When The Beverly opened up shop in Midtown Kingston in 2016, the elegant gastropub heralded a sea change for the quirky residential/industrial neighborhood. A handful of food and beverage businesses have followed suit (Village Coffee & Goods, Outdated Lite, Tubby's), expanding the culinary repertoire of the burgeoning arts district.
The latest of these is Lis Bar, which opened last month in a buzz of neon and millennial excitement. Just two doors down from The Beverly, Lis features Polish-inspired cocktails and small plates, ranging from the uber-familiar (pierogis, duh) to the more obscure (zapiekanka—a late night, pizza-like street food, served here with caramelized onions, smoked gouda, and mushrooms.)
Inside, the dark, textured walls are illuminated by antique brass-toned light fixtures and accented by thoughtfully configured nooks of plush armchairs, bookshelves, rugs, and lamps. Lis blends the casual comfort of your grandma's living room with the elegance of a bohemian lounge.
While the building was still under construction, countless neighbors and contractors filtered in to have a peak, lured by the neon script on the exterior wall. “Everyone kept saying, “Oh we live two streets down,’” says general manager Erica Brown. “So we decided that would be the name of our first cocktail.” Made with fresh-pressed apple juice and maple syrup, this twist on a classic whiskey sour is Polish-inspired, locally sourced, and seasonally appropriate.
Two Streets Down
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 oz. Four Roses Bourbon• 3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 oz. maple syrup
• 2 oz. fresh-pressed apple juice
Directions
• Add ingredients• Shake in a shaker tin
• Double strain over ice using a bartender’s Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer
• Top with apple juice
• Garnish with grated nutmeg
Lis Bar is at 240 Foxhall Avenue, Kingston. Instagram.com/lisbarkingston/
