Bacchus, A Bartolotta Restaurant

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Downtown Standard Since 2004

Bacchus – A Bartolotta Restaurant opened in 2004 inside the historic Cudahy Tower on East Wells Street, and it has held its position as one of Milwaukee's most consistently praised fine dining destinations ever since. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has awarded it four stars, and Wine Enthusiast named it one of America's Top 100 Wine Restaurants in 2017. The Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, held continuously since 2006, reflects what has always been the restaurant's dual commitment: serious American cooking built on seasonal ingredients, and one of the most ambitious wine programs in the region.

The Kitchen

Executive Chef Brent Davis grew up cooking in Wisconsin's Fox Valley, trained at Fox Valley Technical College, and took first place in state ACF culinary competitions before refining his craft across restaurants from Oshkosh to Green Bay. A stint at the Blind Horse Winery and Restaurant in Kohler sharpened his focus on locally sourced products and garden-driven menus. He joined The Bartolotta Restaurants as Chef de Cuisine at Bacchus in 2022 and was promoted to Executive Chef in 2025.

The kitchen offers two paths: an à la carte menu and a Chef's Tasting Menu that arrives with an amuse-bouche, chocolates, and petit fours. Dishes that have appeared across the menu and special events reflect the range of the kitchen — venison loin, wagyu steak, seasonal risotto, yellow fin tuna crudo, and roasted chicken all feature in the restaurant's own photography, while past event menus have showcased things like smoked lamb chop with corn purée and plum-mint agrodolce, and braised veal agnolotti in parmesan brodo.

The Wine Program

The wine list runs to more than 800 bottles and is widely described as Milwaukee's largest and most comprehensive. The sommelier team is unusually deep: many service staff hold at least a Level 1 sommelier accreditation, and the program has drawn visiting winemakers from houses including Moët & Chandon, Bollinger, and Fontanafredda for special dinners. The bar side of the operation is taken equally seriously — guests can expect the same considered explanation of a whiskey or craft cocktail that they would receive from a sommelier describing a wine.

The Room and Private Spaces

The space inside the Cudahy Tower is sleek and stylish, anchored by a prominent wine wall that doubles as an architectural feature. For private events, Bacchus offers several dedicated spaces, including a glass-enclosed conservatory — suited to corporate dinners, wedding receptions, or intimate celebrations. The restaurant has also hosted notable collaborative evenings with chefs including two-time James Beard Award winner Paul Bartolotta and James Beard Award winner Gavin Kaysen, making it a venue where the American fine dining conversation extends well beyond Milwaukee.