Since the 19th century it's been against the law to order a drink without eating food in Verdun. That restriction vanished this week as the Benelux brewpub opened at 4026 Wellington St.
It is the only non-restaurant with a liquor licence in the borough, and at the moment Verdun is only issuing permits to microbreweries.
"We can only sell for now alcohol that we produce," said manager Guillaume Potvin.
The borough is using Benelux as a test subject to see if bars and the Verdun community can co-exist.
Verdun's history as a 'dry' town dates back 138 years according to historian Mathieu Perron, and it has periodically been reinforced.
In 1919 the town of Verdun held a referendum to see if it should continue to ban alcohol sales, and citizens overwhelmingly voted in favour of the measure.
It was only in 1965 that restaurants in Verdun won the right to sell alcohol with meals, in another referendum.
However three years ago the borough council altered its urban plan to permit microbreweries, and the first application was made last year.
Brewer Teklad Pavisian said it's part of the gentrification of the neighbourhood.
"Verdun has been revitalized for the last couple of years," said Pavisian.
There has been some resistance to change, but the owners of Benelux have promised to be good neighbours -- sound proofing interior walls and those around a terrasse after neighbours said they were worried about noisy patrons.
If the drinks flow without complaints there could be more brew pubs in Verdun's future.
