Yonder: Southern Cocktails and Brew — Restaurant in Hillsborough

My husband, friends, family, heck, even my dog have been coming to Yonder for 2 years. What got us in the door? Their ideal location for having an evening out in historic downtown Hillsborough. What kept us coming back? A solid cocktail list. Variety of amazing (often local) craft beers on tap as well as a strong wine list. They're not just a cocktail bar with a red or white wine option. These are the wines you want to buy a bottle of and take home to pair with dinner. (Which you can do since they also sell beer & wine). Everything on their menu is there with thoughtful curation. They even have a variety of non-alcoholic options. Though a bar, they offer so much more than just drinks.

What has made us loyal patrons? Everything above, PLUS, the owners, Lana and Eryk. This isn't just a bar it's a part of Hillsborough's community. From art, to music, stand-up comedy--Yonder showcases the artistic, entertaining and enlightening parts of our community. Lana and Eryk are amazing--they engage with their patrons, go above and beyond to make sure you have a great experience and are good people and great friends.

As a small, enclosed bar, with limited outdoor seating, they are taking measures to protect their patrons and our community. Those that disagree with the steps Yonder has chosen to implement are fortunate enough to have the ability to choose to drink elsewhere.

5 out of 5 stars. Will...

Oh, what tasteful fun! Eryk's cocktail Mastery was a lovely addition to Courtney's -of Orange County Historical Museum- journey of Chocolate, along with Tanya's overall history of cacoa/ chocolate. My favorite cocktail ---to my complete surprise! (for I'm not a fan of gin nor licorice!) was the Yonder Spritz, which was paired with a Kit Kat version from England, America and Norway... thank you Courtney for the physical research and Tanya for the historical background... My fave was the English, just about everyone else's was the Norwegian version. Next, they paired Yonder's Mayan Lemon Drop with "kisses" from Italy & USA. Italy's Bacci won. The final pairing was Yonder's Dubai Chocolate Martini against an assortment of (I'm not sure where they were from, but they weren't Whitmans) delightful little chocolates. No vote was taken on that pairing because everyone had a different experience. All I can say is, if they ever offer it again, you should sign up! Our girls' group...

Yonder is a safe, welcoming place for folks to gather and experience community along with delicious libations. They do an excellent job of promoting local musicians, writers, and artists from Hillsborough, as well as incredible acts from other talented artist throughout the triangle and Piedmont areas of NC. Do yourself a favor and drop on by, order a Yonder Old Fashioned, and let stresses of this crazy world melt away.

Side note: it’s sad to see people leave negative reviews based on COVID safety policies that are designed to KEEP OUR LOCAL BARS AND RESTAURANTS OPERATING. The pandemic has caused many beloved staples of those industries to close and we should support the difficult decisions these businesses are making to try to get through these...