Bittersweet is this classicly wonderful cocktail, dessert and coffee lounge with an all-natural, local, seasonal menu. They are unique to Raleigh, North Carolina and I have yet to see an equivalent throughout my travels. They're the charming place where you have your cake and eat it too...with champagne (or any other adult beverage your heart desires...even Irish Coffee!). 

They regularly host drink and dessert pairings along with special "Gin Club" or themed events. They often having movie screenings that pair with the desserts + drinks (I personally love this bit). Plus, their full coffee bar, daily in-house baked goods, and fun staff make them basically the best thing in Raleigh. 

As their menu changes seasonally, they honor what is best suited for that time of year as well as serving classics year round. Thankfully, I was visiting when they were celebrating Negroni Week! So I had to try several of their 20+ varied Negroni drink recipes...it was for charity! (Spoiler Alert: they were all incredible). 

A Negroni is an iconic Italian cocktail, traditionally made with gin, vermouth rosso, and Campari, garnished with orange peel. It is considered an apéritif. For one week every June, bar and restaurants mix classic Negronis and Negroni variations for great causes. Negroni Week carefully selects official charities that those bars and restaurants can immediately donate to with the proceeds from the Negronis that week, or thereafter. It's a fun way to give back.