L’Espace Public was born from an off-the-cuff joke between founder Pierre Lessard Blais and his partners after a failed surf trip when, despite launching in the dead of winter, the bar drew a line out the door on opening night. More than a microbrewery, it acts as a neighbourhood gathering space and cultural venue, hosting art exhibitions and community events set to the background of clinking pint glasses and a steady buzz of conversation. House beers are brewed on-site, with a window in the bar allowing a glimpse into the production facility, with its fermentation tanks on display.