Named after the song “Beer Tooth” by Shelby Merchant, Beer Tooth Taproom is the culmination of owner Christa Donofrio’s journey from Budweiser to craft beer. With 36 rotating taps, along with non-beer beverages like selzter and ciders, there is truly something for everyone. Beer Tooth also places a hefty emphasis on education, with a monthly “flight school” led by Donofio, who is a certified Ciccerone beer server.

Breakfast until 3 p.m. Classic Southern sandwiches. Blue plate specials. Grub Durham is unique twist on an old school diner, with double-decker seating and loyal following. Owner Wendy Woods, a lifelong Durhamite and local restaurateur, has transformed a former gas station into a mainstay of the West Chapel Hill Street neighborhood. Menu highlights include Maybelle’s brisket, the smoked barbecue ribs, and an affordable array of towering breakfast biscuit sandwiches.

Longtime catering and restaurant industry veteran Erin Karcher opened the basement bar and lounge Arcana with Lindsey Andrews in 2015. The bar’s witchy New Orleans-meets-Art Nouveau vibes have garnered a loyal following, as have the craft cocktails, regular tarot card readings, and events like cabaret nights. Cocktail offerings range from classics like a sazerac or mai tai to session cocktails, easy-going sippers like the Octavia Minor, which is made with Orgeat, lemon juice, Chambord, and prosecco.

The intersectionality of queer life means a queer person often claims multiple identities at once, and Queeny’s is perhaps the best embodiment of that intersectionality. Co-owner Michelle Vanderwalker (who with Sean Umstead is also behind Kingfisher and Queenburger) has created a space that is uniquely Durham and uniquely queer — a neighborhood bar vibe with a library and podcast studio, late night eats, and cheap but delicious cocktails. Grab a burger or French dip birria sandwich, wash it down with a Cosmo, and watch as all walks of Durham life gather together.

One of the world’s most ancient drinks mead has gotten a modern update at Honeygirl Meadery. Owner and mead-maker Diane Currier has spent years reintroducing the honey-based liqueur to a new audience, and the tasting room on Hood Street is the perfect place to discover (or rediscover) this sweet beverage. Currier guides guests through a mead tasting of some of her offerings, such as orange blossom, hibiscus “lemonthyme,” and blueberry.

Legends Nightclub has been a leader in Triangle queer nightlife for more than 30 years. Think bumping dance club, strong drinks, and near-nightly drag shows. A more recent addition of a patio space and quieter back bar provide ample opportunity to make a night at Legends as crazy or calm as one likes. This is the place to be to dance the night away.

A leader in vegan cuisine, the Fiction Kitchen owners Caroline Morrison and Siobhan Southern have garnered statewide and national attention for their commitment to community and their ability to transform southern staples like chicken and waffles and Salisbury steak into delicious, meatless offerings. There are also more international offerings like chicken tinga tacos made with mock chicken, Lion’s Mane mushroom “crab rangoon”, and peanut roasted tofu lettuce wraps. A full beer, wine, and cocktail menu is also available.

What’s there to say about Poole’s Diner that already hasn’t been said a million times over, perhaps that chef Ashley Christensen’s beloved restaurant takes its commitment to equality as seriously as its commitment to serving expertly-prepared, locally-sourced Southern food. A mural on the side of the building reads “All are welcome in Raleigh”, with the word Raleigh in rainbow colors, and and Christensen along with her wife Kaitlyn Goalen have regularly spoken up in support of LGBTQ+ policies and raised funds for local organizations such as the LGBTQ Center of Raleigh.

Ruby Deluxe is part dance club, part lounge, part music venue, and wholly queer. The bar’s commitment to a fun, safe atmosphere (under FAQ’s on the website states, “bring yr fave people, mind yr manners, and get weird) is as strong as the commitment to equality and justice. With regular drag brunches, DJ sets, and more, Ruby Deluxe is a place to have fun while feeling safe and welcomed.

Stretching across from Fayetteville Street all the way back to Salisbury Street, Work is a slightly more elevated take on the traditional gay nightclub. The drinks are still strong, the music still blares, and on weekend patrons fill up the narrow space and spill out onto the high tops and tables that line the sidewalk. Work is a prime example of how queer spaces in Raleigh are no longer confined to the Warehouse District, but rather an integral part of the city’s nightlife.