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Step inside Vancouver’s fresh New York-inspired neighbourhood restaurant.
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When hospitality industry vet Colin Denton appeared at my high-top to say hello, I had some questions for him. As one of the partners/operators of Bevel — the new restaurant I was sitting in — I wanted to know how the transition from having one to two bustling restaurants on the same lively Yaletown strip was going.
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Based on the non-stop inflow of diners who had shown up during the course of my Friday evening meal, my question was less “how’s business going,” as the buzzing crowd mirrored that of sister spot Dovetail, but more “how are you keeping on top of it all?”
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“We expected it to be a fairly slow build. Dovetail took time to find its audience, so we went into Bevel prepared for the same thing. Instead, the business grew much faster than we anticipated,” says Denton, formerly a partner at Kokomo. “Seeing Bevel start to develop its own regulars and identity this quickly has probably been the biggest surprise.”
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West Coast Table
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While Denton may have been caught off-guard, I can say I wasn’t too shocked to hear Bevel was an instant hit.
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Same stretch, new sibling
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Dovetail opened in winter 2023. The eatery offers a light, airy California-inspired esthetic and crowd-pleasing, shareable mains like the spicy vodka pasta, which has now become that dish that everyone’s seen on their feed, thanks to numerous influencer shout-outs.
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Aside from eventually becoming a full-fledged hot spot, Dovetail has really solidified itself as a neighbourhood staple. I worked around the corner from the Mainland Street restaurant for years and can’t tell you how many lunch meetings were held on the patio. It was always a no-brainer.
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Bevel, on the other hand, is at 1165 Mainland St., about a two-minute walk down the block from Dovetail. The new restaurant describes itself as a New York-inspired modern steak house. If Dovetail is light and breezy, Bevel is darker and moodier, something you can clock by peering up at the Glasfurd & Walker-designed branding on the black-metal mounted sign above its entrance.
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The 2,600 square foot space seats 140, and that count includes a number on the all-season patio. The room, formerly that of MeeT Yaletown, was curated by Jute Design and had a major facelift during the transition of the businesses; however, the bones of the space — the roomy booths and central bar — remain.
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“Bevel has the benefit of following in those footsteps. It understands what makes its sibling great, but it also wants to step out of that shadow and have its own identity,” says Denton.
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In addition to Denton, Bevel’s team includes partner/operator Ejner Christiansen, partner/creative director Jenn Hang, partner/director of operations Ryan Dwyer, general manager Taylor Burnham and head chef Scott Baird.
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100-plus pizza dough trials
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When it comes to grub, expect steak-house classics and playful shareables. Most importantly, our favourite triangular-shaped edible: pizza.
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“We wanted it to feel elevated without ever feeling too serious. The pizza is a huge part of that. We’ve actually been working on the dough recipe for years.”
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Described as the restaurant’s modern take on New York-style pizza, Denton says the team tested well over 100 versions over the span of three years.
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“It’s thin-ish with a crisp base, good structure and toppings that go right to the edge of the crust.”
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The team played with hydration, flour blends, fermentation times and technique. At the outset, the recipe was intended for Dovetail.
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“By the time Bevel came along, we had the perfect home for something we’d already spent years obsessing over,” he explains.
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On top of the pies, of which there are seven varieties, Denton recommends the beef tartare as a top pick, a combo of black garlic, horseradish aioli and cured egg yolk served with crostini.
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“We also carried over Happy Days, Martini Hour and, of course, the spicy vodka sauce makes a special appearance.”
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During my visit at Bevel, I opted for the vodka pizza ($31), which features the aforementioned and much-loved spicy sauce from Dovetail on a hand-held, along with house red, mozzarella, basil and pecorino.
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I tried bites like the cacio e pepe cauliflower ($17) and the devilled eggs ($17) with pickled mustard seeds and thick, salty crisps. The staff recommends the house bread ($12) as a must-get, as it’s served with whipped ricotta cream cheese and everything spice — a cheeky nod to a classic New York-style everything bagel.
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Keeping the price point approachable was a driver here, too, Denton says.
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“We think value is really important, especially if you want to become a restaurant people visit regularly, rather than just for special occasions.”
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Liquid assets
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Bevel’s sips menu was designed around the evolution of Vancouver’s drinking culture, think less shooters (although you can still get those) and more food-grounded good times with a few additional libations. Denton says more 10:30 and 11 p.m. dinner reservations — a radical time for a Vancouverite to eat dinner, if I do say so myself — are rolling in, and that’s changing the scene.
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“People still want energy, they want to socialize, they want value and they want to be somewhere that feels exciting, but the dinner itself has become the event. That’s something we’ve really leaned into,” Denton says.
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“I think one of the biggest changes is that people aren’t necessarily going out just to drink anymore. The big night out has shifted toward a longer dinner, a few extra cocktails and staying at the table with the group you came with.”
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Denton worked closely with Danica Dreyer, Bevel’s bar manager, on the cocktail list, which aims to bring that same playful pizzazz that the food menu does.
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“Our version of an Old Fashioned is called the Fridge Dart, borrowing the playful name of grabbing a can of Diet Coke,” Denton says. “We have a watermelon take on a French 75 and a strawberry-rhubarb sour that’s become pretty addictive.”
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With six martini options — from a Vesper to a lychee — fans of that particular cocktail are in luck when they choose Bevel as their watering hole. When it comes to wine, you’ll find a list of familiar bottles from B.C. and beyond. For beer, same thing, with cans from North Point to Four Winds.
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Doubling down on Yaletown
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In terms of neighbourhood, Denton says where they’re situated couldn’t be better.
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“We love Yaletown. It’s busy seven nights a week, we get an extra lift from concerts and sporting events, and we really like the clientele and the neighbourhood.”
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While he thinks Yaletown is missing a few things, namely a “truly great brunch restaurant”, he’s also excited for confirmed upcoming projects to elevate the neighbourhood’s dining scene, like Rosalia, a 33-seat pasta forward spot opening between his two Yaletown restaurants on Mainland Street soon.
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“We love what those guys are doing, and we’re excited to have them on the block. More great restaurants are good for everyone. The stronger the neighbourhood becomes as a dining destination, the more reasons people have to come down and spend an evening here.”
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On an operational level, there are many benefits of having the restaurants so close together: “We’re still a small company, and being nimble is one of our superpowers.”
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Denton acknowledges that Dovetail’s staff has really made the restaurant successful, something he is already seeing happen at Bevel.
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“You can’t manufacture that kind of atmosphere, and it’s probably the thing we’re proudest of.”
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Since the team has seemingly found the recipe for success twice now, I asked whether an additional sibling might be in the future for the Cali-inspired eatery and the New York-inspired restaurant.
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“We’d absolutely love to do another project in Vancouver in the near future, but we’re not in a rush. We’ve learned how important the right space, neighbourhood and opportunity are, so we’ll wait until something comes along that really makes sense.”
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Bevel
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Where: 1165 Mainland St., Vancouver.
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When: Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
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Order this: Spicy pep pizza ($33).
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Know a restaurant that deserves the spotlight? Email me at hanmclean@postmedia.com.
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