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Why Yes, an NFT Bar Is Opening in North Park This Month
An old-school Dutch spirit will dominate the menu at Botanica, from the team behind Tahona and Wormwood, when it opens on October 27

#humbl trailblazing


Have you ever wanted to buy unique digital collectibles while knocking back spirits and wagyu oyster tartare? Quit trying to log back into Neopets with takeout in hand and check out NFT bar Botanica, opening in North Park on Thursday, October 27. Be Saha Hospitality Group, the team behind Tahona and Wormwood, is backing this 1,500-square-foot swanky lounge. Executive chef Tiffany Tran joins former colleague from Michelin-starred Addison, Janina Garay, to develop the food menu while Marina Ferreira, co-founder of RoseWater Cocktail Co., concocts drinks centered on genever, the spirit that precipitated gin.

Per a press release, genever, (which is literally Dutch for “juniper”), truly is the star of the show; it’s a Dutch malted grain-based spirit that can only be made in Holland or Belgium. At Botanica the drink will be served in prim flutes and is meant to be drunk with one hand behind the back, as is the custom in the Netherlands. Gin and other botanical spirits are also featured heavily on the bar menu. A few cocktail options include the No. 1 Swan, a vintage swan bowl glass with Monkey 47 gin topped with Thomas Keller caviar, and the Meditative Rose with genever, and notes of rose, sandalwood, and harissa. For food, there’s salmon served three ways, croquettes, and crudite of farmers market vegetables with avocado hummus.

And don’t forget about those non-fungible tokens. One entire wall inside the bar will be dedicated to digital art; the project is a joint venture with San Diego-based blockchain company Humbl. Sales of the various art pieces benefit Create Purpose, a nonprofit that provides educational programming to Mexican orphanages. All of this is fitting, given that Botanica opens inside the same building as Art Produce, a nonprofit aiming to connect artists, farmers, cultural organizations, and businesses. An urban garden is on-site, too, with proceeds from events held in the space benefitting yet another nonprofit, the Art Produce Foundation. The NFT boom, which chefs and restaurants were happy to cash in on, has been in full swing for some time now.