The Last Word
Aug. 2, 2016 By Michael Florio
A speakeasy that will resemble an iconic Astoria hardware store on the outside will soon be opening on Ditmars Blvd.
The Last Word, a cocktail bar to be located at 31-30 Ditmars Blvd, will open on August 16, according to its owners. The lounge will offer a wide variety of cocktails and flavorful bites.
The exterior of the lounge will be designed after the iconic Square Hardware, which operated just blocks away for 60 years, prior to closing in January 2015. The storefront will disguise the 1920’s cocktail lounge that will be found inside.
The menu will feature a variety of cocktails, including the Rabble Rouser, comprised of rhum agricole and muddled raspberries. Other cocktails include the Mumbai Daiquiri that is a concoction of white rum, Batavia-arrack, curry syrup, lime, and rose water.
The food menu is still in the works. However, co-owner Padraig O’Brien told the Astoria Post in April that the venue is unlikely to serve full meals.
The 2,000 square foot lounge is expected to be able to seat up to 60 people.
The interior includes tufted plush seating, decorative light fixtures, vintage tin ceilings and a mix of antique and custom-made furniture. A 16-foot marble and oak bar serves as a centerpiece to the salon style seating surrounding it.
O’Brien and his partners decided to open on Ditmars Boulevard after searching for space around Manhattan, Brooklyn and different parts of Queens.
“We saw this location and fell in love with it,” he said in April.
“We want to bring a high quality speakeasy style cocktail bar to Astoria,” he added at that time. “Residents shouldn’t have to travel to Manhattan for this.”
The location was previously Caffé Bene, which closed in December.
The lounge is named after a cocktail called the Last Word, a prohibition-era drink that contains equal parts gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice.
“I tried this cocktail 10 years ago and it got me excited and passionate about bartending,” O’Brien said in April. “It really changed my life.”
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3 Comments
Is this really news worthy? Why do these businesses get free advertisment?
They usually write into the post and give themselves a plug. At least that’s my understanding of how this comes about
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