Almanac

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Umi Wagoner’s Tacoma: Cathedrals & CantinasAeroplane Icon
Umi Wagoner
March 17, 2023
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The Church Cantina

When you’re in a city full of bars, pubs and dives, setting yourself apart from being “just another bar” is about curating the crowd and achieving this feat is usually predicated on the atmosphere. It should be obvious that decor is a major part of marketing your business and grabbing your piece of the market through your target customer. Church Cantina has done an amazing job of this and it starts at the name. A church theme can attract those with gothic ideologies or personal style, especially in the evening. Traditionally, a Cantina serves drinks and meals and has decor specific to a crowd or less popular audience. I have to say they checked all the boxes. Their logo is a Gothic style cathedral with ‘The Church Cantina’ written underneath in the same gothic style font with a red and black color scheme used for their menu.

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Modern goth culture has a lot to do with acceptance and The Church Cantina is as inclusive as a space can get welcoming the LGBTQ+ community with open arms and a menu that caters to vegans. The offering has a wide range, burgers, bowls, sandwiches, all day breakfast items, tacos and nachos, elote and a signature salad. They cover the bases in a way that levels it up from bar food to comfort food. But it’s a bar because the drink menu is the star of the show. There is a focus on mixology that collides with their dark/gothic theme in the best way. The Gin Reaper and 6 ft Under prove the point with the names but the Tucker & Dale (Whiskey, Sweet Tea Vodka, Lemon juice, Orange Juice, Honey Simple Syrup. Sweet and Sour, Lemon Lime soda float) and the Pineapple Death Punch (Vodka, Pineapple Juice, Strawberry Puréo, Coconut Simple Syrup, Topped with Soda Water) prove mixology is an art they understand and where they excel.

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The Owner of The Church Cantina Quinn recommends the Watermelon Halo or Crucifix.

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The Church Cantina

5240 S Tacoma Way

Tacoma, WA  98409

United States


Hours:

Monday Closed

Tuesday 12 PM–12 AM

Wednesday 12 PM–12 AM

Thursday 12 PM–12 AM

Friday           12 PM–2 AM

Saturday 12 PM–2 AM

Sunday Closed


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