Bibo Wine Bar

I was so saddened to hear that Bibo would be closing its doors come fall. If you haven’t visited Bibo yet I suggest you do. With wine for every palate you’re sure to be pleased.
I came here one night for an after dinner glass of wine. I wasn’t expecting this place to be so tiny! So if you don’t like small spaces or sitting next to a stranger I suggest you learn to conform because Bibo is like no other. With interesting décor (baby doll arms for coat hook) and mismatched crown moulding.
The bar keep/​wine-​o was very knowledgable and didn’t make me feel uncomfortable. I like to think I know a thing or two about wine so we had some good convo and came to a great choice.
I wish this place was closer to home as I’d visit it all the time. Sad to see you go Bibo!

I am a huge fan of this fine establishment. I love «by the glass» and knowledge that Brandi and Shannon have to offer. The food is great; which actually is made by culina next door.

I remember asking a friend about cool, lesser known places to frequent in Edmonton and one that immediately popped into her mind was Bibo Wine Bar. I’d vaguely heard about it previously but didn’t know much about it other than it was a wine bar (duh). Located in the Millcreek neighbourhood right beside their sister restaurant, Culina Mill Creek, you might miss it if you blink. Apparently, it’s the tiniest wine bar in Canada as it can only sit max 12 individuals. Craaaay.
We were early for our dinner reservations at Culina so we popped into Bibo beforehand for a drink. The inside is compact with one long, narrow wooden bar to sit at along with a spare stool or two to squeeze onto. Cozy, intimate and charming is probably the best way to put it. Just be prepared to be in close quarters to your neighbours. Similar to sitting at the bar at Bar Bricco. The list of wines are scrawled onto three main chalkboards with choices of white, red, sparkling wine, port, and dessert wines along with single-​malt scotches.
Categorized based on price and type (by the bottle, 3 oz and 6 oz), the range price wise varies greatly (from $ 10 — 25/​glass for a 6 oz). The sommelier asks you what type of wine you want and that’s it. If price is an issue/​concern, it might be ideal to ask just how much that glass will set you back. We were sweating a little because we didn’t inquire and only in the aftermath, we were like «is this glass going to be $ 20?» Insert: S face.
There’s a small menu of appetizers to tide you over if you’re feeling a bit famish. Will have to try a few things next time when we don’t have dinner plans afterwards.
— Prosecco ($ 11.00) — M wanted something bubbly so she ordered a prosecco (of some sort, we both aren’t sure of the details). Light, sweet and bubbly.
— White ($ 12.00) — I asked for a white one that was somewhere in the middle of dry and sweet tasting. I was brought something that fit exactly that description (again, not sure what it was called). We will have to ask for the bottle next time so we can find out what the sommelier ends up choosing.
I really like the tiny «patio» set up outside where there’s room for 2 – 3 people to sit outside and people watch. Super cute, it reminds me of Montréal where everyone is drinking on the streets. Glad I finally squeezed in a visit to Bibo. Definitely a unique, hidden spot that Edmonton sorely lacks. No reservations so get there early if you want to snag a seat!
Happy hour is from 5pm — 6pm so go early for ½ off wine glasses!

A few things have changed. Dianne is no longer there. Shannon is pleasant and knowledgeable and was a great hostess.
There were 5 customers which started to fill up the room made for occupancy of 10.
One of the couples decided to sit outside on the patio, to enjoy one of the last mild days of sunshine in October.
Happy hour until 6:00 meant that my $ 12.00 pour was $ 6.00. Great.
The menu comes from next door at Culina. Locally sourced, seasonal dishes and snacks.
For me, it is a cozy, relaxing place to come and talk or be silent. Everyone is chill. Mostly older professionals were occupying the limited seating, but I have definitely seen younger folks enjoying the patio during the Summer months.
I walk by almost every day. This is too convenient for me.

Bibo is a wine bar hidden just off 99 street. The layout is long narrow, bar seating to give it a real intimate feel. The bartender will converse with you to find a new wine you might be interested to try. Don’t bother trying the food late at night– the kitchen is closed and their menu if limited.

If you don’t have a precise idea of what you’re looking for, trust the owner! There is no bad choice.
The food proposed on the menu and coming from the restaurant next door is really great.
We were lucky to have seats on the tiny patio.

Unremarkable white and Rose wine choices and, in the case of 2 white wines, served warm due to on-​strike refrigeration unit. We weren’t charged for the warm white wine. I knew the French Rose was going to be a poor experience based simply on its dark red color that I’d expect of an American Rose but not from France. I was not at all wrong.
The multiple «no free sample» warning signs were annoying and led me to wonder where Bibo was hiding the large sign proclaiming restrooms are for customers only and the key to restroom attached to a large, industrial serving spoon.
Alas, Bibo does offer 3 oz tasting glasses that ensured we were able to confirm that there were multiple poor wine selections without sacrificing too much of our hard-​earned treasure.

