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One of the city’s most beloved wine bars has risen from the grave.

Bibo, which closed in 2016 along with sister restaurant Culina Mill Creek, is back and not far from its original southside location on 99th street. The bar took some time to open at its new home in the Strathcona Hotel at 10302 Whyte Ave., but after jumping past the usual new business hurdles, the doors opened in late January. New partners with Culina executive chef and founder Brad Lazarenko include digital agency CEO Paul Bellows and local musician and entrepreneur Paul Arnusch. Lazarenko will, as you’ve probably guessed, be in charge of the menu, while Ayaka Shiga takes on the role of general manager.

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“She managed Ikki Sake Bar on Jasper Ave.,” says Lazarenko, who’s been trying to bring the Bibo concept back into the ever-morphing Culina family, which includes Culina to Go in Oliver Exchange, for quite some time now. “Because of her we’re bringing in some premium sake for the bar list and a few of the tapas are Japanese-influenced.

Wines on offer have been selected by certified sommelier Val Walker, and there will be craft beer from 70 Acre Brew on tap.

Local suppliers are very much in evidence on the menu, which includes cheese from Lakeside Farms, beef carpaccio, truffled hummus and tuna tataki. Bread is courtesy of Bonjour Bakery just down the road. Having had the opportunity to sample a few dishes, the creamed mushrooms with garlic and leeks, sausage from El Chorizo Latino and the caramunchies were all delicious. Bibo also features an extensive list of tasty fermented cocktails made from kefir soda created by Greg Crick.

“I don’t know if anyone else is doing that,” says Lazarenko. “I think it’s pretty unique and an amazing thing to drink with booze in it. So it’s, I mean, it’s kind of a healthy cocktail, which I know is a bit of an oxymoron. You can also obviously do a non-alcoholic version of it. It’s like kombucha, but it’s not as sour.”

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For now, Bibo is open evenings from 4 p.m. every day but Monday, and 11 a.m. on Saturdays. Initial plans are for the wine bar to phase in daytime hours starting in March. Lazarenko has a few more ideas for the spot, including a patio in the alley, and Arnusch hints at working together with the team on possible expansions, but both are cagey about revealing future plans.

“We want to kind of open as a cafe during the day when spring comes around, serving Transcend coffee, espresso, some Culina to Go takeout,” says Lazarenko. “Eventually, it’ll be a cafe by day, wine bar by night.”

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