Two hundred and sixty industry experts from across Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean were asked to name the bar where they received the single-best hospitality experience for the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award.
Out of all the bars in North America, they chose a Vancouver gem.
Located inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, at the entrance to the award-winning restaurant of the same name, Botanist Bar is spearheaded by Creative Beverage Director Grant Sceney and Head Bartender Jeff Savage.
Having developed a reputation for celebrating the biodiversity of the Pacific Northwest using a technique-forward approach, the bar is no stranger to accolades. Botanist Bar’s Cocktail Lab pushes the envelope with bartending technology such as a rotary evaporator, centrifuge, and a band saw for size-specific ice sculpting.
The creativity and innovation is apparent on their menu both in flavour and presentation (for instance a cocktail that actually levitates) and Botanist has landed several Best Bar lists since it opened and won the Michelin Exceptional Cocktails award last year.
Now, the bar is being honoured as part of the second annual North America’s 50 Best Bars awards 2023.
“Winning the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award is a distinct and completely humbling honour," says Savage in a press release. "We have cheered from afar watching bars we deeply admire receive this accolade and to be a part of the conversation alongside them is a gift."
The Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award was created to recognize the importance of hospitality in the bar experience, which Savage says, "is truly the most important aspect of what we do at Botanist. It’s ingrained in every decision we make."
"We’re blessed to be in a position to act as an ambassador for Canada and the Pacific Northwest," he continues. "Oftentimes, we have guests who make our bar their first stop in the country, and we aim to not only show the best of what our little slice of the world has to offer, but to do so in the most welcoming, inclusive manner possible."
Content Director for North America’s 50 Best Bars, Mark Sansom says, “the Canadian bar community has forged a culture of exceptional hospitality that Botanist Bar exemplifies."
The award announcement is the first in a series this month leading up to the announcement of this year's full list of North America's 50 Best Bars. A live awards ceremony will take place at Hacienda Los Picachos in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico Thursday, May 4.
Last year, Vancouver's Keefer Bar was named among the continent's 50 best in the publication's inaugural North American rankings.