I went to Bibo for the first time last month, despite the fact that I’ve lived two blocks away for about 3 years now; and I had the most amazing time I am kicking myself for not going sooner. Diane, the owner knows her wine and will happily choose one for you if you describe what you enjoy.
The room alone is like none other in Edmonton /​/​it’s dim, tiny, cozy, romantic, lively and has a fantastic vibe — it feels like an total underground local hangout.
Loved it and can’t wait to go back.
And their fries are to die for :)

So I waited and we went in. My aim was intimate atmosphere — which it was… sort of.
I think the tiny size of Bibo is great, but honestly — because the bar seat is a long large bench it is difficult to face the person you are with (no gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes). And you can’t help but hear everything the people next to you are talking about — which is cool if they aren’t kind of annoying (which is certainly not the establishment’s fault).
The service was nice. The champagne was delicious. I might go back with a buddy who loves wine — but never on a date.

It was wine Wednesday and us girls wanted to try a new place. I’ve been to Culina next door a few times and knew about Bibo by word of mouth. Knowing the wine bar was small, we made sure we got there right as it opened at 5 and grabbed our seats. There are two long wooden benches and some padded stools. The room is quite dark with candles on the counters. There are not paper menus for the wine as the wines are listed on the chalkboard above the bar. Bring your glasses if you can’t see far away. It’s dark and hard to read.
All the wines are available by the glass and we happened to be there over happy hour, so wine was ½ price. Diane assisted us by providing recommendations based upon our preferences. My first wine was quite high end at half price it was still $ 11/​glass but I never would have had the chance to try it anywhere else. Don’t expect your «fluffy» wines like Cupcake here. This wine cellar was carefully selected by someone with a passion for wine.
We ordered some tapas to share. The lamb dogs, bacon wrapped dates and prosciutto & Edam toasty triangles were truly enjoyable. So were the fried artichokes. We also tried some cheesy fritter thing (with a name I cannot pronounce) and a melted cheese spread on toast, which were both fine but not memorable.
For my second glass of wine, Diane made a fantastic Cabernet selection that she would pair great with my food. She was spot on and this glass was only $ 7 half price.
My friends tried different wines so were making a nice dent in the wine wall.
What I especially liked was that they also sell half glasses. So, while I would normally decline a third glass, the half glass was a great option.
The place filled up quickly… there seemed to be some regulars from the neighbourhood. We lingered for about two hours and we all agreed we like the intimate wine bar setting for more of our wine Wednesday outings. And we will also look for this type of wine bar for our upcoming San Francisco trip.
The only tip I have is to ask the prices of the wines suggested before she pours (since it is so dark to read the chalkboard and there are no paper menus so your bill can be a total surprise) and try lots of appetizers as they are very shareable.

World’s smallest wine bar. Maximum seating of about 10. Long and narrow. Good for a date because of it’s novelty factor. Host is knowledgeable and chatty and pleasant but didn’t come across as a sommelier. Younger crowd seem to like it. Wine samples aren’t really cheap. But good selection. Casual setting. Food is very limited to what she can heat up in a microwave or toaster oven. We had a cheese and cracker tray. It was good but expensive for what you got. But that said, it is a place you must do once. It is in a residential area next to Culina restaurant.

I wanted to go here because I missed the wee wine bars of San Francisco… and I was not disappointed! Diane was great to talk to, each wine she suggested was delightful (we ended up trying quite a few)! We also tried the cheese plate and lemon tart, both of which were not only heavenly but used mostly local cheeses, bread, and meats! I will definitely go there again.
Be warned though, no one has exaggerated how tiny the place is. But I think that’s just part of its charm!

It is a hole in the wall — in a Tim Burtonesque, dystopic Victorian way. The best possible way. Bibo is very tiny and packs a substantial amount of bizzarity into its closet-​like space. The wine list is otherworldly good, and sommeliere Dianne is knowledgeable and funny. She can find you a wine based on a very vague description of what you like — a rare and enviable talent. The food is ok, but don’t go for the food alone.

We heard that Bibo was small, but I didnt think it would be a total closet! (& I mean that in the best way possible) Theres no tables, just one long bar to sit at, and another small one on the other side of the restraunt. Very intimate seating, and gives you more than enough chances to «meet your neighbor». Anyways, the woman that was running the show there really knew her stuff and asked us our preferences; white, red, bold, spicy, ect. She picked out a really tasty Cabernet Sauvignon for my sister and a gorgeous Melbec for me :) The lighting and walls have this romantic ambience, and the décor is really antique-​ish.
Unfortunatly, we ended up being a bit rushed by the other guests we were waiting for to go next door, but we definitely loved the vibe here, and will have to go back to fully enjoy it.

Old world atmosphere, moody music, good vino selection and a few tasty small bites. All that and service that feels like you were personally invited into someplace special.

Culina for dinner and, right next door, Bibo for wine afterwards is one of the best one-​two punches for a date night in Edmonton. Bibo is actually part of the Culina family of restaurants and anyone familiar with Culina fare will appreciate Bibo’s taste (both aesthetically and in terms of its selection of wines) and intimacy.
I have only ever dealt with one person there, a blonde. I am remiss for not remembering her name because she’s always very friendly and helpful. She always makes great recommendations, which I think is a relatively easy thing to do because their buyer does a great job at selecting their wines. And they always rotate in new wines so you never run «dry.»
Bibo is pretty small. I can’t see it accommodating more than a dozen people comfortably, but it’s cozier because of it. The bench seating ensures you’re always meeting someone new, which could be good assuming your date isn’t working out.