When the temperatures creep up into the nineties you don’t just need a cold drink, you need a frozen one. From frozen Negroni at a tiki bar to wine slushies in a treehouse, we did the research for you and found 20+ places where you can cool off and chill out.
CHARLOTTE
The skyline view isn’t the only sweet part about a visit to Fahrenheit. Their milkshake of the day can be converted into a spiked “adult version” for $12.50. Past flavors include brown butter peach cobbler and salted peanut butter.
A visit to the Uptown hotspot includes rooftop skyline views and a frozen drink (or two). Enjoy their frozen strawberry margarita, piña colada or frosé.
The People’s Market at Dilworth
This popular neighborhood hangout just got even cooler. Stop by to enjoy a mini-vacay with a frozen rosé, sangria, piña colada and more.
Seoul Food Meat Company expanded it’s already popular cocktail menu to include frosé, spiked bubble piña colada and spiked bubble strawberry daiquiri.
This Dilworth favorite for one-of-a-kind sushi rolls also has a unique spin on sake. Try their frozen sake cocktails: the Rising Sun with strawberry, sweet sour and sake, and Saturday Fever with piña colada, sweet sour and sake for $5.95.
If a margarita’s what you’re craving, enjoy RuRu’s patio with a Frank the Tank in hand. Their house frozen margarita can be made traditional or flavored with strawberry, blueberry or peach.
Dilworth’s new go-to neighborhood bar serves up a rich frozen Irish coffee for just $6, all day every day.
Sycamore is using their recent expansion into cider (under the Wild Blossom Cider name) as the perfect opportunity to step up their summer drink game. Try the Wild Blossom Cider Frosé or their newest flavor, Island Freeze, made with Brut cider, pinot grigio, agave syrup, pineapple and mango.
Rosemont, South End’s newest bar on the scene, offers two ways to get your frozen drink fix. Try the Frozemont alcoholic Cheerwine slushy, or go all-out with the Shut Up It’s My Birthday spiked milkshake, complete with ice cream, funfetti icing, sprinkles and a cupcake.
Enjoy your Burgushi with a spiked milkshake ($12) at Cowfish. Flavors include the Island Breeze made with Bacardi Rum, Myer’s Dark Rum, ice cream, strawberries and pineapple juice, and the Peanut Butter Nana Time crafted with Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka, banana liqueur, ice cream, fresh banana and peanut butter cups.
This South End favorite for Southern cooking has a frozen treat to match the hot Southern heat. Order the Frozen Cherry Bomb Frosé: frozen rosé, Luxardo cherry liqueur, lime and mint.
While not technically frozen and blended, we think the House Mint Julep at Haberdish deserves a spot on this list. No order of fried chicken and mac ‘n cheese is complete without it.
When Comida re-opened in their new space shared with LittleSpoon, thankfully one thing stayed the same: their popular El Machete cocktail. Made with Vida Mescal, Patron Citronage, tangerine juice, mint and shaved ice for $14.
Perfect for patio sipping, Angry Ale’s offers multiple frozen cocktail options. Try the cherry moonshine and electric lemonade (staples they have consistently) or a third rotating flavor. Mixing encouraged!
Uptown, Cowbell Burger & Whiskey Bar offers classic sweet treat flavors with a twist. Order their s’mores, banana pudding, apple pie or mocha spiked shakes ($10).
In addition to their classic margaritas and piña coladas, Cabo’s also offers a Sangria-Rita: a Cuervo margarita served frozen with a swirl of sangria.
In University, find a spot on the patio and try to choose from Boardwalk Billy’s healthy list of frozen cocktails. You’ll find daiquiris (strawberry, raspberry, banana, mango and peach), a berry mango option and classic and strawberry piña coladas.
Enhance your meal at Monterrey Mexican Restaurant with a combo margarita (fusing classic lime topped with mango, peach, strawberry, raspberry, pineapple or tamarindo) or a layered sangria margarita made with fresh red sangria.
LAKE NORMAN
Want a taste of the islands without leaving town? Head to Hello Sailor’s tiki bar where they’re pouring two tiki cocktails: a Negroni slushie made with Compari gin and cherry lime Sun Drop, and the Pirates Booty, a take on a Moscow Mule made with rum.
When it comes to grabbing a margarita lakeside, our pick is Prickly Pear’s Mango Madness Margarita: Sauza Blue tequila, mango and raspberry liquor served frozen.
At The Blue Parrot Grill, you’ll feel like you’re worlds away from reality when ordering a number of vacation-like drinks, from mango and strawberry daiquiris to a Miami Vice.
& BEYOND
For the wine-lovers, Treehouse Vineyards lets you create your own slushy from your pick of their wines. Enjoy on the beautiful vineyard grounds or in rented treehouses on the property.
