Thanks to the province’s liquor control board, soccer fans in Ontario will be able to enjoy a frosty brew as they watch early-morning World Cup matches, but an open sports bar may be a little tough to find.
Since host nation South Africa is six hours ahead of Ontario, most of the World Cup matches will be played at either 7 or 10 a.m. ET.
To accommodate soccer fans, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario recently decided bars can begin serving alcohol at 10 a.m. instead of 11 a.m. during the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 11.
For most of the year in Ottawa, any establishment that calls itself a sports bar actually means it’s a good place to watch hockey. It may also show the Grey Cup and Super Bowl as soon as the Columbus vs. Carolina hockey game is over.
But there are places in Ottawa that specialize in soccer, like the Georgetown Pub at 1159 Bank St., which bills itself as the top soccer pub in the city.
Along with its classic sports bar atmosphere, the Georgetown features 13 TVs, including two large projection screens and seven 42-inch plasma screens.
With six locations in Ottawa, Local Heroes is one of the go-to spots for big sporting events. Each bar boasts dozens of TV screens, meaning people won’t miss a moment of the action, even during a bathroom break.
The Red Mile may be shut down for the season, but it may become the “Milla Roja” if fans of the Spanish team, pre-tournament favourites, pack the Sir John A. pub on Elgin Street.
“We’ll be joining full bore,” said manager and co-owner Peter Abraham. “We’re going to have our TV screen out on the patio and flags coming in. We’ll be out in full force here.”
If Elgin Street is the Red Mile, then Preston Street will be the Blue Mile in support of the defending World Cup champion Italians, said Preston Street BIA executive director Lori Mellor.
The Prescott, The Heart and Crown, Pub Italia and other venues will be packed when “The Azzurri” play, but will also be great locations to catch all the action.
In the Market, Pub 101 will also be opening early just for soccer fans.
When it comes to watching football while you eat breakfast, Busters Bar & Grill in the Lincoln Fields Mall serves up heaping mounds of bacon, sausage and eggs with a TV screen readily accessible.
