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  • Would you try one? 5 weirdest cocktails in Charlotte right now

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    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.

    Five cocktail glasses are lined up along a dark wooden bar, each holding a different drink and garnish — cinnamon, mint, carrot and lemon.
    At Dilworth Tasting Room, food and cocktail offerings change seasonally. The restaurant recently launched 18 new drinks on its Seasonal Cocktails Menu. Chris Rodarte Rodarte’s Corner Media

    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

    A sunlit close-up of a unique cocktail. A hand holds a chilled coupe glass filled with a shimmering, pale liquid. The drink is uniquely garnished with a delicate, lacy parmesan wafer resting on the edge of the glass, catching the bright light.
    Little Mama’s Cacio e Pepe Martini. Little Mama’s

    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

    A refreshing glass of ruby-red liquid beaded with condensation, is the centerpiece of this inviting photo. Sitting on a wooden table, the drink is brimming with chopped fruit and ice, and playfully garnished with a bright lime wedge and a cheerful blue cocktail umbrella.
    The spirit-free Chicha Morada at Leluia Hall. Leluia Hall

    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

    A striking, bright orange cocktail glows in a dimly lit bar. Served in a classic coupe glass with an ornate stem, the drink is simply garnished with a fresh sprig of mint and a round carrot slice, hinting at its ingredients. The lighting is focused and dramatic, creating a sophisticated mood.
    Shhh, I’m Hunting Wabbits is available at all three DTR locations. Chris Rodarte Rodarte’s Corner Media

    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

    A sophisticated cocktail sits on a wooden table. The tall, patterned glass is filled with an amber-colored liquid and topped with a luxurious, thick cap of white foam. Floating delicately on the foam are a few raisins and vibrant droplets of orange and red bitters.
    Vinyl’s Supersonic Rocket Ship cocktail. Tamia Boyd CharlotteFive

    This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 6:30 AM.

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    Heidi Finley

    The Charlotte Observer

    Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits.
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