Kingfisher opened on East Chapel Hill Street in July 2019. The cocktail bar from husband-and-wife duo Sean Umstead and Michelle Vanderwalker prides itself as a farm-to-cocktail bar, sourcing local ingredients like beeswax from the Durham Farmers Market. Michelle also creates many of the drink vessels and other pottery you see in the bar. (You can also purchase some yourself!) In January, Kingfisher was named the best new cocktail bar of 2019 for the Southeast region by VinePair.
The bar temporarily suspended operations on March 15 due to COVID-19, but has been hosting regular virtual happy hours at 4:30pm on its Instagram. (You can follow along and also leave tips on Venmo and Cash App that will go toward paying Kingfisher staff!) Sean and Michelle hosted a special happy hour on Durham Magazine‘s Instagram on Wednesday, April 8. If you missed the live viewing, they whipped up some easy spritz cocktails to make at home:
Schleiffer Spritz
- ¾ oz. Jägermeister
- ¾ oz. St. Germaine
- ½ oz. simple syrup
- 8 fresh mint sprigs
- 4 oz. dry sparkling wine
Muddle mint into simple syrup. Shake everything except for wine. Strain into tall glass. Add wine, add ice, give it a quick single stir and zest some lemon!
Magazine Spritz
- ¾ oz. Conniption American Dry
- ¾ oz. triple sec
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- 1 bar spoon of simple syrup
- 3 oz. Prosecco
- 1 oz. sparkling water
Combine all in a glass, stir lightly, serve with a beautiful orange twist!
Bicicleta
- 3 oz. sparkling wine
- 2 oz. campari
- 1 oz. soda
Combine with ice in a wine glass, stir lightly, serve with a big orange wheel in the glass.