This summer may not have a clear soundtrack—but she def has a flavor. Meet our spirited boyfriend: Hugo. With its crisp effervescence (hello, prosecco!), a kiss of subtly sweet elderflower and a cooling whisper of mint, the sultry spritz is pure summer in a glass (and the perf anecdote in 100+ degrees). Easy to make at home—and great for the summer bod to boot—not all Hugos are created equal. On my spritz summer tour, I did the hard work for you. Here, a trio of spots you should be sipping the sweet nectar before summer slips to fall.
Dram & Draught Hands down the best Hugo in town—whether cozied up in DTR or kicking back at Fenton—this spot also shakes a riff on the spritz that feels made just for Raleigh in the dog days of summer. Not your run-of-the-mill prosecco-plus-elderflower-mint, the seasonal Spritz & Gigz riff, affectionately crafted by Ross, blends Ketel One Grapefruit Rose, blackberry, lemon, a touch of sugar, basil tincture, soda and prosecco for a floral, fruity twist that still hits all those spritz notes (effervescent, herbaceous, sweet). Basically, you can’t have just one.
La Terrazza Rooftop vibes and spritz goals? Say less. La Terrazza’s Hugo is a classic floral-forward delight, mixing St-Germain, prosecco, club soda, lemon and mint into a light, sunny sipper that tastes like summer—and makes sunset sipping extra sweet.
Wye Hill Sips with a view? Don’t mind if I do. Perched atop Boylan Bridge, Wye Hill pours a skyline-level spritz in Spotless Mind, starring St-Germain elderflower, gin, Italicus bergamot, orange blossom agave, lemon—and bubbles, natch. It’s floral, effervescent, elegant… a spritz sophisticated enough to make me forget all about those spicy margs.
Move over (vodka) espresso martini, a host of hooch ops are comin’ in hot this year.
Hugo Boss The bittersweet bubbly Aperol Spritz ran so Hugo Spritz could fly—and give you wings. Swapping the pungent orangey Aperol for fresh floral elderflower liqueur (think St-Germain), then combined with the usual prosecco and club soda and garnished with a wedge of your lemon/lime choosing + mint sprig, it promises to make ’24 floral and effervescent.
Espresso Yourself The craze continues. We see the de rigueur vodka-coffee combo and raise you tequila—think Best Bartender nom Will Bryant’s visionary version with Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila at Parlor at Heights House. Better still, a trending baker’s dozen of flavor profiles. Cookie butter? Filthy chai? Olive oil? Peppermint mocha? Don’t knock it till you try it.
All About the Buzz Hot take: Coffee makes you smarter. So girl math—and boy math—adds up for this caffeinated trend, from cold brew Negronis to White Russians and beyond. We see you, Watts & Ward’s Basic Bitch (Bacardi spiced rum, Caffe Lolita, syrup, coffee & cocoa bitters, whole egg). Hey, basic never meant boring. Pref spiked tea? Probs your cue to literally “Give It a Chai” at Highgarden.
BEC-lieve It If Wonka got drunk and dug sandwiches, well the liquified bodega BEC sandwich would taste like a BEC sandwich. That very real bacon-washed whiskey, egg white and everything-bagel seasoning-topped ’tail (dubbed the NY Bodega Sour and already on the menu of a Manhattan lounge) is just one pioneer of the new class of sandwich cocktails coming. Double down and pair it with a side of Doritos liquor—yes, really.
Also Keeping Spirits High So fetch? Throwback ’tinis (we see you apple) thrive while spicy spirits continue to bring the heat. Experiential cocktails light up our feeds to electrify the doom-scroll doldrums, and Korean vodka Soju keeps spirits high as it takes reign as the world’s most popular—alongside everything Asian. So, “smooth like butter,” indeed.
