Gotha Lounge: gimme shelter

As you set foot in longtime Village fixture Gotha Lounge on a chilly autumn night, the warmth and coziness of the space immediately draw you in. Forget about Parking, Stereo and Unity patrons in total dance floor delirium just a few blocks away.

This charming, loungy hideaway actually makes room for candlelit intimacy with its dim lighting, cushiony banquettes, art-adorned walls and predilection for all things hardwood. From hardwood to hard stuff, the endearingly sassy staff has got you covered: mojitos, martinis and cosmos are all first rate. Ditto on the bite-sized goodness of chorizo-stuffed dates and beef empanadas, which can be savoured in the company of a trail mix of gays and straights, both young guns and seasoned gentlemen, locals as well as tourists staying at nearby bed & breakfasts.

While the owners scrapped the weekly jazz and live music nights, Gotha’s fine antique piano isn’t merely decorative skilled fingers are welcome to play in tandem with the crackling wood of the fireplace. And with the lounge set to undergo what our barman described as a  »minor facelift » to spruce things up a little, here’s hoping this unpretentious space doesn’t ditch its timeless appeal.

Gotha Lounge

1641 Amherst

Métro Beaudry