Favorite Cocktails on the Cape Fear Coast – Wilmington

If you’ve never been… Wilmington, North Carolina is a historic riverfront town on the southern coast of North Carolina with lots of history and character. We have spent a good bit of time there in the last two decades. It has its share of dive bars like any good river town – the city is on the banks of the Cape Fear River. But there are also lots of great places for great cocktails!

We’ll start with some of the “must do” spots that have been around long enough to be worth it. Hell’s Kitchen and Copper Penny are two classic places for food and drinks. Hell’s Kitchen actually opened just after the TV show Dawson’s Creek ended – it was used as a set for the final season.

There are lots of breweries now near downtown Wilmington. But Front Street Brewery was doing it right before it became a thing. As we mentioned, there are some fantastic dive bars: Blue Post, Lula’s (it’s in a basement tunnel), Barbary Coast. And for fancy drinks - Circa 1922 has been serving amazing food, wine and cocktails for more than two decades. Definitely a #tipsypick for date night.

Now, for the newest tipsy picks in the Port City!

Life’s too short… start with dessert! That’s what we did when our evening started out with not one, but a flight of espresso martinis at Concorde Espresso Bar! At its roots, this is a historic hotel bar but with some great spaces, both indoor and outdoor. Along with the espresso martinis, they also serve kits to make s’mores, both inside and outside, making it a great date night stop! 

Sometimes the best spots are the ones you wander into. That’s the case with the Fortunate Glass. This wine bar has been on the main street (Front Street) for about 15 years, but we somehow missed it. Boy, are we glad we saw it this time! The wine selection is extensive in an intimate atmosphere. The food was spot on as well. Another great date night spot full of locals.

 Speaking of date night, how about an underground cocktail bar? The Underfront Company is just that, complete with mood lighting and comfy spaces to enjoy the vibe… and great cocktails! The Smoked Benton’s Old Fashioned is a highlight. We’re not sure the bar staff knows it – but this space used to be much different as Firebelly Lounge, a well-known beer and burrito spot. It became infamous as the place where actor Vince Vaughn got arrested. Look it up!

Before we get too much further, here’s our favorite discovery of the bunch – Banter. This eclectic little cocktail bar is a perfect respite from the crowds on the main street. Each room is cozy and makes you feel like relaxing for a drink (or three). The cocktail selection is creative and tasty! It’s #offthetipsypath and our #tipsypick for sure!

Blind Elephant is the closest thing to a speakeasy in the Port City. Located down a dimly lit alley, it’s a great place for an elevated cocktail experience. It was one of the first true “craft cocktail” bars in town, before that was really a thing. They have jazz fairly often, and classics like the Manhattan are excellent. 

As for alley spots, this next one caught us by surprise. On their website, Ivey in the Alley appears to be an intimate cocktail bar. The space is located down an alley and until recently was just storage space for decades. In reality, it was the liveliest spot we visited! They had a DJ playing house music and it was packed! Fortunately, we arrived early enough to have a table in the alley to enjoy our drinks. It’s worth checking out! 

Taking a little detour just outside downtown... Wilmington is home to the State Port of North Carolina. That means lots of shipping containers. But Wilmington has found a way to put some of them to good use instead of scrap metal. It’s called the Cargo District – a growing neighborhood of bars, restaurants, apartments and shops all made from or surrounded by shipping containers!

After a stroll around the neighborhood, we stopped In for refreshments at a delightful little wine and whiskey bar called The Starling. They have a small indoor space and large patio area. Their extensive bourbon selection was on display. We understand they even do bourbon flights, which could be dangerous on a summer evening. On our stop, we had the Pandan Express – a wonderful summer take on a Manhattan. 

We also love to see buildings repurposed for nightlife (or day drinking)! Fermental serves beer and wine in an old garage service station in the Cargo District. The outdoor space is like your patio upgraded! They have an excellent selection on draft, in bottles and cans and to go.

On that note… you should go to Wilmington! Let us know if you do!

Up next – we’ll slide down the coast from Wilmington to one of our favorite beach destinations – Carolina Beach!

