Would you try one? 5 weirdest cocktails in Charlotte right now
This fall, Charlotte bartenders are blurring the lines between cocktails and culinary art in delicious ways, putting out drinks. with complex flavors and blending ingredients that you’ve never before tasted together.
We’ve put together a lineup of some of the most intriguing cocktails you can drink right now in the Queen City, offering one-of-a-kind sips and spirits to pique your curiosity, satisfy your palate and help keep your Instagram feed fresh while you’re at it, too.
If you’re searching for something new or just a touch of whimsy on your next night out, here are a few intriguing cocktails to consider trying.
Cacio e Pepe Martini at Little Mama’s Italian
Location: 4521 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
Location: 9825 Sandy Rock Pl, Charlotte, NC 28277
Little Mama’s taking the spirit — or shall we say spirits — of Italy to a whole new place with its new Cacio e Pepe Martini. Order one to pair with your fresh mozzarella starter, close your eyes and let it whisk you away on a mini Italian vacation.
The cocktail that’s a riff on the classic pasta dish blends Parmesan-and-pepper-washed Tito’s vodka with house-made olive juice and balsamic vinegar, and garnishes it with a Parmesan crisp.
Cost: $14
Chicha Morada at Leluia Hall
Location: 1829 Cleveland Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203
The spirit-free Chicha Morada at Leluia Hall — where James Beard Award semifinalist beverage director Colleen Hughes is behind the bar with mixologist Rhea Buck — takes us to new places. It’s a traditional Incan drink often found in Peru, where purple corn is grown in the Andes Mountains.
The beverage is made with purple corn tea, pineapple juice and citrus with chunks of fresh green apple. And it’s vegan, too.
Cost: $10
Lemon Pepper at Lorem Ipsum
Location: 1101 Central Ave Unit B, Charlotte, NC 28204
Lorem Ipsum, which was called out in Esquire Magazine over the summer for having one of America’s best bars, has strikingly delicious — and creative — cocktails that helped earn that reputation. Among them is the Lemon Pepper, a flavor normally reserved for chicken wings that hits all the right notes at the listening bar.
The seemingly simple drink heavy on citrus notes is made with reposado tequila, lemongrass, black pepper and lemon.
Cost: $17
Shh! I’m Hunting Wabbits at DTR
Location: 300 E Tremont Ave., Charlotte, NC 28203
Location: 4905 Ashley Park Lane, Charlotte, NC 28210
Location: 1413 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Fall specials tend to fall into two categories: pumpkin or apple. But Dilworth Tasting Room has spun things in an entirely new direction, with a carrot-forward drink called Shh! I’m Hunting Wabbits that will immediately invoke childhood memories of Elmer Fudd and our old pal Bugs Bunny.
This vitamin-filled concoction combines Ketel One Grapefruit, allspice, carrot, lime, ginger and Fresno chili.
Cost: $17
Supersonic Rocket Ship at Vinyl
Location: 1440 S Tryon St #105, Charlotte, NC 28203
Vinyl rolls out new cocktails every season, and it’s known for pushing boundaries with creative names and flavors. Now, there’s an option with the dried lunchbox fruit that everyone loves to hate on — raisins — taking this boundary pushing to a new level.
Its Supersonic Rocket Ship cocktail is made wtih Banhez Ensemble Mezcal, Blackstrap Rum, Fords Gin, Fernet-Branca, morita chile, cinnamon, pineapple, Havana & Hide Leather and tobacco bitters
Cost: $16
This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 6:30 AM.
