A Western speakeasy-style bar with a low-key date-night vibe is riding into downtown Canby. Sips & Slice, from Travis and Heidi Goins of Church of Smoke fame, is gearing up for a mid-February opening, promising smoky cocktails, savory hand pies, and a rustic room with a live-edge bar and TVs tuned to the professional rodeo circuit.
According to WhatNow, the Goinses have filed a liquor-license application to open Sips & Slice at 272 N Grant St. The application, along with an interview with Travis Goins, describes the bar as a separate concept from Church of Smoke, even as it borrows some of the same flavors and techniques.
Speaking with WhatNow, Travis Goins said, “it’s not about over-serving, it’s not about the party. it’s about the date night.” He explained that Sips & Slice will lean into custom cocktails that “lean smoky,” offer a selection of canned local craft beers, and build its food program around savory pies like meat pies and pot pies.
Menu and vibe
The “slice” in the name points to handheld savory pies, not pizza. Earlier coverage detailed one test item as a French onion hand pie filled with horseradish, peas, beef gravy, and brisket from Church of Smoke. Drinks are set to skew smoky, and the room is planned as a Western-inspired space with a rustic feel and that live-edge bar front and center.
Where Church of Smoke Fits
Church of Smoke, the Goinses’ barbecue operation that supplies the brisket for those pies, already has a presence in Canby as part of Oregon City Brewing’s food-cart pod at the Canby Beer Library, according to Eater Portland. While Sips & Slice will run as its own concept, the owners say regulars can expect overlapping flavors and occasional crossovers with their barbecue work.
Why Canby
Citing the broader shift in downtown dining, coverage by New School Beer notes that the Canby Beer Library opened in the former municipal library and added a heated food-cart pod, helping reshape the local scene. Sips & Slice looks set to slot into that mix with a drink-first, small-plates approach tailored to couples and rodeo fans…