Restaurants

11 B.C. Restaurants Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Food and Drink Specials

How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in B.C. on March 17

By Catherine Dunwoody /

‘Tis the season of all things Irish. Celebrate the day in style with these St. Patrick’s Day events at restaurants and pubs across B.C. Bonus: We’ve shared a delicious recipe for soda bread from an Irish chef. Sláinte!

11 St. Patrick’s Day Events Happening in B.C. in 2025

The Barrelman: Spirits of Dublin

From now until March 17, downtown Vancouver’s Ballyhoo Public House is hosting The Barrelman: Spirits of Dublin popup bar. Think Irish-themed décor, prizes and a menu created by partners Jameson and Guinness. Cocktails like Black Velvet Band and Irish Cold Brew pair nicely with Irish pub food classics like mini jambons, curry cheese chips and a chicken fillet roll.

The Lobby Restaurant’s St. Patrick’s Day Specials

The Lobby Restaurant in North Vancouver has Irish-ed up their menu to include drink specials like the Shamrock Sour and Emerald Isle Mojito. Plus, they’re serving warm pretzels with beer cheese sauce and a classic Irish dinner of slow-braised lamb shank with minted pea risotto and market vegetables.

Dubh Linn Gate’s Live Music and Beer

Whistler’s Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub knows how to party all day. This March 17, there will be live music in the afternoon by The Splinters and in the evening by Ruckus Deluxe. Located in the Pan Pacific Whistler, this authentic Irish pub has 24 draught beers on tap and plenty of authentic Irish pub food offerings.

The Audain Art Museum’s Cocktails

The Art of the Cocktail: St. Patrick’s Day Edition at the Audain Art Museum will teach guests how to mix up an espresso martini with Jameson Cold Brew whiskey.

Fable’s Pub Crawl

Fable Diner and Bar celebrates all weekend long with a fun lineup of events (do not miss the pub crawl on Saturday).  DJ sets are happening Friday March 14 and Saturday March 15 with nonstop Irish music, plus there’s free pool and darts. Guinness and Irish whiskey features add to the fun.

BC Kitchen’s Festive Drinks

BC Kitchen is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with green beer, shamrock shake shots, baby Guinness shots and pints.

A St. Paddy’s Party at Mahoney’s

Mahony’s Tavern is hosting a party on St. Paddy’s Day at the Convention Centre with live music from 3-6 p.m., festive décor, green beer and Guinness plus fun foods like Classic Canadian gravy, Irish Spice Bag (chicken tenders tossed with curry fries), Irish stew and more.

Live Entertainment at Finley’s

Finley’s Irish Pub in Nelson promises live music, highland dancers, a pipe band, prizes and more.

Hotel Eldorado’s Brunch

Hotel Eldorado in Kelowna is throwing a party on Saturday, March 15 plus a St. Patrick’s Day Brunch on Sunday, March 16. DJ Falco will spin Celtic tunes all night, and your ticket price includes a pint of Guinness and late-night snacks.

The Bard & Banker’s Irish Dancers

The Bard & Banker in Victoria will celebrate March 15-17 with Irish dancers. There will also be drink and food specials sure to inspire your best Irish jig.

CelticFest Vancouver

CelticFest Vancouver is underway, and chef Donal Hughes has offered to share his classic soda bread recipe with us. Originally from Ireland, Hughes tells us this bread is hearty, rustic and has a nutty flavour of stone-ground wholewheat flour with a touch of sweetness from dark maple syrup. “While traditionally baked free-form with a cross on top, I prefer baking it in a loaf pan for a softer, lighter texture,” says the chef. “If you prefer a round loaf, simply reduce the buttermilk by 25-50g.”

Soda Bread Recipe from Chef Donal Hughes

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients

  • 375g stone-ground wholewheat flour
  • 50g all-purpose flour
  • 30g oatmeal
  • 8g (1 tsp) baking soda (sifted)
  • 5g (1 tsp) salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 15g (1 tbsp) neutral oil
  • 40g (2 tbsp) dark maple syrup
  • 450g (ml) cultured buttermilk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf tin with 1 tbsp butter and a small handful of oatmeal, or line it with baking parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients, ensuring the baking soda is sifted to avoid lumps. Create a well in the center.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients and mix gently with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as it can make the loaf dense.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin. Tap the tin on the counter to spread the batter evenly but leave the top rough—these edges create a lovely crust. Optionally, sprinkle more oatmeal on top.
  6. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  7. Wrap the loaf in a clean tea towel as soon as it’s out of the oven to soften the crust. Allow it to cool before slicing. For the best freshness, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer storage. Enjoy toasted for a delightful treat!