Last week, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new executive order allowing bars and restaurants to sell mixed drinks to go. While these cocktail orders can include multiple drinks, they are only allowed to be sold as one drink per person. Which does mean you’ll have to pile everyone in the car who wants a cocktail to go. As someone who grew up in the land of Drive Thru Daiquiri Bars, this seems silly, but I guess progress comes in baby steps.
Immediately inquiring minds on social media had many Many MANY questions.
- Would they be served with ice? If so wouldn’t it melt? ANSWER: Duh. Ice, if provided, is served separately as far as we can tell.
- What if you wanted two or more cocktails per person? ANSWER: Sadly, you must bring along some teetotaling friends in your ride then. Children & dogs don’t count.
- How will you stop people from chugging their drinks the minute they get them in their cars? ANSWER: I guess the same way we don’t chug wine, beer or whisky from the bottle on our way home from those stores.
Several enterprising restaurants and bars have already figured out the best way to send their tasty drinks home with you. Several are still figuring out how to make this work.
Currently, the NC cocktails-to-go order expires Jan. 31, 2021. We’ll be adding to and updating this article as more places send in their scoop.
Elsewhere’s Bottled & Canned To Go
@elsewhereclt is now offering five of their most popular handcrafted cocktails to go. They are mixed, bottled and canned fresh in-house with carefully selected spirits and some scratch-made fruit and botanical flavor enhancements. They travel well, are sealed for safe transport and ready to be enjoyed immediately upon opening. “Our menu draws inspirations from different eras in time and different places around the globe, so we welcome the opportunity to send these cocktails home with you to be enjoyed elsewhere.” Place order via email and pick up during business hours, or come order in person during business hours! Email: kelli@elsewhereclt.com.
Cheers.
8OZ CANS
- Moscow Midnight ~ Tito’s vodka, rosemary mint syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer $10
- The Southend Paloma ~ Lunazul blanco tequila, lime juice, Jarrito’s grapefruit soda, Peychaud’s bitters $10
375 ml bottle
- Limoncello Tito’s vodka, citrus, and sugar. $35
187ml glass bottles
- Painkiller ~ Pusser‘s rum, Blackstrap rum, coconut syrup, pineapple, orange, and lime juice. $11
- Society’s Lies ~ Elijah Craig bourbon, toasted pecan syrup, and blackstrap bitters $25
Haberdish: The “Winters Night Old Fashioned” Kits
@haberdish Mill town Southern kitchen & craft cocktails. Dine in by resos or walk up. Takeout available. Open Tues-Fri at 5pm; Sat-Sun at 11:30a. NoDa, CLT, NC.www.haberdish.com
Idlewild’s
@idlewildbar is doing to go cocktails the same as cocktails in house – meaning it’s still bartender’s choice. Every kit comes with a cocktail in a glass bottle, garnish, and large format ice, as well as instructions. It’s as easy as pouring, shaking or stirring, and drinking.
Bardo
@bardorestaurant is offering the following cocktails are available to-go (and the list features an old favorite from before their rebirth!):
- Cooling Effect ($16) // Lunazul Reposado, Arbol, Guajillo, Aloe, Agave, Lime
- Stay Golden ($13) // Muddy River Rum, Krupnikas, Golden Milk, Lime
- Walking in Wilmore ($14) // Copper Dog Scotch, Cinnamon, Allspice, Green Apple
- Sage Advice ($13) // George Dickel Rye Whiskey, Sage, Maple, Lemon
- Bartender’s Choice ($12) // Looking for something off menu? Let their staff create a delicious drink crafted just for you ~ just send a few words to describe the kind of cocktail you’re looking for and they’ll custom create one
To order online visit https://bit.ly/onlineorderingbardo, or call (980) 585-2433.
VANA
@vanasouthend has a cocktail to-go menu that includes the following drinks:
- Redeye to Tulum ($15) // Sombra Mezcal, Pineapple Plantation Rum, Coconut milk, cinnamon, Enderly espresso, grapefruit
- Hot Child in the City ($12) // Bulleit Bourbon, seasonal marmalade, jalapeno infused honey, lemon
- Keep it Spicy ($14) // Real Montelobos Mezcal or Lunazul Reposado, campari, passionfruit, triple spice, lime
Orders can be placed over the phone by calling (980) 819-5913.
Ruru’s Margs to Go
@rurustacos is serving your favorite cocktails to-go for the same price as dine-in with your call-in or takeout orders. All cups are sealed for safe and secure transport. Also available mix only in margarita mix gallons. Pick up your Magic Mike or Friend Zone mix to take home with your to-go order.
Fin & Fino
@finandfino is offering these cocktails to-go:
- Abuelita -Fin & Fino single barrel reposado tequila, grapefruit, pink peppercorn bitters
- Miss Loretta – anejo tequila, luxardo, orange curacao, sea salt, lime
- Winnie davis – Bourbon, vermouth, chartreuse, vanilla
- Pretty Petunia – roku gin, violet cordial, vermouth, grapefruit
- Big Momma – peanut butter washed white rum, banana, lemon, vanilla
- Endless Breadsticks – peanut butter washed bourbon, house jam
- Granny’s Grog – Fin & Fino’s house punch, modified to serve one person with lots of rum, juice, and sorcery
Dogwood
@dogwoodclt is offering its entire cocktail menu to-go, including bar manager Eli Privette’s winter “Smoke & Fire” cocktail lineup. A few are below, and the entire menu and online ordering is linked HERE.
- Chasing Fire – Johnnie Walker Black. Smoked Tea. Banana. Pecans.
- Steam Box – Don Julio Blanco. Roasted Beet & Red Pepper. Burnt Honey. Citrus.
- Vapors – Ketel One Vodka. Grilled Grapefruit. Lavender. Sparkling Mineral Water.
- Fire on the Mountain – George Dickel Rye Whiskey. Smoked Sweet Potato. Winter Spiced Vermouth. Benedictine. Hickory Bitters.
