CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Get fired up for a night out at a spot where every item is thought out down to the ice.

• Address: 1957 E 7th St; Charlotte, NC 28204
• Hours: Mon-Fri, 5 p.m. - 2 a.m.
• Signature drink: The Pimm’s No.1 Cup
• Specialty dish: Lamb rack

The Crunkleton’s live-fire cooking over an open hearth makes dishes that stand on their own, but don’t overpower the craft cocktails.

“You let the cocktails shine and give people the more simple food that they can relate to,” The Crunkleton executive chef Greg Balch said. “You know we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel with the food we’re trying to educate them on cocktails.”

The Crunkleton specializes in signature cocktails and antique spirits. Try something new, or try something distilled more than a century ago. The menu includes prohibition-style cocktails made with spirits distilled in the Roaring 20’s.

 The craftsmanship extends to the ice; it's frozen in a way to remove all of the air from the water, then hand cut by your bartender.

The setting is chic and the open hearth cooking is an eye catching feature adding a unique taste to the dishes.

“Add nice chars, nice textures to our vegetables, to our proteins,” Balch said. “The smoke does kind of roll into the pan you kind of capture those flavors.”

Classic tastes bringing a new experience to Charlotte.

Address: 1957 E 7th St; Charlotte, NC 28204

Hours: Mon-Fri, 5 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Signature drink: The Pimm’s No.1 Cup

Specialty dish: Lamb rack

Menu

It’s a club entry cocktail bar, with a $10 annual membership. First time customers can sign up online.