Meet fab mixologist Zoë Palmer, our Best Bartender nom found shakin’ up sensational sips at Fox Liquor Bar.
Zoë Palmer, who made her move to the South from Massachusetts, is a cocktail-making force to be reckoned with. The master mixologist is set to rep the recently reopened Ashley Christensen-owned sip spot, Fox Liquor Bar, at our inaugural Cocktail Classic, presented by The Exchange Raleigh, Nov. 18 at Killjoy. And catch her in the running for the highly coveted title of 2023 Bartender of the Year. (Watch out, Colby Kress!)
Want her to win it all? Cast your vote now through Dec. 15, and see her talent for yourself at the Cocktail Classic—grab a ticket before they’re gone! Cheers!
Meet the talented ’tender shakin’ up bevs behind the Foundation bar.
Coming to the City of Oaks from Columbus, Ohio, Ian Murray is shaking up some seriously good libations at Foundation. When he isn’t crafting cocktails and pouring drinks at his Fayetteville Street watering hole, find Murray watching sports or out and about playing disc golf. His advice to aspiring mixologists? “Hard work pays off. … Stick with it and forget about instant gratification. It’ll pay off down the road.” And that it has.
Spot the Foundation ’tender competing at our inaugural Cocktail Classic, presented by The Exchange, on Nov. 18—and be sure to cast your ballot for the 2023 Bartender of the Year before Dec. 15. Will Murray earn this year’s Bartender of the Year acclaim and nab the trophy from Colby Kress? Your vote could be the one that sways the outcome. … Cheers!
Get to know Serena Thurston, the mixologist shaking things up behind the Dram bar.
Raised in Fayetteville, Serena Thurston now tends bar at uberpopular DTR neighborhood bar Dram & Draught. Coming up under the wing of current Bartender of the Year Colby Kress (also a Dram mixologist), she’s set to keep spirits high. Cast your ballot for the master cocktailier via our Best Bartender voting, open now through Dec. 15. And don’t miss Thurston shaking things up at our inaugural Cocktail Classic, presented by The Exchange Raleigh, Nov. 18. … Be sure to nab those tix before they sell out!
Could Thurston defend this DTR watering hole’s Bartender of the Year title? Your spirited vote could decide…
Fave drink to make? Amaretto sour
Least fave to make? Any type of fizz
Your go-to drink order? Aperol and soda with a lemon
Meet the timeless ’tender shakin’ up bevs behind the Clockwork bar.
Hailing from New York, find Best Bartender nominee Connor Cooke from Clockwork spinnin’ up takes on the classics for patrons venturing into the stylish and swanky DTR watering hole. If you’re a fan of his liquid creations, cast your ballot for Cooke via our Best Bartender voting, open now through Dec. 15. And witness a taste of his talent at our inaugural Cocktail Classic, presented by The Exchange Raleigh, Nov. 18—so be sure to nab those tix before early bird pricing ends at midnight on Oct. 20!
Top Raleigh mixologists making guest appearances in Durham throughout April
A select few of our 2022 Best Bars Awards winners (plus a couple of other popular Raleigh watering holes!) are making a special guest appearance in Durham throughout the month of April—and you’re gonna wanna get a sip of the action.
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke Hotel, both located on Duke University’s campus, have teamed up to host the Be Our Guest Bartender Series, in which top mixologists from the area share signature drinks with the hotels’ guests every Wednesday at the Inn’s Bull Durham Bar and every Thursday at JB Duke Hotel’s Lobby Lounge.
“We are thrilled to offer hotel guests and Durham community residents alike a unique experience to enjoy masterfully crafted limited-edition cocktails in our tranquil, timeless bar spaces,” says Daniel Lotz, area director of operations for the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke Hotel, and hotel manager at the Inn. “The Be Our Guest Bartender Series is designed to celebrate the vibrant food, beverage and hospitality offerings available throughout the Triangle while shining a spotlight on the mixologists elevating the local bar scene and the causes that are most important to them.” Um, we’ll drink to that.
Can’t make those exact dates? You can still get your fill of each bartender’s specialty concoctions at the hotel bars the week following their on-site visits. … And to top it all off, 10% of proceeds from the specialty drink menus will be donated to each bartender’s local nonprofit of choice. Who doesn’t love drinking for a good cause? Cheers!
