Hot Tip: The Lounge at Bacchus Is the Ideal Fall Date Night Spot

While all summer long you can find us at Vancouver Magazine praising the city’s top patios and rooftops. But now that fall is officially here, we’re changing gears entirely: it’s fireplace season, ya’ll.

Yes, it’s true: it’s time to take our eating and drinking into cozy mode, whether that’s date nights, quick drinks with pals or solo snacks. (Please note while writing I’m wearing my favourite toque which does of course have a massive pom-pom on top so you know how committed I am).

When I’m trying to max out the cozy-level while out and about (because, come on, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to leave the house when there’s an atmospheric river), what I’m really looking for is a fireplace and a chair that I can actually stay a while in. No hard seats allowed.

For this, I head to the lounge at Bacchus; the deeply cozy yet refined restaurant inside The Wedgewood Hotel. From a roaring fireplace to those aforementioned seats that invite you to stay for just one more drink (which is expertly made, mind you), this is the kind of place where I can be excited about when the season turns. For a date night, it feels exceptionally intimate too, especially with the live piano player crooning love songs. Plus, the food is pretty damn good.

If you’re down for shellfish, you should know that the poached lobster tartare ($30) is lick-the-plate good: chunks of buttery lobster remain bright and punchy thanks to mango and red pepper purees, cilantro and avocado. If you’re looking to indulge a more autumnal vibe with your starter, or as a snack with a seasonal cocktail (I recommend the Falling Leaves $21), the foie gras terrine is expertly executed—and the duck rillette that accompanies it so delicious that the only downside is you can’t order a bucket of them (hint, hint, Bacchus).

Though Bacchus is just as enjoyable for a fireplace pitstop for drinks and a shared appetizer, mains like the truffle mushroom risotto ($28, packed with major umami and an impressive rice-to-fungi ratio) make the restaurant a worthy spot for a full night out, too. Also on my do-not-miss list is the utterly seasonal but undeniably fabulous crispy seared dry-aged duck ($56). It arrives hard-seared with a stunning pink middle, and the duck jus that accompanies is rich and somewhat tangy, cutting through the gaminess of the bird. Braised red cabbage and a palffy dumpling bring it home—the chef is German after all and these are his perfected recipes.

I could wax on about the top-notch wine pairings, creative cocktails (Bacchus won our hearts with the Chai This, a creative take on a winter warmer) and elegant desserts like the trio of chocolate millefeuille (the caramelized puff pastry is daydream fodder) but the point is: while this may be an occasion-worthy place, the only occasion I personally need is the changing of the seasons.

Bacchus Restaurant

845 Hornby St.