Two local Halloween pop-up bars to get you in the ~spirits~
Spooky season is creeping into Raleigh early—and this year, it’s bringing better (boo)ze than the average cauldron punch. Two local cocktail haunts are going all in for the haunted holiday, from an apothecary dripping in herbs and candlelight to a nostalgia-fueled takeover straight out of the Halloween aisles of your childhood. Prepare to eat, drink and fall under the spell.
The Haunting
Call it a “Nightmare on North West Street”—the good kind. Killjoy is leaning all the way into over-the-top vintage decor, glowing jack-o’-lanterns and haunted-house nostalgia this Halloween as it becomes Raleigh’s only outpost for The Haunting, the inaugural Halloween pop-up from the team behind the beloved Miracle Christmas brand. Like an eerie ghost story or your favorite scary movie, the wonderfully strange environment immerses guests in a twisted realm of oddities, playful mischief and creepy secrets. The cocktails are also bewitchingly inventive: Scream-sicle mixes tequila, spiced vanilla, carrot-orange cordial and habanero, while Poison Apple layers Calvados and rye whiskey with bitter apple, sherry and miso. And for anyone who likes their booze with a little souvenir, the Pumpkin Payback shot comes with a collectible Haunting glass. Oct. 1–31, Killjoy, Glenwood South, killjoycocktail.com
Courtesy of Wye Hill
Witch, Please!
Something wicked this way comes as Wye Hill swaps its usual brewery scene for something far more spellbinding. The buzzy Boylan brewery’s first-ever Halloween pop-up, Witch, Please!, fills the taproom with flickering candles, dangling herbs, weathered spell books and ancient-apothecary energy. Behind the bar, ~spirited~ potions and elixirs get the full treatment—smoke, scorched herbs and dramatic flair included. So basically—witchy theater meets cocktail hour. Try the Wise Woman, a tequila-and-Strega concoction with cucumber, mint, lime and absinthe, or go darker with the rye whiskey- and pomegranate-laced Better Half of Hades. Even the glassware gets in costume, with specialty vessels adding to the theatrical pours, while seasonal bites complete the spell. Through Nov. 1, Wye Hill, Warehouse District, wyehill.com
Ditch the PSL and spice things up this fall with creative seasonal bevs.
We love a pumpkin spice latte as much as the next person, but this season, Raleigh coffee shops and bars are crafting creative fall flavors that go way beyond the orange-hued froth. Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy latte or a unique craft cocktail, these seasonal cider-spiked, nut-infused and sugar-dusted bevs are worth savoring every sipping—and skipping Starbucks for.
The Longleaf Lounge Drink This: Autumn White Sangria Sangria gets a fall makeover with this crisp, cool and smooth bevy mixing white wine, apple brandy, cider, maple, orange and lemon. Think of it like a cold version of a hot toddy—add apple and a touch more sweetness. White it might not cure a sore throat, it’ll certainly lessen your post-summer blues.
NoRa Cafe Drink This: Chaider + Honey Harvest Latte This neighborhood coffeehouse in North Raleigh leans into seasonal comfort with its Chaider, a warming blend of spiced chai tea and tangy apple cider that tastes like straight up fall in a mug—and is the perf op for non-coffee-drinkers. For the creamy caffeine heads, opt for the Honey Harvest Latte, featuring local honey that provides just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the espresso’s depth. Either way, you’re in for a flavorful break from pumpkin overload.
Wye Hill Drink This: Roots & Rye Play into purple with this vibrant concoction of rye whiskey, ube (a purple yam), cinnamon, clove, lemon and egg white. Frothy, bold, and subtly sweet and spicy, it offers multiple reasons to ditch the orange for a new color of the season. ~Wye~ not give it a try?
Boatman Spirits Co. Drink This: Cleopatra Julep Seaboard Station’s otherworldly cocktail bar takes seasonal sipping seriously, drawing inspiration from historical recipes. Depart from the norm with the Cleopatra julep feat. a fragrant mix of olive oil-washed rye whiskey, cinnamon, rose, myrrh, cardamom and mint reminiscent of what historians have determined about the Queen of the Nile’s signature perfume. It’s a history lesson in a glass, and one that tastes perfectly of fall.
Sonder Drink This: Apple Cider Donut, Carrot Cake & Cinnamon Toast Crunch Lattes The bright and airy Wendell coffee shop’s seasonal menu reads like a bakery case—but in latte form. The apple cider doughnut latte serves as a nod to orchard visits (and is best served with Tepuy’s apple cider doughnut holes), while thecarrot cake latte blends spice and sweetness for an autumnal twist on a classic dessert. And for pure nostalgic comfort? The Cinnamon Toast Crunch latte brings the cereal-milk trend into fall territory. It’s a playful, sugary lineup guaranteed to brighten gray fall mornings.
