Vancouver, Canada (May 5, 2023) – Botanist Bar, tucked inside Vancouver’s Five-Diamond Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, was crowned the 19th best bar in North America by the North America’s 50 Best Bars Academy during a ceremony Thursday evening in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Botanist Bar, led under the guidance of Creative Beverage Director Grant Sceney, and spearheaded by Head Bartender Jeff Savage, is located in the award-winning Botanist restaurant. Inspired by the principles of botany, Botanist Bar celebrates the Pacific Northwest’s unique biodiversity in its approach; culinary-forward cocktails blend the union of science and nature together to deliver a sophisticated yet whimsical drinking experience and “living room hospitality”.
The 2023 ranking is reflective of the best bar experiences collated by a group of 250 anonymous voters, made up of cocktail experts, educators, authors, journalists, bartenders and bar owners from across North America. For this vote, the continent is divided into seven regions: Canada East; Canada West; USA Northeast; USA Midwest; USA West; USA South; Mexico and the Caribbean.
“Seven years ago, the concept of Botanist Bar was only an idea; to see it through the design and construction phases, to opening and now being recognized at these awards is incredibly humbling,” said Grant Sceney, Creative Beverage Director at Fairmont Pacific Rim. “It’s evolved into something greater than we initially expected and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of the people that have been part of its journey.”
This announcement comes on the heels of Botanist Bar’s recent recognition as the recipient of the 2023 Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award; an award that was introduced by 50 Best in 2020 to recognize bars offering outstanding hospitality. This year, 260 members of North America’s 50 Best Bars Academy voted on their single-best hospitality experience during the 18-month voting period, recognizing Botanist Bar.
“Since the inception of Botanist, we’ve always strived to create an experience that is entirely unique and unforgettable.” said Jens Moesker, Regional Vice President and General Manager at Fairmont Pacific Rim. “Our Botanist Bar team exemplifies this unwavering dedication through their craft, and we are proud that the teams’ efforts have been recognized by such a distinguished group of voters.”