Used for thousands of years in the Pacific Islands as a medicine and for ritual purposes, Kava is now catching on here as a dietary supplement for anxiety, insomnia, and some other medical conditions. You don’t have to travel too far to get a dose either. Roots Kava Bar recently opened in Port Jefferson, serving up Kava in elixirs and teas infused with a derivative of the plant’s root.

 

An alternative to alcohol, the Roots Kava Bar touts itself as a place for people to come and socialize in a bar-like atmosphere but without the alcohol. Kava drinkers say they get a sense of bliss from the concoctions, relaxed and euphoric. But, the taste is bitter.

 

“We each had a bowl and I quickly understood why it should be drunk in one fell swoop,” said Lily C, from Islip, on Yelp. “It's because it's very very bitter! I believe the translation of kava is actually ‘bitter.’”

 

She described the drink as giving her mouth a tingle.

 

“I felt very relaxed. I had a slight case of the giggles,” she added.

 

Lily gave Roots Kava Bar five stars.

 

According to their website, Roots Kava Bar seats about 40 people and has five self-serving stations.

 

Servers are called Kavatenders.

 

The vibe inside is chill. Nina C, from Central Islip, said on Yelp that she stumbled on the bar while walking around Port Jefferson and decided to check it out. Their Kavatender explained how everything worked.

 

“When you walk in, it looks like a bar - but it's not,” she said. “The worker told us all about the type of drinks they have and where it comes from, and she was super sweet about it since we were pretty ignorant.”

 

“For a Saturday night, I loved every second,” she added. “I completely loved the vibe here and I would so come back again.”

 

Roots Kava Bar also has drinks to go.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Health, there has been a fair amount of research on the use of kava for anxiety, but few studies have been done on other conditions.

 

Location: 250 E. Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777, (631) 831-4887