The Northern Liberties Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge is back this weekend, and for two days, locals can tour around the Philly neighborhood to try a variety of unique creations of the cocktail.
On Saturday (Oct. 25) and Sunday (Oct. 26), eight bars will showcase their own spin on the classic brunch sipper, and attendees can nominate their favorite to win the challenge. All you have to do is submit your vote via Voting QR codes, on hand at each participating bar and restaurant.
“Northern Liberties is home to some of the city’s most creative bartenders, and we love seeing how they put their spin on this iconic cocktail,” says Sydney Rexroad, Executive Director of NLBID. “The Monster Mash: Bloody Mary Challenge is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween, the dedicated teams behind our dynamic bar and restaurant scene, and toast to the neighborhood’s community. Whether you’re craving a classic Bloody or a truly spirited creation, there’s something for everyone.”
Bourbon & Branch will be serving up their “Casually Calling Cthulhu!”, a seafood-adorned sipper boasting bloody mix with zaydas pickle juice, then garnished with a "terrifying amount of seafood," including shrimp, calamari, crab cakes, pickles, and seaweed batwings. With this particular drink, guests can also add a “Cthulhu’s Cauldron” for $5 featuring cheesy bone snacks and an extra shot.
El Camino Real will offer their “Smoked Bloody Marrianne” featuring bacon infused Jim Beam, while North Third’s “Ghost-Pacho Bloody Maria” will don jalepeno infused tequila. Jerry’s Bar has concocted “Jerry’s Bloody Zombie” topped with an infused jalapeño-lime vodka floater, and Ortilieb’s “Blood Bath” on the other hand dons the venue’s famous all beef maple wood smoked hotdog as an add-on.
Other sips span the spicy tomatillo bloody mary mixed “Cthulhu's Revenge” from Silk City, the black vodka forward “Nightmare on 2nd Street” from Standard Tap and the “Squid Game” from Urban Village Brewing made with a mix of Korean chili, ginger, soy, Thai chili peppers, tomato puree and sochu, then garnished with kimchi, porkbelly and a dalgona cookie.
Every cocktail is priced around $14 to $17. As a release notes, the Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge is pay-as-you-go over its two days in 2025, giving Bloody Mary lovers a chance to try as many options as they like with indoor or outdoor dining options available. Patrons judge their drinks in categories that rank spice/heat, taste, vibe and spooky factor. An overall winner will take top honors at the end of the competition.
Reservations are available (and suggested), and the challenge is only open to those 21+. Pricing of each drink is set by its participants, and other food and drink options will be readily available for those who are not imbibing.
To find out more information, visit explorenorthernliberties.org
