Quiet closures are a common thing in Metro Vancouver.
That means no last hurrah and no announcement to share with their community.
Just sad disappointment when you stumble upon a spot you loved suddenly gone without a word.
And we spotted Salt Tasting Room has quietly bowed out of Chinatown.
No farewell post, no last glass of wine, just a different food spot in its place.
Even when you try to trace back when they may have potentially closed, you’ll find that their last Instagram post was back in August 19th.
For those who don’t know, Salt Tasting Room was kind of a big deal back in the day.
It spent over 10 years holding it down in Gastown’s Blood Alley, pairing artisan meats, cheeses, and wines.
Then it went on a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and made its comeback in Chinatown in November 2023.
But even after that reboot, something didn’t quite stick.
Last summer, Salt tried switching things up: opening during the day instead of night and focusing on hearty sandwiches instead of tasting plates.
Unfortunately, it seems like that pivot wasn’t enough to keep things going.
The space didn’t stay empty for long though, because Gina’s has officially taken over the unit.
This new plant-based Mexican spot is all about vibrant cocktails, flavour-packed dishes, and creating a space that’s proudly for queers, by queers.
And Chinatown continues to evolve.
Newcomers like Sio Bread just opened with Japanese-style salt bread and poke bowls, and COFU Pressed Sushi is set to land sometime this summer.
So while it’s sad to see Salt disappear again, the local food scene definitely isn’t slowing down.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 227 East Pender Street, Vancouver BC