If you’re all for making spirited decisions, pour one out for your favorite bartender and celebrate all the fun and flavor of the local industry. In honor of National Bartender Day Dec. 2—and our upcoming Best Bars issue (!)—we’ve rounded up boozy trivia about watering holes from Raleigh’s past and present to take your brain barhopping. Hey, it’s worth a shot!
1. In 2023, RM introduced the Best Bartender category in its annual Best Bars awards. Which fan-favorite bartender clinched the votes to win the inaugural coveted crown?
3. Shortly after its debut, Raleigh Beer Garden claimed the Guinness World Record for the most beers on tap at 397 selections. How many beers do they currently have on tap?
a. ~215 b. ~300 c. ~386 d. ~401
4. Tap Yard serves Raleigh’s official historic cocktail, the Cherry Bounce—a cherry-infused cordial credited with the launch of our capital. Which historic bar first served the drink to the delegates?
5. A foundation of the Raleigh bar scene (!), whiskey bar and speakeasy Foundation feted how many years of the “goodliest drinks under the cope of heaven” in 2024?
a. 5 b. 9 c. 10 d. 15
6. Lifting your spirits in more ways than one, the owners of which popular watering hole debuted gin and rum brand Spirit of the Dao?
7. Read all about it: The building on East Hargett Street previously housing The Raleigh Times is now home to the bar of the same name. Before the building swapped reporting for rum, what year was the final edition of the Times published?
a. 1944 b. 1967 c. 1989 d. 2000
8. The secret to a great cocktail? A great view. What new or upcoming bar is the tallest bar in Raleigh?
Stella’s is officially opening in a revamped space on North West Street on Oct. 26.
If a dive bar were a girl, it would be Stella’s. The ’80s/’90s-inspired “trailer trash-chic” watering hole is opening in the former Devereux location on North West Street—and it’s already a total vibe for girls, guys and everyone in between.
In standard fashion, the space received a colorful makeover in the months leading up to its opening. Stripping the space of its former Devereux life, owner Lena Ali and a gaggle of community members cultivated Stella’s personality with retro photos of Raleigh residents, parents and friends epoxied on the bar top; local art; wood paneling; disco balls; Christmas lights; thrifted/upcycled fixtures; and more—including the famous cow couch that once called Pink Boot home (!).
“The primary focus of the bar is that it is a community space,” emphasizes Ali. “The process of building the bar itself has been more or less of a community art project, which has been so fun and incredible to be a part of that we want to cultivate that in the bar’s daily operations as much as possible.”
As far as drinks go, Stella’s sticks to the basics with staple beer and seltzer options—plus a handful of seasonal cocktails designed and named by local guest bartenders. “I also want to put more of an emphasis on NA and THC options,” says Ali—“and lean a tad farther into wine than your standard dive bar—because, you know, girl.”
With that said, Ali’s goal “within this weird little 900-square-foot space” is for everyone to be “involved, welcomed and included,” she adds. “At Stella’s, the goal is to make everyone feel like a regular—even if it’s their first time in.” @stellasonwest
A bar can be more than just a place to pop in for a drink. It can serve as a second home—and partners Alex Ricci and Justin Tatnell hope their newly bowed watering hole, the Devereux, is just that. Think of it as a spirited “third place,” aka your home away from home and work.
“Everybody has their bar and that’s their place… and that’s the whole point,” emphasizes Ricci. “That’s actually why they call it bartending—because you’re tending to people’s needs.”
Situated in the now-defunct Pink Boot space on North West Street and trading the tiny weird honky-tonk aesthetic for inspo from the Rainforest Cafe (a vibe, honestly), the duo stripped the space of its kitschy decor, Raleigh relics and pink disco ball-lit bathroom (RIP) and replaced them with red tiles, teal walls, greenery and various pop art.
Nevertheless, Ricci maintains Pink Boot was “our go-to bar,” adding… “One could say we loved Pink Boot and Rainbow Luncheonette so much we bought them,” he says with a laugh. Now, the duo see the newfound space as a chill neighborhood drinking den driven by community. A place that’s “comfortable for everybody,” says Ricci, where regulars can repeatedly return no matter the occasion, and where the bartenders know your name and order. (It’s giving Cheers—and we’re here for it.)
Beyond approachable ’tails, Devereux drinkers can sample fare from adjacent sister restaurant Prospects, NTM a late-night menu—starting at 10pm—of mac and cheeses, burgers, sandwiches, and the like.
“Every single one of our friends and peers has shown up and given influence and helped cultivate this thing along the way,” maintains Ricci. “Justin and I weren’t the only ones who helped create this vision.” And, now, Raleighites can see that vision through. @devereuxbarnc
Three talented toques step out of the shadows and break out on their own.
Before EGOT*-winning John Legend became a legend, he sang backup vocals. Foodie phenom Scott Crawford began his journey as five-time James Beard-nominated culinary powerhouse as a busboy.
Some of the most prolific talents of our time have come from humble beginnings—people willing to set ego aside and parlay their talent to serve as a sponge to establish themselves and hone their craft. So goes the origin story of a trio of talented toques—each of whom were at the helm of three of our 2022 Best Restaurants—seizing their moment to carve out their own spots.
