and floral patterns) for the dining room and Gucci (monochrome cats with bright red lipstick) for the restrooms. And the giant resin stag head mounted behind the bar. ‘It used to be in our bedroom,’ admits Ardin with a laugh. All these stunning features. Photogenic. And, perhaps more importantly, Instagrammable. Katie returns to clear our appetizer plates (picked clean) and deliver our mains – a house burger with fries and Bourbon maple salmon with succotash and cornbread. And another round of drinks. A sangria for Liz and a pint of 1664 for me. (Katie tells us later that while The Friendly serves regional craft beer, it mixes in choices like Kronenbourg 1664 ‘to remind folks of their worldly travels.’ Indeed, it reminded me of my one-time seeming endless – and oh so heady – nights in Vienna and Amsterdam.) I take a sip of my pint and ask about the place’s name. ‘It’s after a temperance group founded in the mid-nineteenth-century by a number of Elora’s business owners,’ Becky says. ‘The Friendly Society promoted drinking in moderation – and proclaimed themselves
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a happier, more carefree option than the ‘humourless’ Elora Temperance Society.’ She tells us she’d love this place to be ‘a destination for locals and visitors alike to enjoy a few drinks, revel in some great food, and share excellent company.’ I take a bite of my burger and look over at Liz, who’s enjoying her maple salmon. (We will delight in Becky’s peach and apple crisp – later.) At the bar, Katie pours a group of locals another round. All around us, folks are immersed in conversation. And at our table, Becky and Ardin eagerly share more about The Friendly – their beautiful new baby.
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A neighbourhood gastropub with polish, indeed
THE FRIENDLY SOCIETY 8 MILL ST W, ELORA
friendlysociety.ca