East Bower Cider Co. Drink This: False Fall Cider Raleigh’s first cidery’s aptly named False Fall cider bridges the gap between hot summer afternoons and crisp autumn evenings. Made with local apples, peace purée and layered with bright, refreshing notes from chai spices that hint at cooler days ahead, this semi-dry cider is light, crisp and easy to sip when the weather can’t quite make up its mind.
Jubala Coffee Drink This: Spicy Churro Flat White If you’re really looking to spice things up, Jubala’s seasonal flat white takes the heat to the next level with a mix of chile de arbol, Videri chocolate, Cinnamon Toast Crunch-infused milk and espresso. It’s a surefire antidote for a cold fall day—packing both the heat and the sweet for flavorful fall sipper. A pumpkin spice latte could never.
The Haymaker Drink This: Burnt Sugar & Rye Old-Fashioned Sweater weather in a glass? Say less. Haymaker is channeling autumn’s smoky meets spicy side in its riff on an old-fashioned made with Jack Daniel’s Bottled in Bond rye, burnt sugar syrup, orange essence and aromatic bitters. And the result is rich, warming and subtly sweet—making for an ideal nightcap on crisp evenings. Now the only thing missing is a cozy fireplace.
Bittersweet Drink This: Blair Witch Tea Party Something wicked(ly delicious) this way comes… Get in the Halloween spirit with Bittersweet’s witchy and refreshing bev made concocted of Cardinal barrel-rested gin, black tea, honey, pineapple, lemon and cayenne pepper with a spiced rim. No tricks—just a sweet and slightly spicy liquid treat, best paired with one of the DTR bar’s signature desserts (the pumpkin crème brûlée and apple pie sundae will really get you in the fall mood).
WEB EXCLUSIVE It’s the most wine-derful time of the year! Here are 8 holiday-themed cocktails around the Triangle to get you in the merry mood.
The best way to spread Christmas cheer… is with a festive cocktail! Put your pinkies up and imbibe on these holiday-themed cocktails around town to really get in the spirit.
Sugar and spice and everything nice… this gin-based cocktail is made with gin, ginger syrup, fresh pomegranate juice, agave, egg white and a rosemary garnish—aka a liquid holiday in your mouth!
Raise a chocolate cheers to Corpse Reviver’s sweet and spicy cocktail made with Espolon Anejo, Durham Distillery Damn Fine Chocolate Liqueur, heavy cream, cinnamon and habanero.
We promise you won’t be disappointed by Bittersweet’s superb cocktail version of a fruitcake, a mix of honey-pecan rum, Frangelico, cherry juice, orange, lemon, peach bitters, cinnamon, clove, soda and rosewater. Perfection!
Once you take a sip, you’ll be sure to come back for s’more… This fiery cocktail from Olde Raleigh Distillery—made with bourbon, vanilla spice simple syrup, chocolate bitters, roasted marshmallows, and a chocolate and graham cracker rim—is sure to warm you right up.
You can’t go wrong with any of the festive drinks at Miracle at The Haymaker, but the Jingle Balls Nog (cognac, cream sherry, almond milk, cream, egg, vanilla, nutmeg) remains a fan fave.
Nothing will warm your heart—and your hands!—like Wye Hill’s Heart Warmer cocktail, a hot bev of bourbon, honey, orange marmalade, chai tea, cranberry and spices.
Kanki’s festive ‘tail is best in snow, returning to the menu by popular demand throughout the month of December. It gets its fruity and creamy notes from Malibu rum, cream of coconut, Pearl Nigori Sake and pineapple juice.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Bittersweet’s new seasonal cocktail menu is cozy in a cup.
Time oat! Humpty Dumpty isn’t the only one having a great fall. Helping us sink into all our (frigid) fall cravings is Bittersweet Raleigh’s new fall cocktail menu. Exhibit A: its Oatmeal Raisin—a hot, rich and cozy boozy blend of Jamaican Rum, Pedro Ximenez sherry, steamed oat milk and cream, vanilla, black walnut bitters, and cinnamon (and it can also be made nondairy!).
And, better safe than sober, the fall cocktail menu’ll have you feelin’ gourd with plenty o’ pumpkin, apples and chai spice (oh, my!), including a Fireside Old-Fashioned, Pumpkin Pie Cocktail and—our pick—the 4am Pancake (bourbon, cream, maple syrup, Crude coffee and cocoa bitters). *Nod to Eugene Levy’s hilarious Capital One commercial quip—if you’re up at 4am you might as well have breakfast.*
And if you’re at Bittersweet, you obv might as well have dessert. The seasonal ’zert menu features an apple doughnut cobbler, pumpkin creme brulee and a decadent s’mores sundae that’ll leave you, well, wanting s’more.
