Exactly what you should order at the bar, according to Charlotte bartenders
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Charlotte bartenders push patrons to explore beyond the espresso martini trend
- Suggested alternatives include Carajillos, Negroni riffs and tequila flights
- Bartenders urge conversation and experimentation to support creative efforts
Charlotte bartenders aren’t quite rolling their eyes at the espresso martini — but they are ready for you to try something new.
But if you’ve ordered one recently, you’re not alone: Bartenders say it’s become the Saturday night drink, to the point of exhaustion.
The cocktail’s popularity makes sense. The third-wave coffee movement didn’t just transform our morning routines; it crept into cocktail culture, too.
Now, this drink with a bite of bitterness, a hit of caffeine and that frothy cream (if well-shaken) dominates menus across the city. The espresso martini is arguably delicious, just complex enough and pulls double duty with alcohol and caffeine.
Carajillo ‘will be the next cocktail to rise’
While Vinyl, a popular South End bar, has been known to whip up some of the best espresso martinis in the city (all while being packed on a Saturday night), beverage director Henry Schmulling suggested ordering the Carajillo.
In his view, it “will be the next cocktail to rise to contend with the espresso martini.” Vanilla liqueur, such as Licor 43, and strong coffee are combined to make the Carajillo.
“It’s never had the same spotlight in the U.S. as the espresso martini,” he said. “It has lower ABV than an espresso martini and can also be altered with rum, or agave, mezcal or tequila for added flavor and a kick.”
But stepping outside of your cocktail comfort zone isn’t just about expanding your palate; it’s about appreciating the bartenders’ time and expertise.
“Have a conversation with the person across the bar and find something new to at least try,” said Andrew Quinn, general manager at Elsewhere in South End.
“We work so hard to create new and interesting drinks, to curate a different experience … it’s so frustrating to pour your heart and soul in time into something and then people that walk through the door don’t care.”
He admits he’s a little jaded, which makes sense in an industry that’s no stranger to burnout, turnover and unpredictable pay. But he’s still eager to share new textures, liquors and flavors to Charlotte.
So here’s the challenge, Charlotte: Keep your espresso martini if you must, but consider sipping something more personal. While the deeply-entrenched espresso martinis are cool enough, trusting your bartender with their favorite under-the-radar cocktail is arguably cooler.
I’ve done the asking — so you can do the ordering.
Cam Hamlin, bartender at Blue Door
Location: 1508 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC 28203
Drink recommendation: The Clover Club, The Paper Plane
Inside scoop: The Clover Club is a simple cocktail composed of gin, fresh lemon juice, raspberry syrup and frothy egg white foam. “It’s a good way for people who aren’t the biggest fans of gin to dip their toes into it,” Hamlin said.
As for the Paper Plane, “the aperol, lemon and bourbon all pair so well together, and it just feels like a year-round drink that rocks.”
Adam Shirah, bartender at L’Ostrica
Location: 4701 Park Rd D, Charlotte, NC 28209
Drink recommendation: Negroni (Rabo de Galo, Hanky Panky, Boulevardiers)
Inside scoop: Shirah is a seasoned bartender, but he returns to the balanced, straightforward Negroni — equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari — as a must-get at the bar. He sees the Negroni as the ideal cocktail to create new riffs and renditions.
It shines as a Rabo de Galo. Swap the vermouth for an amaro for a whole new flavor profile, like Fernet for a Hanky Panky. Boulevardiers if you can’t get away from bourbon. Ask for a Negroni and do a roulette with the amaro selection,” Shirah said. Most importantly, “have fun with it.”
Baily Bullock, bartender at Puerta
Location: 1961 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28204
Drink recommendation: A mezcal Last Word (with extra cherries)
Inside scoop: A Last Word is typically shaken with equal parts gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice. It’s a bit sweet, a bit tart and balanced with that herbaceous liquor. But Bullock suggests a new twist on the Prohibition-era cocktail: Get it with mezcal.
“Any cocktail that is typically made with gin tastes better with mezcal,” Bullock said.