🍷 Cocktail Happiness – North Central and Happy Holler 🍷

This edition of Tipsy Path hits close to home, literally. In June 2023 we chose to move to a neighborhood that puts us walking distance from a number of fabulous bars, restaurants, and breweries in north Knoxville and Happy Holler, not to mention downtown. And we’ve loved every minute of it!

For this adventure, we’ll focus on the North Central Street corridor from the intersection with Broadway up through Happy Holler. Why do they call it that? Local historians point out that this was indeed one of Knoxville’s original “entertainment” districts, along with the Old City. It supposedly began before the turn of the 20th century because wagons kept getting stuck in the dip between the two ridges around Central Street and Anderson Avenue. A smart businessman decided to open a saloon for people to enjoy their visits while they were stuck. And “Happy Holler” was born. At one time there were saloons, restaurants, a movie theater – much like today.

But we bet there’s one thing we have now in the Holler that they didn’t have back in the day – a pirate bar! Better yet, the Pirate Tavern! That’s the semi-official name for what’s also listed as the eVape Tavern. But either way, it’s definitely a pirate-themed bar with one of the best rum selections in town (try a “voyage” aka Rum Flight) and arguably the largest cooler of local canned beer selections in Knoxville. The cocktails are super creative too! If you don’t vape, don’t worry. We don’t either and we’ve never worried about it. And a #tipsytip for you – be sure to check out the restrooms! The themes in each are hand-painted by co-owner Jennifer Murphy. 

Next door is one of our favorite wine bars in Knoxville - Zero/Zero. The name stands for the fact that they specialize in natural wines from around the world – “natural” meaning ideally no preservatives or additives. They have a very welcoming space with great selection by the bottle or glass. Did we mention they have vermouth by the glass? They’re also doing more flight tastings and teaming with local restaurants for special dinners, so stay tuned!

It’s also likely that the neighborhood didn’t have a “gay” club back in the day, at least not what it means now. But in the Holler, we have Club XYZ! And if you haven’t been to one of their drag shows, you’re missing out! It’s a great way to spend a late night for not a lot of money. The performers are fun, drinks are cheap and strong, and there’s a patio. What more do you need? 

We almost hesitate to share this next spot because it’s home to one of the best all-around bourbon selections in town (and at some of the best prices). The Oak Room is home to the barrel-aging program for Abridged Beer in Bearden. Along with some tasty sours and unique aged beers, they have wonderful food… AND the bourbon mentioned above. You can even create your own Old Fashioned, which we have done many times. They don’t gouge you on the allocated bourbon, so this is a #tipsypick for sure!

Did we mention bourbon?  One of the best takes on a classic Manhattan can be found at Bistro by the Tracks. Don’t be confused – there are two locations, but this one may be closer to actual railroad tracks. The drink is called the Whiskey Business and it’s not to be missed, even if you just sit at the bar. But why would you miss the food? A few “expert” tips – they have half off wines every Monday and flights of port that make an excellent dessert.

It’s patio weather! And Central Flats & Taps has one of the largest in the neighborhood. They have great food, an excellent draft beer selection, and they make a mean cocktail! You should try the spicy watermelon martini or margarita! And did we mention the Bushwhackers? Perfect for the patio. 

Just across the street, Y Not Tavern is your old school go-to for karaoke and cheap beer. 

Now if you head down Central a few blocks toward downtown, you come to two of the neighborhood’s signature watering holes. If we’re honest, the Corner Lounge is our version of “Cheers.” We walk in and most of the bartenders know what we’re going to order. They have live music, fun bartenders, and fantastic food at some of the best prices around. It’s also the oldest bar in downtown Knoxville – even author Cormac MaCarthy used to belly up here. We have been supporting these folks since before the pandemic, and even during the shutdown. They make a mean Manhattan and Old Fashioned. #tipsypick

Just up the street, Marie’s Olde Towne Tavern is a classic dive bar, complete with cheap beer and friendly staff… and smoking is allowed. But they have a nice patio out back for some fresh air. Inside, the Karaoke is packed on weekends, so they’re doing it right. Definitely worth a visit.

Speaking of beer, there are lots of breweries along North Central all the way to the I-40 underpass. We covered most of them in a previous blog post. But we’ll note that Yee Haw Brewing brought us a cool speakeasy during the winter months in their barrel room to bring revenue while the patio bar was closed. Cheers to them and hoping they bring it back this coming winter!

