This week, we visited the Bacchus Bar, located in the heart of the second city.
The Bacchus Bar is one of the oldest in Birmingham, dating back to 1398. It has hosted many famous neighbours in its history, including the Theatre Royal and the Museum of Bazaar, but nestled into the basement of the Burlington Arcade, the Bacchus Bar has outlived them all, a constant fixture in the city centre.
In true Nicholson’s Pubs fashion, the Bacchus Bar plays into its age with a collection of themed rooms from several time periods and worldly locations, all of which complement its historical architecture. Adorned with Greek and Roman mosaics, Egyptian golden tomb paintings, medieval archways and suits of armour, and a vintage French dining room, the bar truly is a visual spectacle.
There is something fabulous or fascinating to look at on every wall – even the entry staircase is glamorous!
The lighting is soft and low, but not dark, and throughout our visit, popular music was playing at a comfortable volume, giving the place a pleasantly lively atmosphere. The layout of the bar means that there are lots of nooks and smaller rooms, allowing for privacy and a cosy feel.
Our visit took place on a Tuesday evening, and while the restaurant was quiet, the bar still had a healthy number of visitors. We were greeted and swiftly seated upon arrival, having pre-booked a table, and the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive – there wasn’t an empty glass or an awkward wait throughout the night.
We started the evening with cocktails and were thoroughly impressed by the delicious espresso martini and the raspberry mojito, which was a fun twist on the minty classic. The drinks were served very promptly and were reasonably priced for cocktails.
For our mains, we sampled the famous traditional pies, a featured dish at the Bacchus Bar. The sweet potato and goat’s cheese pie was an exciting vegetarian option, topped with a herb and pumpkin seed crumb. The pie was served with some steamed greens, roasted carrots, and a generous helping of creamy garlic herb-crumb mash, which was delicious. It also came with a little jug of gravy. The portion sizes were plentiful, and we were comfortably full by the end of the meal!
We also tried the 10oz chargrilled 21-day-aged ribeye steak, which was cooked to perfection. The steak came with vine cherry tomatoes, delicious chunky chips, and a green salad, and we selected peppercorn sauce, given the additional choice of Béarnaise or craft ale mushroom & bacon.
The food was beautifully presented, and it seemed a shame to spoil it by eating it, but it was irresistible!
The menu has a good range of items, with substantial pie and burger menus in addition to the main dishes. A few items were unavailable upon our arrival, as we were informed that a large booking had visited earlier in the day, but this was communicated very early on and there was still ample choice.
We were struggling to find room for more after the hearty main meals, but couldn’t pass over the fabulous dessert menu once we’d glanced at it. The options were all vegetarian and included a double chocolate brownie that came well-recommended, a caramel biscuit torte, and the newest addition to the menu, an orange Prosecco meringue tart.
The meringue tart sounded too good to miss out on, so we split one, and were afterwards confident we made the right choice! The tart was a light pastry casing lined with an orange Prosecco curd, in equal parts sharp and sweet. It comes glazed with a creamy meringue, served with mint and a sweet strawberry salsa, with a pot of Bourbon vanilla ice cream which went down a treat.
We were so excited when it arrived that we’d half-tucked into it before realising we should probably pause to photograph what remained before we devoured the rest! I will absolutely be returning on a less-full stomach to finish what I started and save room to sample the rest of the dessert menu!
Though we certainly didn’t have room for any sides, we did notice that there was a reassuringly well-stocked list of bar snacks, starters, and sides for smaller appetites. The drinks menu was also pleasingly substantial, with a good variety of cocktails, gins, pints and a decent wine list (as one would expect from a bar named after the Greco-Roman god of wine!) The bar also serves a range of hot drinks. Our server, Sid, was on hand to talk us through all of the menus and was a brilliant help to us throughout the evening.
We had a fabulous night at the Bacchus Bar, having sought near and far for the best place in Birmingham to host an anniversary dinner. The bar is certainly a good spot for couples, but would also be well-suited to friends, workplace outings and families in the daytime. There is something on the menu to cater to everyone, and while the vegetarian menu is not huge, there are several very solid options.
The bar is in very close proximity to Birmingham New Street Station (Stephenson Street/North Exit), with several nearby bus stops. The entrance to the Burlington Arcade is right in the city centre, on New Street itself, so is easily accessible, and there are wheelchair-accessible lifts within the premises.
To check out the menu, read up on the bar, or to make your booking, head to the Bacchus Bar website. Weekends are often rather busy, so it is worth booking ahead to secure your spot! This is certainly Birmingham’s hidden gem (quite literally concealed in a basement) and should definitely feature on your to-do list next time you’re in town. Bacchus was also renowned in Greco-Roman societies as the god of festivity, and there is no better venue for celebration or frivolity than the delightful Bacchus Bar.
