Today the shelves at 402 Main Street hold over five thousand boxes and more than 2,300 different titles, which makes this one of Canada’s largest board game collections. It is also, so far as we know, the only one with ten lobster dishes on the menu.
How the shelves work
Every box has its own labelled cubicle, and the collection is sorted by kind: family games, children’s games, the strategy games the hobby calls Euros, classic card games, and more. Find the shelf that suits the mood, then the box that suits the table.
One game sits at a table at a time. When it’s finished, it goes back to its cubicle and the next one comes out. The rule keeps the pieces where they belong and the tables clear enough for plates.
What it costs
Play is $10 a table, and free when everyone at the table orders a main. Most tables find that arithmetic persuasive.
Choosing well
Five thousand boxes can freeze a table faster than a bad hand. A few questions narrow it down. How many are playing? How long before the food arrives? Does anyone at the table want to win, or only to laugh? A short card game fits between the starter and the main; a long strategy game wants a slow afternoon and a second pot of tea.
When in doubt, ask the guild. They know the shelves, and most of them have opinions.
Why a bistro
A game gives a table something to do with its hands and a reason to stay. Good food gives it a reason to come back. We put the two in the same house in 2018 and haven’t found a reason to separate them since.
Questions people ask
- How many games do you have?
- Over five thousand boxes and more than 2,300 different titles, one of Canada’s largest board game collections.
- How much does it cost to play?
- $10 a table, free when everyone at the table orders a main.
- Can someone recommend a game?
- Yes. Ask the guild; they know the shelves.
- How far is it from Moncton?
- About 25 minutes by car, at 402 rue Main in Shediac.
- Do I need a reservation?
- Recommended on evenings and weekends. Book online; walk-ins are seated when there’s room.