TRIBECA — Sam Lewontin’s recipe for a bloody mary doesn’t include any alcohol, but he does use a special ingredient to give the spicy drink an extra kick: coffee.
Lewontin, a manager of Everyman Espresso, a popular cafe with locations in SoHo and the East Village, is stirring up the menu for his latest venture — a pop-up coffee “cocktail” bar in TriBeCa.
The Everyman pop-up, which will serve only non-alcoholic drinks, will make its home in Bikini Bar, a quirky vintage shop and cafe at 148 Duane St., from June 22 through Aug. 31.
The bloody mary drink will feature homemade tomato jam, a "special herb infusion" and a Kenyan coffee that "complements the tomato flavor," Lewontin said.
The crew at Everyman was inspired to create a fun, coffee-infused twist on cocktails through their participation in national barista competitions, Lewontin said.
Lewontin, who recently finished fourth out of more than 160 competitors for the "best barista" title at the United States Barista Championship, said the contest challenged him to come up with a unique, offbeat use for coffee.
“It’s something crazy, a bit off the wall, including coffee with imaginative flavors,” said Lewontin, 29. “We wanted to bring that fun and experimentation to the pop-up.”
The Bikini Bar menu will include six to eight different coffee concoctions, inspired by various alcoholic beverages. The pop-up will also offer light bites and regular cups of coffee and espresso drinks.
"We're really excited about it," Lewontin said. "It's fun, experimental flavors, something people wouldn't expect."
