Main Street revival in Vancouver

SIP

Shaktea. Warm up a drizzly winter day with a cuppa South African rooibos herbal tea or one of the 80 other custom blends at the richly hued tea-house. Closed Mon; 3702 Main St.; 604/873-5151.

Wrap up your shopping at Habit Lounge ($$ U.S.; 2610 Main St.; www.habitlounge.ca or 604/877-8582), a replica of a 1975 Canadian rumpus room populated by a groovy but unpretentious crowd sharing small plates of free-range-beef brochettes on portabellini mushroom and Pacific halibut in green-peppercorn coconut curry. Show up early to score a window seat.

There's no hotel yet in the South Main area, but it's easy to pop over to Yaletown and check into Opus Hotel (from $179 U.S.; 866/642-6787; www.opushotel.com), a modern boutique where some rooms come with a welcome fireplace.