It’s that time of year again—voting for our 2026 Best Bars + Best Bartender is now open! From cocktail lounges to dive bars, wine haunts to breweries, now’s your chance to shout out your faves. Meet our bartender nominees here, then cast your votes in one, some or all categories here.
For extra credit, catch this year’s nominees in action at RM’s annual The Cocktail Classic, Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Exchange Raleigh, where this year’s noms will step back behind the bar for an evening of unlimited cocktails, mic’d-up demos, elevated bites, DJ sets and indulgent experiences. Trust, we’re raising the bar. Grab tickets now at cocktailclassicraleigh.com
Foundation bar the best