Restaurant in Vancouver, Canada
Formal room, real food, lower price than expected.
Bacchus, inside the Wedgewood Hotel on Hornby Street, is Vancouver's most reliable formal dining room at the $$$ price tier — a 4.5-rated European classical kitchen with a serious wine list and a chandelier-lit room quiet enough for real conversation. Book it for business dinners, anniversaries, or any occasion where the setting needs to carry weight without a $$$$ tasting-menu commitment.
With a 4.5 Google rating across more than 1,100 reviews, Bacchus Restaurant inside the Wedgewood Hotel on Hornby Street earns its reputation as one of Vancouver's most consistent choices for a formal, occasion-worthy dinner. At the $$$ price tier, it sits a notch below the city's $$$$ splurge category — think AnnaLena or Kissa Tanto — which makes it the more defensible booking when you want a serious room without committing to a tasting-menu price point. Book it for a business dinner, an anniversary, or any occasion where the room itself needs to do some of the work.
The ambient feel at Bacchus is the main reason to come. The dining room sits just off the Wedgewood Hotel lobby, and the transition from Hornby Street to this interior is immediate and deliberate: marble surfaces, a glittering chandelier, fresh flower arrangements of the kind that suggest real investment in the daily detail. A grand piano anchors the room and, depending on when you visit, may be in use. The noise level stays controlled , this is a room built for conversation, not one that tolerates it reluctantly. If you are comparing options in Vancouver and your group needs to actually hear each other across the table, Bacchus is a stronger call than louder, more casual rooms in the city's contemporary dining scene. For food-and-travel enthusiasts who read atmosphere as part of the meal rather than a backdrop to it, the Wedgewood setting delivers something that feels closer to a European hotel dining room than anything specifically Pacific Northwest.
The kitchen has been under Chef Stefan Hartmann since late 2023, and his European sensibility is present in the menu's architecture: roast lamb saddle, beef tenderloin in red wine jus, classical technique applied to good regional product. This is not a kitchen chasing trends. If you want fermentation-forward menus or omakase-style progression, look elsewhere. If you want a well-executed classical European repertoire with occasional nods to local sourcing , halibut from Haida Gwaii has appeared on the menu, paired with shaved apple, roasted fennel, beets, and cucumber , Bacchus is the right room. Desserts have drawn specific recognition, with the pastry program contributing meaningfully to the overall experience rather than serving as an afterthought.
Wine list is broad and has been described as globe-spanning. For wine-focused diners, this is worth factoring into your decision: a serious list in a formal room is a pairing that works, and Bacchus appears to invest here. If wine depth matters to your group, it is worth asking specifically about the list when you book. For context on how Vancouver's wine culture connects outward, see our full Vancouver wineries guide.
Wedgewood Hotel setting gives Bacchus infrastructure that standalone restaurants on the same block cannot match. Hotel dining rooms of this type typically offer at least one private or semi-private space, and the combination of a controlled noise environment, formal service, and a kitchen capable of executing set menus makes Bacchus a practical candidate for corporate entertaining, rehearsal dinners, and milestone birthday gatherings. If your group is evaluating Vancouver venues for a private event at the $$$ price point, Bacchus warrants a direct inquiry , the hotel context means there is likely flexibility around room configuration and menu structure that a standalone restaurant would not have. Contact the venue directly to confirm private dining availability and minimum spend, since those details are not publicly listed.
For groups who want a more informal shared-plate format or a louder, more animated room, Bacchus is the wrong choice. The formality here is a feature, not a flaw, but it needs to match your group's expectations. A table of eight celebrating a promotion will feel at home; a group looking for the energy of a buzzy open kitchen will not.
