Montreal : Food & Drink
W Marks the Spot
By Sarah Lolley
Aug 21, 2008

 

Wunderbar

901 Victoria Sq., Montréal; 514-395-3100; wunderbar-montreal.com; Open 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Tue. — Sat.

When veteran vegan Inder Bedi founded his faux-leather handbag company matt&nat ( mattandnat.com ) eight years ago, it was out of “the desire to see products that are ethical, but still fashionable,” he says.

Clearly he’s got it in the bag: the company has won both accolades from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and a celebrity following; Brad Pitt, Eva Mendes and Natalie Portman are all fans.

But when the Montréal native wants to unwind and scope out what people are wearing (and carrying), he hits Wunderbar.

Located on the ground floor of the über-cool W Hotel, Wunderbar has a limited capacity (180 people) and welcomes a decidedly urban crowd of young professionals; “People who aren’t there to be in a fishbowl, but more to just chill,” Bedi says.

The sleek, mostly black space has unique white accents, like a backlit hand-chipped bar that looks like a massive block of ice, and an opulent white marble DJ booth. Bedi loves the discreetly mirrored ceiling, which allows you to see everyone in the bar—including celebrities like Mick Jagger, Bruce Willis and Wyclef Jean, who have all been spotted here.

DOOR
There’s no cover charge, but “expect to see someone stopping you.” Anyone can get past the velvet dividers, but if you haven’t called ahead to place your name on the list, you’ll have a hard time getting past the muscular doormen in black suits.

DÉCOR
“Once you get in, you start to pick up on the little details”—like the wave-like texture of the black walls—“but you have to look for them,” Bedi says.

DRESS
There is no dress code, but most patrons opt to step it up with heels, handbags and designer threads. “They want to be relaxed and have a good time, but still be around the scene.”

DRINK
Sophisticated signature cocktails, like The Bitter End (gin, elderflower cordial, lemon and cucumber) range from $12 – $15, but Bedi leans towards “an ice-cold Corona.”