If there weren’t enough reasons to visit NYC, you now have another one. The city just opened its first CBD cocktail bar and restaurant. You’ll find it in Astoria, serving up craft cocktails and some seriously refined food.
Adriaen Block is named after a Dutch entrepreneur and explorer from the 17th century. He made history as being the first European to find what is now Astoria, through the Long Island Sound through Hell’s Gate.
The owner, George Csonka, has a past that exudes adventure. He grew up in Budapest, Hungary, but spent time living in Spain, Hawai’i, and Las Vegas before settling in New York about ten years ago. Csonka has experience in the hospitality industry, running restaurants and clubs. In an interview with Leafly, he talks about how CBD has helped him combat the stress of NYC.
“It’s mellowed me out,” Csonka explained. “New York City is very stressful…it’s helped me ease up on my day.”
Currently, recreational cannabis is illegal in NYC. However, hemp-derived CBD oil (without THC) has the green light for use. Brooklyn already has a cafe where visitors can get CBD-infused coffee, so the addition of this bar may mean more options like this will pop up.
The bar/restaurant uses CBD oil from Every Day Optimal, a company out of LA. The oil is added to cocktails and is also infused into their steak sauce and whipped cream.
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Their cocktail list features CBD-infused options like the Stoney Negroni, which has cocchi americano, tio pepe dry sherry, floc de gascogne & angostura bitters. There’s also the Bakin & Eggs, a CBD cocktail featuring lillet blanc, blood orange bitters, egg white, and crispy bacon. And, there’s the Rolled Fashion. While these drinks have telling names, the others on the list like Pear & Parsnip, and Kombucha Garden, also contain CBD.
Visit with an empty stomach, because their dinner menu is worth trying. Appetizers feature charcuterie and cheese boards, steak tartare, and fried calamari. The menu features two burgers, duck, filet, salmon, shrimp, and a strip steak. And, you can add CBD sauce to any of your meals. They sell it as a side order, so you can pick and choose which items to use it with.
For dessert, the menu offers classics like a chocolate lava cake, key lime pie, and crepes. Guests can order the CBD-infused whipped cream to add to their desserts.
While this may be the first CBD cocktail bar in the city, it’s likely that it won’t be the last. As the CBD craze continues, other entrepreneurs in the city may be taking advantage of the new opportunities.