On a Thursday night at Bar Henry, several tables sit empty — but not because it’s not busy. Instead, swarms of people gather by the bar, or people-watch from the alcove at the back of the room. Conversations buzz over upbeat music. It’s exactly what restaurateur Daniel Costa envisioned for his latest concept, this time in collaboration with retailer Henry Singer: a northern Italian-inspired aperitivo bar.
“I tried having a stand-up bar in both Bar Bricco and Uccellino and they never worked out,” Costa laughs. “People just want to get to a table.” When designing the bar at Bar Henry, Costa opted not to add stools and try the stand-up bar concept again. “Everyone looked at me and said, ‘Daniel, you’re going to be the only person standing at the bar having a drink.’ But we tried it and it ended up working right off the bat. We’ll get people who put their name down for a table, but then opt just to stand at the bar the whole time. It has the right energy.”
While Costa has had offers for collaborations before, he says none of them have been quite the right fit. He wasn’t even looking to take on a new project, as he’s been busy developing three concepts for the Citizen on Jasper apartment building. But when Jordan Singer, the president of Henry Singer, approached him to be part of the brand’s new lifestyle destination in the Stantec Tower in the Ice District, “the stars aligned.”
“The way I approach food is the same as how they source clothing,” Costa says. “We’re both very invested in the quality of our products. Jordan had a vision for Henry Singer’s Ice District location to be more than a clothing store, and more of a cultural hub where you can go shopping, go to the barber, get a shoeshine and then go and get a coffee or a cocktail right next door.”
For Bar Henry, Costa leaned into the Italian concept of aperitivo: a pre-meal drink and/or snack. “It’s a relaxing place where you can pop in,” Costa says. “You’re not going to Bar Henry to have a refined, sit-down dinner. It’s about maintaining a buzz — you’re constantly sipping a drink or snacking.”
Bar Henry is open from midday, with a menu that evolves throughout the day: Wine is poured starting at 11:30 a.m., the aperitivo “happy hour” starts at 3 p.m., and the full menu is unleashed at 4 p.m. Espresso is served all day.
Costa says the Bar Henry menu will not change as frequently as the menus at Bar Bricco or Uccellino, and will instead maintain a standard menu of favourite snacks. An early guest favourite has been the Millie Panino: Tuscan truffle cheese between crustless strips of housemade loaf and drizzled in honey for a memorable take on a grilled cheese sandwich.
Located next door to Henry Singer in the Ice District, with its own entrance, Bar Henry is open to everyone, not just the retailer’s clientele. “Bar Henry has its own presence. We connect with the quality of experience you’ll have at Henry Singer, but it stands alone.” Costa says traffic does increase before and after Oilers games or concerts at Rogers Place, and during the day for business meetings. But many people come because they have visited Bar Bricco or Uccellino and just want to try Costa’s latest restaurant concept, or they’re curious about aperitivo culture and want to try something new in Edmonton.
“An aperitivo bar is a very fun way to dine and relax,” Costa says. “It would be great if more places like this opened up in Edmonton, so people could hop between lots of different little bars.”