Happy Holler (and North Central) – making people like us happy for more than a century!

Where should we visit next? Let us know at offthetipsypath@gmail.com.

Winter Drinks in Denver and “Breck”

You’ve heard the old saying “If you can’t beat them, join them…” We embraced the fact that Winter comes every year and took the opportunity to visit a state we hadn’t been before and enjoy the snow – Colorado.

First let’s say that altitude does impact how your body processes alcohol, particularly when you’re above 5,000 feet and even 10,000 feet above sea level. You tend to get drunk quicker and the hangovers last longer. Just trust us on that. That said, we didn’t make it to all the places in Denver and Breckenridge on our list this time. But the spots we did visit in both cities were pretty spectacular. 

Breckenridge is essentially a historic mining town turned ski resort town about an hour or so from Denver. There’s no shortage of good places to eat and drink. They fully embrace the Apres’ culture, or Apres’ Ski – which is a fancy word for “happy hour after you leave the slopes,” pronounced “Ah Pray.”

Our #tipsypick for Breckenridge is actually the first place we visited when we arrived (and we returned for dinner another night as well) – Tavern Underground. This cocktail bar is the closest thing to a speakeasy in Breck, located beneath the Carlin boutique hotel in the heart of town. Our favorite cocktail was the Curious George, their version of a Black Manhattan. They also make a fantastic Old Fashioned! The service and food were excellent as well.

While we didn’t ski this time, we couldn’t miss the chance to go up on the base of the Breckenridge Ski Resort slopes and partake of a cocktail or two while we enjoyed the view. Who would have thought you could get a great margarita at a ski resort? Check out T-Bar for that on Peak 8! Then we took the free gondola over to Peak 7 for espresso martinis at Sevens.

We think it should be a rule that you can’t visit Breckenridge without stopping at the Breckenridge Distillery, or at least their tasting room. Since they only do tours on the weekends, and the main facility is located just outside of downtown, we opted for the tasting room. Their award-winning bourbon is reason enough to visit, but everything we tried was smooth and delicious. They even had a barrel-aged Manhattan on tap, available only onsite. We hear the cocktails at the main room are worth trying – next time!

There are a number of breweries in and near downtown Breckenridge. After a hike to find Isak, the Breckenridge Troll, we chose Broken Compass Brewing. Their main facility is just outside downtown (near the above distillery) but they have a fun tasting room right on Main Street. That’s where we spent some time to warm up. They have a large selection of their beers on tap, including a delicious coconut porter. 

And we have to give a shout out to Hearthstone for one of the best meals we had (yes, elk and bison on the menu) and great cocktails!

Now on to Denver – there was no way to cover all the great options personally in one weekend. That’s why we have #tipsypicks just for you. 

While it’s not a true speakeasy, Union Lodge #1 does capture the cozy ambiance of a 1920’s cocktail den in downtown Denver. They even told us they don’t offer vodka drinks, because they weren’t popular back then … But what they do offer are creative cocktails like the “Door Marked Pirate” and classics like an Old Fashioned and Sazerac. There’s also something magical about sipping cocktails in a window seat while snow is falling behind you. 

Denver has some excellent speakeasy spots! Williams & Graham appears to be a small corner bookstore, until the host opens one of the bookcases and escorts you to a dimly lit table with velvet curtains and lots of dark wood straight out of the 1920s! The “Complicated Boulevardier” was simply delicious!

Our next stop, Run for the Roses, has signage, but it’s stashed in the basement of a retail building, and you have to follow the roses marking the path on the floor to get there. Challenge accepted. RFTR has one of the most extensive and creative cocktail menus we’ve seen – laid out in a deck of playing cards. That’s potentially 52 different drink options! Our group made an effort to try a variety of “cards,” including a barrel-aged Manhattan and Old Fashioned.

There’s also no shortage of great restaurants in downtown Denver. Two we’ll mention – ChoLon and Panzano – also have great cocktails! Cholon also has an option to try flights of sake, if you’re feeling a bit adventurous.

There are lots of places left on our list that we’ll have to visit next time, along with dozens of breweries in Denver. What spots do you recommend in Breck or the Mile High City?