserving a table. Got in no problem. Since we didn't have a reservation, we had to sit at the bar which was great because the chef gave us a free sample of cheese and bread right off the bat while we waited for our wine flight. The waiter was really nice, as was the chef. Waiter gave the whole 3 item meat/cheese/condiment flight spiel. As a person who's not a cheese/meat connoisseur, the menu seemed a little overwhelming at first but the waiter broke it down and gave great recommendations. Ambience is hip, low key, yet slightly upscale. According to some local Canadians we met at the bar this place is super cool and hipster... Wouldn't go that far but then again I'm from California. I would recommend it.