Rock(s) On!

In an election where every vote truly counts (had to), the race for Raleigh’s top bartender is still on! Cast your vote for Raleigh Magazine’s Best Bartender to help crown our bar king or queen… and determine who will dethrone 2022 Bartender of the Year Colby Kress and grab the highly coveted trophy (passed from champ to champ a la Stanley Cup). While you’re at it, be sure to complete your ballot for Best Bars across a range of categories—Overall, Whiskey, Brewery, Dive and more. We may not yet know who the winners are—but one thing we know for sure is Raleigh is passionate about its pours. So in the spirit of “election” season, we tapped our Best Bartender noms for their fave cocktail to craft, so when you go belly up to their bar you know exactly what to order. Cheers! Voting closes Dec. 15

VOTE NOW: RALEIGHMAG.COM

Fave drink to make:

Reese Hailey, @dumpsterfireaesthetic
Aunty Betty’s, @auntybettysbar
Clover Club

Connor Cooke
Clockwork, @clockwork919
Part-Time Lover

Christian Gibbs, @cgibbs0323
The Haymaker, @haymakerraleigh
Old-Fashioned

Serena Thurston, @serena_christine_
Dram & Draught, @dramanddraughtraleigh
Amaretto sour

Ian Murray, @ian__murray
Foundation, @foundation_bar
Vieux Carré

Zoë Palmer, @zeeelana 
Fox Liquor Bar, @foxliquorbar
Vesper

Will Bryant, @willbrymadeit
The Parlor at Heights House, @heightshouseparlor
Negroni

Kelly Lynch, @kellyann41
Watts & Ward, @wattsandward
Gimlet

Ingrid Folkers, @bartenderinga
Whiskey Kitchen, @whiskey.kitchen
Black Manhattan

Clovis LaCour, @clovisliquor
William & Company (Willco), @willcobar
Boulevardier