Victoria Day weekend may not be hugely celebrated for its royal-birthday beginnings any longer---Halifax doesn’t even have fireworks!---but there is one thing Canadians do well over the three days: drink. And whether it’s Prince Harry’s $670 cocktail or the queen mum’s daily gin and Dubonnet, we’re pretty sure the royal family’s into it, too. So cheers, and have a cold for the queen: It is her birthday, after all.
Foggy Goggle
Classy gents looking for single malts a la Prince Charles can step into the Foggy Goggle every Tuesday for scotch day, where the drink’s on sale from open to close for $4.25. There are plenty of choices, so just ask the bartender for a list. 1667 Argyle Street, 444-1414
Tom’s Little Havana
Want more than scotch Tuesdays? Tom’s has single-malt Sundays and Mondays, where all the scotch is either $4.75 or $5.75 (depending on the brand). The deal’s on Sundays from 6:30pm to close (2am), and Mondays from 5-8pm. If you’re looking for the gin train, Tom’s has an everyday happy hour from 5-8pm, where “well shots”---gin, vodka, rum, et cetera---are four bucks each. The queen would be proud. 5428 Doyle Street, 423-8667
Bishop’s Cellar
After many a phone call, it looks like Bishop’s Cellar is the only place in the city that carries Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, the gin-based British drink that your Londoner friends rave about and stow away in their luggage for a visit across the pond. The bottle’s $25, and mixing it with lemonade is both a common and tasty summer treat. 1475 Lower Water Street, 490-2675
