18 of Northern Liberties’ Restaurants Will Compete in the Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge, and Guests Can Vote for the Winner

18 of Northern Liberties’ Restaurants Will Compete in the Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge, and Guests Can Vote for the Winner

The Northern Liberties Business Improvement District will hold the seventh annual Monster Mash: Northern Liberties Bloody Mary Challenge over two weekends, Saturday and Sunday, October 17–18, and Saturday and Sunday, October 25–26, 2026. Eighteen neighborhood restaurants and bars are participating, each serving a Halloween-themed Bloody Mary and competing head-to-head for the title of the neighborhood’s best.

Participating venues are concentrated along North 2nd Street and extend to nearby streets including North 3rd Street, Germantown Avenue, Frankford Avenue, Spring Garden Street and West Laurel Street. Seven venues are new to this year’s challenge: Amina, Luna Marre, Mamajuana Cafe Philly, Tailgate Sports Bar, Newsroom Philly, Terra Grill and Yards Brewing.

Each participating restaurant will feature one themed Bloody Mary, with the exception of Cantina Dos Segundos, which lists two. Guests can visit participating venues over the four days of the event, make brunch reservations and vote for a winner. Organizers encourage guests to order food with their drinks and to return another day for dinner. The event is open to guests 21 and older.

Organizers say this year’s entries include garnishes and ingredients such as pesto, bacon, hot sauce and pickles, as well as more elaborate presentations, such as skull-shaped glassware, clarified tomato juice and smoked brisket.

The Participating Restaurants and Their Drinks

Prices are listed where provided by organizers.

• Amina (NEW) — 1102 Germantown Ave. Drink to be announced.
• Bar1010 — 701 N. 2nd St. “Mike’s Revenge,” a traditional Bloody Mary with a modern sweet-and-spicy twist, made with Mike’s hot honey and a house blend of spices.
• Bourbon and Branch — 705 N. 2nd St. “The Misfire,” a clarified Bloody Mary martini made with vodka and clarified tomato, served with a pimento vegan cheese–stuffed olive. $15.
• Cantina Dos Segundos — 931 N. 2nd St. “Chupacabra’s Blood” ($18) is made with El Guel mezcal, housemade Bloody Mary mix, a zarandeado shrimp skewer and a smoky pepper rim. “The Bruja’s Potion” ($16) combines house-infused black garlic tequila, housemade mix, activated charcoal, a spooky garnish and a Tajín rim.
• El Camino Real — 1040 N. 2nd St. The Smokey BBQ Bloody Mary is made with smoked tomato and serrano pepper mix and garnished with smoked brisket, a spare rib, candied bacon, pickled green beans and jalapeños, celery and a crushed-bacon rim. $14.
• Luna Marre (NEW) — 1001 N. 2nd St. Drink to be announced.
• Mamajuana Cafe Philly (NEW) — 1000 Frankford Ave. “La Diabla Bloody Maria” is made with blanco tequila, tomato juice, fresh lime, Worcestershire, jalapeño, Tabasco and savory spices. It is served in a skull goblet with a Tajín rim, celery, charred jalapeño and dehydrated citrus, with a smoky presentation. $18.
• Tailgate Sports Bar (NEW) — 1033 N. 2nd St. Drink to be announced.
• Jerry’s Bar — 129 W. Laurel St. “The Picked Witch” is made with a homemade tomatillo-based mix, pickle vodka, and pickle, olive and pepperoncini brines. It is garnished with blue cheese olives, a gherkin and black pickle salt. $15.
• Newsroom Philly, also known as Pumpkin Press (NEW) — 1102 Germantown Ave. “The Meaty Mary” is made with vodka, tomato sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, paprika and black pepper, and garnished with bacon, shrimp and celery. $19.
• North 3rd — 801 N. 3rd St. Drink to be announced.
• North Bowl — 909 N. 2nd St. “Spice Ghoul,” a deconstructed Bloody Mary: a spicy pickle dirty martini topped with a frozen spicy Bloody Mary skull, pickled vegetable garnish and a Tajín rim. $13.
• Ortlieb’s — 847 N. 3rd St. The Haunted Hot Dog Bloody Mary. $16.
• Silk City — 435 Spring Garden St. “Trick or Treat,” a classic Bloody Mary with a spiced rim and a set of trick-or-treat-themed garnishes. $14.
• Standard Tap — 901 N. 2nd St. “Jersey Devil,” made with bacon-infused vodka and garnished with a deviled egg, hot cornichons, candied bacon and hot peppers.
• Terra Grill (NEW) — 1099 Germantown Ave. “The First Bite,” the restaurant’s signature Bloody Mary garnished with a prime beef slider, peppadew “fangs,” sriracha “blood” and mozzarella pearl “eyes.” $16.
• Urban Village — 1001 N. 2nd St. “Ghost of Mary Past” is made with vodka, bacon-fat-washed mezcal, tomato, celery, black lemon tea and caper brine, milk-washed until clear, and garnished with an olive-flavored skull gummy.
• Yards Brewing (NEW) — 500 Spring Garden St. “The Vampire Slayer,” a classic Bloody Mary with house-pickled garlic, a wooden stake and vampire “fangs.” $13.