These Triangle bars and restaurants serve some of the best Bloody Marys around
The Bloody Mary — a glass of chilled and spiced tomato juice, spiked with vodka and topped with pickles — is not a glass of subtlety.
For its lovers and its haters, the Bloody Mary is cemented as the quintessential brunch cocktail. It is a glass of personality, sometimes smokey, often salty, at its best when spicy.
Whatever your mood or craving, here are some of the Triangle’s top Bloody Marys.
St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar
223 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh. 919-322-0359 or strochraleigh.com
St. Roch’s “Mary Smokes When She Drinks,” uses smoked tomato juice as its deeply flavored base, which is cut by hot sauce and a healthy squeeze of lemon. Bonus points for the best named Bloody Mary on the list.
Geer Street Garden
644 Foster St., Durham. 919-688-2900 or geerstreetgarden.com
In the pre-pandemic times, Geer Street was a brunch destination for its Bloody Mary bar. The bar is on hiatus, but the Bloody Marys are still solid, enjoyed on one of Durham’s great patios.
Sophie’s Grill & Bar
2734 N.C. 55, Cary. 919-355-2377 or sophiesgrillandbar.com
This Cary bar has struck a balance between a great cocktail and its accompanying snack skewer. Here that balance is found with crispy bacon and, innovatively, an onion ring.
Scratch Kitchen & Taproom
160 E. Cedar St., Cary. 919-238-3389 or scratchkitchenandtaproom.com
225 N. Salem St., Apex. 919-372-5370
One of the Triangle’s most popular brunch spots serves an equally popular Bloody Mary. Served in a Mason jar with a salt rim, this Bloody Mary dials up the savory notes, with bacon as a garnish and a skewer with pickled okra and an olive.
NOFO @ The Pig
2014 Fairview Road, Raleigh. 919-821-1240 or nofo.com
Topped with an entire pickle plate, including a pickled green bean, the NOFO Bloody stands out with a bold spice blend rim. Step up if you like a kick.
The Blind Pelican Seafood House
120 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs. 984-225-2471 or blindpelicanseafood.com
This suburban Wake County bar serves the Triangle’s most extreme Bloody Marys, and it’s not even close. Starting with a house-made mix of 14 ingredients, the Blind Pelican builds Bloodys topped with lobster tails, steak and grilled cheese. It’s brunch on a glass.
Jose & Sons Bar & Kitchen
4112 Pleasant Valley Road, Raleigh. 919-571-1188 or joseandsons.com
The place to try a Bloody Maria, where tequila replaces vodka and the mix is smoky and spicy.
Raleigh Times
14 E. Hargett St., Raleigh. 919-833-0999 or raleightimesbar.com
Carrying the grand tradition of beer backs with Bloodys, the version from Raleigh Times can come with a cheap small draft beer for sipping. The cocktail itself features candied bacon for a salty sweet note.
Beasley’s Chicken + Honey
237 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh. 919-322-0127 or ac-restaurants.com/beasleys
One of the great brunch menus in Raleigh demands a great Bloody Mary. Beasley’s is the one for spice lovers, with a peppered rim and hot sauce mix.
This story was originally published May 10, 2022 at 5:55 AM with the headline "These Triangle bars and restaurants serve some of the best Bloody Marys around."
