One of Raleigh’s best bars will close next month. Here’s what will take its place
There’s no way around it — this is bittersweet news.
Gallo Pelón, one of Raleigh’s best bars and the Triangle’s most prominent mezcaleria, will close this spring after 10 years in business. Owned by Angela Salamanca, the upstairs bar atop her flagship restaurant Centro, was beloved for innovative cocktails and bold bites of food.
The last day will be May 5.
“After 10 amazing years, we have decided to close our beloved mezcaleria Gallo Pelón,” Salamanca wrote in a closing announcement. “It is never easy to walk away from a thing you love, but the time has come to turn the page, and we are very excited for the next chapter. Our last shift will be Cinco de Mayo.”
Moving into the Gallo Pelón space will be a new bar from the owners of dessert destination Bittersweet.
Owners Kim Hammer and Lewis Norton plan to open Bitter Social, a new cocktail bar, by this August.
Hammer said they were approached by Salamanca about taking over the Gallo space.
“While, we will miss Gallo Pelón dearly (after all they taught us to appreciate and adore Mezcal!) we are honored to be trusted with this space,” Hammer wrote on Instagram. “The walls that housed Gallo are full of love, music and above all, great times with old and new friends. We are ready to add to this vibe and are thrilled to contribute more to Downtown Raleigh.”
Though Gallo Pelón will close, Salamanca’s downstairs restaurant Centro will remain open and untouched, she said.
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Salamanca said. “We will continue to operate as we have been on the first floor and hope to serve you for years to come. We have a great team of passionate folks, and we are excited about what the future holds....Downtown may look a little different every year, but we’re still here doing what we do best. Keep those reservations coming!”
Gallo Pelón opened as North Carolina’s only mezcaleria at the time, focusing on and showcasing the smoky cousin of tequila. The bar had a tucked-away speakeasy vibe, but also one of downtown Raleigh’s great rooftop patios.
Salamanca said that part of letting go of Gallo Pelón is driven by the upcoming opening of Peyote Mini-Bar, a sister bar to the Gateway Plaza restaurant Mala Pata.
For Bitter Social, Hammer and Norton plan to blend the highlights of Bittersweet and their other bar, the charming dive Johnson Street Yacht Club.
The new bar promises high quality cocktails, DJs and dance parties, movie nights, chill Sundays and many of the same beloved Bittersweet drinks.
“Bitter Social is for meeting new people, sharing weird and beautiful experiences, and letting loose,” Hammer said.
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 1:53 PM with the headline "One of Raleigh’s best bars will close next month. Here’s what will take its place."
