Young Hearts Distilling

Raleigh’s first downtown distillery comes from the team behind Trophy Brewing and State of Beer. It’s split into several spaces, ranging from a covered upstairs patio ideal for a quieter dinner date to the street-level bar perfect for an afternoon hang with friends. Young Hearts specializes in clear spirits including one made out of agave that’s similar to a tequila and a lemongrass, lavender, and elderflower gin, but the drink menu extends beyond the spirits distilled on site, and the food is truly excellent. Small plates like roasted cauliflower with pickled beet yogurt and salmon cakes with snow peas and lemon-basil aioli are way better, and much more interesting, than your typical bar food.

photo credit: Anna Barzin