During the Fan Expo Vancouver weekend, I knew I had to visit Arcana Food and Spirits in Gastown again, and they didn’t disappoint! From the neon glow of a “pet psychic” facade outside to the noir-styled interior within, walking into Arcana feels like stepping into another dimension. The entrance is decorated like in Rocky Horror Picture show, but once you’re inside, what’s there is more of a speakeasy than an area for a stage show.
This time around, I brought my friend Susan along. We’ve done paranormal investigations together and while we weren’t planning to run a session on a busy Friday night, I’ll admit the mood makes you half-expect a planchette to slide on its own. I also had to accept one bittersweet update: anyone hoping to meet the Lich King or sip beside the Cthulhu tiki mug and take home now has to make a pilgrimage to Toronto’s Storm Crow Manor. but here, all you can do is drink with them. Their storefront, Mysterious Package Company doesn’t seem to update inventory often, so don’t count on snagging rare barware online.
Contrary to earlier reports like this 2023 Daily Hive review, the “Death” cocktail has a fixed ingredient list. It’s a fruity rye whisky drink with a Polynesian-inspired profile and pineapple notes, and it glows with every stir thanks to a waterproof tea light sitting inside a glass skull. Honestly, Indy would be cautious, but no crystal skulls were harmed in the writing of this review. Most cocktails start around $18, and I could easily have two before the night starts feeling a little too cemetery-adjacent. And no, you can’t take the skull home.
Despite what early coverage suggested, like Vancouver Is Awesome, not everything in Arcana is available for purchase. The “Wheel of Fortune,” where patrons roll a die to determine what goes into the cocktail, is next on my list. I can’t yet confirm whether the dice are keepsakes. I’ve found images from the Toronto operation and they look like standard gaming dice rather than custom pieces. Patrons do get a keepsake card to take home though, and I’m already planning to frame mine and come back to collect the full set. I’d rather earn them one visit at a time, especially if I’m coming here for a meal anyway.
Steak, Sliders, and Summoning Dessert
For the main course, the steak frites ($28) was excellent. It arrived medium-rare and pre-cut, which is a little unusual, but it made for a sharper presentation. It was juicy with a solid peppercorn flavour. I swapped the frites for a fresh salad with blue cheese dressing, and it landed perfectly. The portion size left me wanting just a bit more, though dessert helped close the gap. Susan ordered the sliders ($19) and said they were filling, and just as tasty.
One small note for planners: the online dessert menu didn’t match what was actually offered in the restaurant. Minor, but noticeable. Between the cocktail list and the temptation to collect more cards, I’ll be back by summer, if not sooner. And while not everyone was there for the atmosphere, anyone who lives in this culture is going to feel at home. I wore a Norse-themed bomber jacket and blended right in.
Storm Crow’s Shadow, Arcana’s Own Brand
Arcana and Storm Crow share DNA, and the similarities make more sense once you look at the team keeping both running. Storm Crow has long been a staple of Toronto’s nerd scene, and when the brand expanded west, the waters were rough. The pandemic-era closures hit Vancouver hard, with locations shutting down in 2020 and 2022. Rather than quit, Storm Crow owner Jason Kapalka and his team rebuilt with something that fits a city with a famously haunted past.
Between the walking tours, like Vancouver Ghost & Vampire Tours and Forbidden Vancouver, and Gastown’s endless supply of dark little stories, Arcana feels like it belongs here. Even the “maybe there’s a Jack the Ripper connection” joke lands, because the neighbourhood is built for that kind of wink.
During Arcana’s first few years, there was still leftover stock from the Storm Crow days, and I was lucky enough to acquire the Cthulhu tiki mug. Lightning struck twice and the Lich followed me home! I have to thank management and acknowledge the future is bright.
Arcana is clearly building its own identity and every time I’m in town for a concert or Fan Expo, I’ll be here! With their own branded items like flasks, mugs, and pins already available, I suspect more products will appear in due time. Prices start around $12 and climb from there. It’s a smart shift. The past is the past, and no feds will want to shut this place down!
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