Bacchus sits at 845 Hornby St in downtown Vancouver, inside the Wedgewood Hotel. Given its 4.5 rating and its position as one of the city's more formal contemporary rooms, booking ahead is advisable , plan for at least one to two weeks out for weekend evenings, and further in advance for holidays or specific occasions. The hotel setting means there is a front desk available if you need to reach the venue directly. Dress expectations lean formal: this is not the room for smart-casual, and arriving underdressed will feel conspicuous given the room's register. For broader Vancouver planning, our full Vancouver restaurants guide covers the full range of options across price tiers and neighborhoods, and our full Vancouver hotels guide is useful if you are also sorting accommodation. If your trip extends to dining elsewhere in Canada, consider Alo in Toronto or Tanière³ in Quebec City for comparable formal-room experiences at the leading of their respective cities' contemporary categories.
Bacchus is the right call if you want a formal, conversation-friendly room in downtown Vancouver at a price point that sits below the city's top-tier tasting-menu destinations. It is specifically well-suited to business dinners, anniversary meals, and group occasions where the room's tone needs to signal occasion without requiring you to commit to a $$$$ per-head outlay. It is not the right choice if you are after cutting-edge technique, a casual atmosphere, or the kind of open-kitchen energy that defines newer Vancouver openings. For more on how the Vancouver dining scene maps out, explore our full Vancouver bars guide and our full Vancouver experiences guide for complementary options around your meal.
Yes, and it is one of the stronger choices in Vancouver at the $$$ price point for exactly this purpose. The room , chandelier, grand piano, marble finishes , does the heavy lifting that makes an occasion feel marked. It outperforms more casual contemporary rooms in terms of atmosphere, and its classical European menu suits guests who want a recognisable, well-executed format rather than an experimental one. For a higher-stakes splurge, Barbara or Masayoshi operate at the $$$$ tier and offer different culinary registers.
At the $$$ tier, yes , particularly given the room quality and the wine list. You are paying for a formal hotel dining experience with a kitchen that has European classical credentials, and that combination is not easy to find at this price in Vancouver. If you are comparing it against $$$$ options like Kissa Tanto or AnnaLena, Bacchus gives you a more conservative menu with greater room presence. If technique and culinary ambition matter more than setting, those $$$$ rooms may justify the extra spend. For international benchmarks at a similar register, see César in New York City or Jungsik in Seoul.
The Wedgewood Hotel setting makes Bacchus one of the more practical group-dining options in this part of Vancouver. Hotel dining rooms at this level typically have private or semi-private space available for corporate events, rehearsal dinners, and milestone celebrations. Contact the venue directly to confirm private dining room availability, minimum spend requirements, and set menu options , these details are not publicly listed. For groups wanting a more casual shared format, look at other options in our full Vancouver restaurants guide.
Dress formally , this room expects it, and arriving underdressed will feel out of place. The menu follows a classical European structure, so expect composed plates, classic proteins, and a wine list with real depth rather than a trend-forward or sharing-plate format. The room is quiet enough to hold a conversation across the table without effort, which is worth knowing if you are coming for a business meal or a dinner where the conversation matters as much as the food. Budget for a full experience including wine; the list is worth using. If you want to compare notes on Vancouver's formal dining options before booking, Published on Main offers a contemporary alternative at the same price tier with a different sensibility.
Classical European kitchens of this type generally accommodate common dietary requirements with advance notice , vegetarian, gluten-free, and standard allergy requests are typically manageable when flagged at booking. That said, specific menu details and current dietary policies are not publicly listed for Bacchus. Contact the venue directly before your reservation to confirm. Do not assume flexibility without checking, particularly for complex or multiple restrictions.
