EAST VILLAGE - A botanical tonic and elixir bar is moving into the former Mars Bar site after its previous tenant NatureEs shuttered at 21 East First St, as first reported by EV Grieve.
Equipped with a botanical dispensary, complete with whole plant and bottled elixirs, The Alchemist's Kitchen will eventually add a whole plant tonic bar in April, which will produce and serve fresh whole plant elixirs made on site.
This will be paired with some food, but CEO Lou Sagar told DNAinfo New York the space isn't exactly a restaurant.
Sagar said prices would be competitive, if not slightly lower, compared to those at a juice bar. It will cost roughly $15 for a drink and a couple of bites on the side, he said.
"Our dedication is to the power of plants and the new generation of botanical remedies that marries science with indigenous cultures," Sagar said.
The spot locally sources all ingredients from farms around the northeast with their retail products being sourced from across the country, he said.
The new business also serves as an event space. Later this month, it will host lectures, tastings and workshops related to the topic of wellness on a semi-daily basis. The space can host 100 to 150 people, according to Sagar.
The storefront is located at the ground floor of luxury building Jupiter 21, which replaced beloved dive bar Mars Bar after it was shut down due to redevelopment in the area.
The Alchemist's Kitchen is tied to the website Evolver, an online marketplace for plant-based foods, drinks, medicines as well as art and books on the subject matter. The East Village spot serves as the first brick and mortar location for Evolver, which has been online for two months.
One of its early special products is high alkaline water which has been said to contain natural antioxidants good for the immune system.
"There's nobody like us in New York," said Sagar, who previously owned home furnishings business Zona in Soho. "We saw an opportunity to get a space where you could come in and drink elixirs and tonics."
The Alchemist's Kitchen is currently open for limited hours five days a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
