Aperitivo and Martini Spot Alfie’s Arrives in Old Montreal

Old Montreal has a loungey new spot in the form of Alfie’s, now open from the owner of top cocktail spot the Cold Room, Kevin Demers, in tandem with Old Montreal mini-magnate Thomas Vernis (Café Tommy, Rockwood).

Cocktails will be the focus here: expect some dry drinking options, as the house cocktail list will consist of five aperitivos alongside five concoctions that are loosely in the “martini” category, including vespers.

“We’re really focused on things in stemware, Marie Antoinette [coupes], martini glasses, all that jazz,” Demers tells Eater.

Those not in the mood for dryer gin options will still be well looked-after: Demers says the Alfie’s bartenders are being held to the same standard as his staff at Cold Room, and are required to be able to put together over 100 classic cocktails on demand.

“If there is something you’re craving and that you want we’re going to be able to supply it at the Cold Room level.”

Alfie’s shares a kitchen with Vernis’ adjacent nouveau-Canadian restaurant Rockwood, but it won’t do full meals — according to Demers, expect small bites that require minimal cutlery and nothing more than chopsticks.

Similar to Demers’ approach at the Cold Room, the location for Alfie’s has a little history to it — it’s named for star ‘70s nightclub DJ Alfie Wade, who operated hit boîte Le Vieux Rafiot at the same Saint-Sulpice address (although a few decades back). The soundtrack at Alfie’s will also be somewhat of a throwback, with plenty of ‘80s hip-hop: think Grandmaster Flash, and similar producers and MCs.

STATUS — Alfie’s is open at 404 Saint-Sulpice from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday to Saturday (expanded hours are likely in the future).

• Alfie’s [Facebook]