Best Bar/Lounge: Bacchus

Bacchus Lounge (Gold) continues to raise the bar with solid drinks well-served in an atmosphere where many versions of deal-making excite the night. The Wedgewood Hotel’s lounge is not a sidebar—it’s centre ice, and the menu runs well past the pedestrian. George (Silver—See Bartender of the Year, page 91) was recognized for Nick Devine’s brightly flavoured cocktails, a wine list that invites languor and very good small plates. Bronze to Nu, where the view from the bar and patio is unrivalled and drinks run to Technicolor in the setting sun. The tempura olives and naked seafood platters are well-tuned to the wines. Honourable Mention to Lumière Tasting Bar, for straight-up cocktails with a past conjured by barman Richard Luxton and stellar small plates (like the four cheese macaroni), and to Sanafir, where one judge remarked: “if some nights it’s a little loud to hear yourself drink, there’s just something about drinking in bed that’s appealing.”

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