Summer Cocktails Raleigh: Refreshing Drinks at Element's Full Bar

Beat the Raleigh heat with craft summer cocktails at Element Gastropub. Our full bar program features refreshing seasonal drinks, frozen favorites, and zero-proof options.

Raleigh summers arrive with humidity you can practically drink and evenings that beg for something cold in your hand. At Element Gastropub, 421 Fayetteville St in downtown's City Plaza, the full bar is built for exactly that stretch of the calendar, bright, fresh, made-to-order cocktails that don't lean on sour mix or shortcuts. Everything we pour is plant-based, like everything else on the menu, and the seasonal list is where the bar team shows off. Seasonal Cocktails Worth the Warm Weather Our seasonal menu changes with the produce, and the summer lineup is a highlight reel. The Watermelon Margarita is the one people photograph before they taste, Lunazul tequila with fresh watermelon and lime, finished with a chamoy and tajín rim that turns every sip a little sweet, a little tart, a little spicy. If you want heat with your fruit, the Pineapple Pepperita pairs Lunazul and triple sec with pineapple margarita mix, cilantro, jalapeño, and tajín. It's a margarita with a pulse. Sparkling Lavender Lemonade , Skyy vodka, organic lemonade, citrus soda, and fresh lavender over ice. Floral, fizzy, and dangerously easy on a hot patio afternoon. Cocohito , silver rum, coconut cream, muddled mint, fresh lime, and soda. A creamy, tropical riff on the mojito that tastes like a vacation you didn't have to book. Peachy Reaper , Creek Water whiskey, fresh peach, Maine Root ginger ale, ginger beer, and a house reaper syrup that sneaks up on you. Peach season with a kick. Elemental Mojito , silver rum, muddled mint and lime, simple syrup, soda, with the option to add peach, mango, strawberry, coconut, or berry. Something a Little Different The summer list isn't all citrus and fruit. The Butterfly Effect is a small piece of theater in a glass, sweet blue butterfly tea, vodka, soda, and pink cactus lemonade that shifts color as it settles. The Carolina Mule keeps it Southern with virgin bourbon whiskey, ginger beer, fresh lime, and mint, all the snap of a Moscow mule with a little more backbone. And when a table can't agree, the Seasonal Sangria lets you build a pitcher's worth of easy drinking from your choice of wine, triple sec, assorted fruit, and citrus topped with lemon-lime soda. There's a version of "refreshing" here for whatever mood you walked in with. The Margarita, Done Right Is there a more honest summer drink than a margarita? We don't think so. Beyond the watermelon and pineapple versions, our tequila selection runs deep, Lunazul Blanco and Teremana Blanco for everyday sipping, 1800 Reposado and Casamigos Blanco when you want to trade up, and top-shelf Don Julio and Patrón for a proper occasion. Fresh lime, real spirits, and the right touch of sweetness. That's the whole formula, and it works every time. Cold Beer for Hot Days When the humidity wins, sometimes the answer is a crisp pour off the tap wall. We stock North Carolina breweries built for summer: Carolina Brewing Company's Salted Watermelon Gose, Lynnwood's Patience & Understanding peach sour, Compass Rose's Salvatierra Mexican lager, and Mad Mole's Moles in the Sun light lager. Ask the bartender what's drinking best in the heat, or grab a rotating kombucha from Kōmana. See the current draft list on our craft beer and cocktails page. Zero-Proof, Not Zero-Effort Not drinking? You still get the good stuff. Our mocktails are made with the same care as everything behind the bar. The Not-So-Jito and Margarinah are alcohol-free spins on the classics, with the same flavor add-ons available. The Butterfly Mocktail layers sweet blue butterfly tea, lemon-lime soda, and pink cactus lemonade into something that looks as good as it tastes. Even our sodas earn their spot, Maine Root, made with Fair Trade organic cane sugar, never corn syrup. Wine for the Warm Half of the Year Prefer a glass of wine when the sun's still up? The by-the-glass list travels well into summer. The Yalumba The Y Series Sangiovese Rosé is bright and food-friendly, the Hayes Sauvignon Blanc leans crisp and citrusy, and the Proa Cava brings a little sparkle for whenever the evening feels like it deserves one. Pair any of them with a plate off the kitchen and you've got a full patio afternoon sorted. Patio Season in City Plaza Our downtown location means you can take that drink outside and watch Raleigh move. There's a particular pleasure in a cold cocktail, a warm evening breeze, and the low hum of the city around you. Summer here is short and sharp, it's worth slowing down for. Get a feel for the room on our gallery . Happy Hour and Weekly Reasons to Show Up Warm evenings and happy hour were made for each other. Check what's running on our happy hour page, and keep an eye on the rotating weekly specials the bar leans into through the season. Great drinks shouldn't be complicated to enjoy, they should just be good, and close by. Come Cool Off Element Gastropub, 421 Fayetteville St, City Plaza, downtown Raleigh. Open Monday through Thursday 11am–9pm, Friday 11am–10pm, Saturday 8am–10pm, and Sunda