"Located above venerated downtown Mexican restaurant Centro, Gallo Pelón bills itself as North Carolina’s first mezcaleria, dedicated to showcasing this smoky cousin of tequila. The bar is currently open only on Fridays and Saturdays (reservations required) and offering a pandemic-abbreviated menu of cocktails and small bites. Most of the cocktails feature mezcal, but for those new to the spirit the superbly-trained staff can lead patrons through a mezcal flight." - Matt Lardie