At the same $$$ tier, Published on Main offers contemporary cuisine with a different, less formal sensibility. If you are willing to move up to $$$$, AnnaLena offers more culinary ambition in a contemporary format, Kissa Tanto brings a Japanese-Italian fusion register in a notably atmospheric room, and Masayoshi is the call for Japanese precision. For a broader view of the city's dining options across all price points and cuisines, see our full Vancouver restaurants guide. Outside Vancouver, Jérôme Ferrer - Europea in Montreal and Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Lincoln offer comparable formal-room experiences at different points in Canada.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacchus Restaurant | Contemporary | $$$ | Bacchus is very special indeed. Cocooned inside the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, this elegant restaurant is the kind of place where quotidian concerns immediately disappear. Just off the intimate lobby, where stunning flower arrangements, a glittering chandelier and marble reception area exude tasteful luxury, Bacchus transports guests to a more refined era. There's even a grand piano to boot. Of course, it's not all style and no substance; Chef Montgomery Lau turns out classic but memorable dishes. Humble tomato soup is elevated; halibut from Haida Gwaii delivers a clean, sweet flavor complemented by a cool "chopped salad" of shaved apples, anise-sweet roasted fennel, beets and cucumber. Desserts by Kraków-born Chef Chris Janik will surprise and delight.; HIGHLIGHTS: • COOKING CLASSICS; This intimate enclave within the luxe Wedgewood Hotel has enjoyed a renaissance since chef Stefan Hartmann took over the kitchen in late 2023. His European roots are expressed in expert iterations of roast lamb saddle, beef tenderloin in red wine jus, among many others. The globe-spanning wine list is a knockout. | Moderate | — |
| AnnaLena | $$$$ · Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| iDen & QuanJuDe Beijing Duck House | $$$$ · Chinese | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Kissa Tanto | $$$$ · Fusion | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Masayoshi | $$$$ · Japanese | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Published on Main | $$$ · Contemporary | $$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Yes, and it's one of the stronger calls in downtown Vancouver for exactly that purpose. The room sits inside the Wedgewood Hotel, with a grand piano, chandelier, and a formal atmosphere that signals occasion without requiring explanation. Chef Stefan Hartmann's European-leaning menu, covering roast lamb saddle and beef tenderloin in red wine jus, gives the meal enough substance to match the setting. At $$$, it sits below the city's top-tier tasting-menu venues, which makes it a practical choice when you want formality without a five-figure bill.
At $$$, Bacchus delivers a room and service level that most standalone Vancouver restaurants at the same price point cannot replicate. The Wedgewood Hotel infrastructure, the European cooking classics from Chef Hartmann, and a globe-spanning wine list add up to genuine value for the format. If you're weighing it against a casual neighbourhood spot, it's a different category entirely. If you're comparing it to Kissa Tanto or AnnaLena at similar prices, Bacchus wins on formality and room quality; those two win on culinary ambition.
Yes. The Wedgewood Hotel setting gives Bacchus private dining infrastructure that most standalone restaurants on Hornby Street cannot offer. Hotel dining rooms of this type typically handle groups with coordinated service and set-menu options, which makes event planning more reliable. Contact the Wedgewood Hotel directly at 845 Hornby St to confirm private room capacity and group menu availability, as specific details are not published.
Bacchus is a hotel dining room in the best sense: the Wedgewood Hotel lobby sets the tone before you sit down, with flower arrangements, marble, and a chandelier that signal the register of the experience. Chef Stefan Hartmann took over the kitchen in late 2023 and has shifted the menu toward European classics done with precision. First-timers should know the room rewards a slower pace, so don't book it if you're on a tight schedule. Dress accordingly: this is not a casual drop-in.
The venue database does not include published dietary accommodation policies for Bacchus. Given the hotel-restaurant format and the contemporary menu structure under Chef Hartmann, kitchen flexibility is standard practice at this level, but you should contact the Wedgewood Hotel directly at 845 Hornby St, Vancouver before arrival to confirm specific requirements.
For a different format at a comparable price: AnnaLena on West 1st offers more inventive contemporary cooking with a neighbourhood feel, better suited to diners who prioritize culinary creativity over room formality. Kissa Tanto on West Pender delivers Japanese-Italian fusion with more edge and stronger wine-by-the-glass options. Published on Main brings higher culinary ambition at a similar price point if the tasting-menu format appeals. Masayoshi is the call if precision Japanese cooking is the priority. Bacchus holds its ground specifically on room quality, formal service, and suitability for occasions where the setting needs to do some of the work.
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