Chaz Smith, beverage director at Paco’s Tacos + Tequila
Location: 6401 Carnegie Blvd #8a, Charlotte, NC 28211
Location: 1328 Broadcloth St, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Drink recommendation: A tequila flight
Inside scoop: “Tequila is such a unique and diverse spirit … there are stories within each bottle, and what better way to learn about these stories than by tasting multiple varieties all on one flight paddle,” Smith suggests.
“Also, it is much cheaper to try a super premium tequila that I don’t know, a little tasting pour at a time, than dive into a full neat pour and the cost associated with that.”
Larisa Yanicak, operations manager for OmShera Holdings/Blinders Sports Lounge
Location: 225 W Tremont Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203
Drink Recommendation: Revolver
Inside scoop: At Blinders, which is touted to have one of the largest TVs on the East Coast at 60-foot-by-15-foot TV screen, Yanicak recommends a Revolver. It’s bourbon, coffee liqueur and orange bitters, ideal for those craving coffee with a twist.
“If you are someone who leans toward an Old Fashioned, the Revolver is for you,” she said.
Kyle Brown, general manager at Customshop
Location: 1601 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Drink recommendation: Flip-styled cocktails, like Brown’s Banana Flip.
Inside scoop: Flip-style cocktails are drinks shaken with a base spirit or fortified wine with a whole egg and a bit of sugar. Rum Flips, Sherry Flips and Cynar flips are three great examples.
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“They give the same rich mouthfeel as espresso martinis but can be a lot more versatile,” Brown said.
“I’ve made a few Banana Flips behind the bar, which is easily one of my favorite summertime cocktails. A lot of them include rum as a base, which is my favorite base spirit to work with. Plus, you get some nice protein since it incorporates a whole egg in the process.”
Brown encourages bartenders to be more creative and adventurous with the flavors, “rather than just that one-tone coffee drink everyone seems to love,” he said.
Savannah Witt, bartender at Roots Cafe
Location: 2135 Southend Dr #109, Charlotte, NC 28203
Drink recommendation: Embers In The Wind mezcal long drink
Inside scoop: At Roots Cafe, Witt is into a subtle mezcal — which is a smoky agave liquor — this summer. It’s called Embers In The Wind, and it took inspiration from a cocktail in New York, made by Orlando Franklin McCray of The Blind Barber. “I was looking to add a soft and refreshing introduction to mezcal for people who are intimidated by the spirit,” she said. “It’s an equal parts mezcal and dry vermouth long drink with herbaceous notes from yellow chartreuse.”
This tall drink uses equal parts mezcal and dry vermouth, along with some herbaceous yellow chartreuse. “To provide a hint of sweetness, it’s accompanied by the tiniest bit of Abricot du Roussillon, an apricot liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and finished with ginger beer for a good bite. Personally, I’m not a mezcal fanatic, but I could sip this all day,” Witt said.
Sean Teague, server and bar lead at Folia
Location: 1440 S Tryon St # 102, Charlotte, NC 28203
Drink recommendation: The Carajillo
Inside scoop: Teague said “espresso martinis aren’t overrated, but they are somewhat overdone.” To keep that coffee flavor at the forefront, he suggests the Carajillo.
“The bitterness of the coffee plays well with the vanilla forward sweetness of the Licor 43,” he said. “I prefer mine with tequila and a little burnt orange for extra seasoning.”
Tomás Cordoba, lead bartender at Rada
Location: 2820 Selwyn Ave Ste 180, Charlotte, NC 28209
Drink recommendation: Peach Bellini
Inside scoop: The timeless Peach Bellini is a classic Italian aperitivo, mixing refreshing champagne bubbles with pureed peaches.
“As peach season reaches its peak, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a cocktail that embodies both elegance and refreshment,” Cordoba says. “Its delicate balance of ripe peach purée and sparkling wine captures the essence of summer in every sip.”
Cordoba likes its simplicity and suggests it as a toasting drink for brunches and parties.
Andrew Quinn, general manager at Elsewhere
Location: 101 W Worthington Ave STE 140, Charlotte, NC 28203
Drink recommendation: Anything new, with a side of conversation
Inside scoop: “Have a conversation with the person across the bar and find something new to at least try,” Quinn said.
However you take your cocktail — espresso or not — you now have the insider knowledge to navigate barhopping in the Queen City like a pro.
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
