Ping Pong Club

Perhaps the funniest thing about the Ping Pong Club is just how literal some patrons took the name when it first opened back in 2014. "It was actually just a conceptual joke," explains co-owner Nicolas Hamel, chuckling at those early expectations of endless ping pong tables manned by semi-professional players. "I think at the beginning, half the people got the joke and the other half didn't."

A multi-faceted businessman and musician, Nicolas teamed up with co-owner Emilie Amyot to design their space with a good-natured nod to the CEGEP rec room vibe they were looking to recreate. And while one sole table still serves as an ironic centrepiece, the Ping Pong Club has become one of the Mile End's hippest after-work hangouts and a great place to grab a drink, play cards or decompress — and, yes, perhaps challenge a friend to a game.