Former LM Restaurants star chef Saif Rahman, who cut his teeth locally at Vidrio, has plans to soon open his own restaurant. The victuals visionary, whose star saw rapid rise under such industry standouts as Crawford, credits him with his ascension: “Scott Crawford is a dear friend and an amazing mentor to me. He guides me, and he inspires me with what he has done, what he has gone through—and beat it—to get where he is today. He’s an inspiration to our city, other young chefs and to the chef world.”
That inspiration has turned to actualization for Rahman who sees Raleigh’s rapid growth and diversity as a prime opportunity. “It’s time to share a different culture and cuisine,” says the breakout chef. “I want to embrace change and diversity and connect with our guests emotionally through our food—that’s what excites me.”
Also leaning into diversifying the cuisine scene, longtime Brewery Bhavana/Bida Manda chef Lon Bounsanga announced his departure to open highly anticipated Laotian-focused SAAP (which translates to delicious) later this year, edging the masterfully designed Downtown Cary Park. “It’s the right time for me,” says Bounsanga. “Breaking out now means I am ready. As a seasoned chef, all the ingredients and resources are available to make this dream a reality.”
That manifested destiny also fills a very real void in the market for authentic Lao cuisine—think Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese influences—for which the Vientiane, Laos, native sees Cary as the perfect palate. “So when Bill Zahn, who is very involved in Downtown Cary projects, approached me about opening a restaurant next to what is going to be a world-class park, it made sense immediately,” says Bounsanga. “Who could pass up that opportunity?”
Not to mention peer pioneer Alex Ricci. Rounding out the toque trifecta, Ricci—who masterminded the menu as now-former head chef at Cucciolo Terrazza and earned Raleigh Mag’s 2022 Best New Restaurant right out of the gate—knows his time is now. Partnering with Jonny Ennis and Justin Tatnell, Ricci is set to slide into now-defunct adjoining West Street spaces Rainbow Luncheonette and Pink Boot with a duo of concepts. Restaurant Prospect will serve as an ode to Raleigh—and with it an extended witching hour for hungry revelers—along with your next fave drink den, The Devereux (p. 44).
Not unlike a Michelin-star meal, timing is everything, and these chefs are right on time. Armed with a vision for what Raleigh needs right now with a mad dash of precise chops amassed over years of sweat equity and “yes, chefs,” these gastronomic greats have become masters in their own right.
“As a chef, you spend years putting your food on other people’s plates. The love for your craft has been monetized by someone else, and it can be hard to stay passionate for anything you do, especially if you’re not doing it for yourself” says Ricci. “I want to live within my dreams, not be a spectator of them.” Dreams delivered.
Two new concepts opening in place of Rainbow Luncheonette and Pink Boot
“I want to create a restaurant that actually represents the diner of Raleigh and not a chef-driven ego—a restaurant truly for the people of Raleigh.” So says chef Alex Ricci, most recently of Cucciolo Terrazza, who is set to open his first independent duo of concepts alongside partners Jonny Ennis (aka Jonny Rocket) and Justin Tatnell this fall.
The concepts will open in now-defunct Pink Boot and Rainbow Luncheonette, both of which shuttered in July. And while the duo of West Street joints will certainly be missed, former owner Jason Howard sees the shift as an op to usher in the next era of budding talent.
“This is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination,” says Howard. “It’s a tough business. Let them have a crack at it.” Rest assured, Ricci certainly has the chops. Not to mention a cutting-edge vision that will deliver a whole new brand of dining and drinking to the area—and one that will very much be in collaboration with guests.
In Rainbow Luncheonette’s place, Ricci and his partners will be opening Prospects, a diner-esque eatery serving food till 3:30am (!) that Ricci has cultivated with, by and for Raleighites. To create the core menu, he tapped various friends, writers, chefs and other Raleighites for their favorite dishes—either from now or their youth. Think mac and cheeses, kabobs, sandwiches, even a spin on the Lunch Lady pizza as an ode to Pink Boot, plus twists on classic brunch dishes like eggs Benedict, shakshuka, and chicken and waffles (s/o Raleigh Mag!)—NTM desserts from Layered Croissanterie pastry chef Suzanne Downs.
Furthering the intention to truly design the concept as a representation of Raleigh, Prospects will also tout a massive chalkboard on which Ricci will chalk a question (like, say: What is a dish that reminds you of home?) and then feature his interpretation of those guest selects on the rotating seasonal menu.
“I decided since I’ve built the first core menu off of people who impact my life and, in my opinion, the [local] food scene, the entire concept should be cultivated like that for the public as well,” Ricci explains. “This is something that’s not necessarily about me. I’m just at the helm of it.”
As for the Pink Boot side, the trio will open The Devereux in its place, an inviting neighborhood bar that’s “not a dive bar, but not a cocktail bar,” explains Tatnell. And—spoiler alert—there will be boozy slushies.
“I’m doing the spaces a disservice,” says Howard, who is steering his focus on expanding his thriving concepts The Cardinal and Lil Hombre. “It’s time for a change—time to let somebody do it who’s young, hungry and passionate. I’m excited for those guys.” And, so, enter the next gen of dining in Raleigh. Excited yet?
Editors note: This news was exclusively revealed on our Instagram—give us a follow if you don’t already to stay up to date on all things Raleigh.
