62 The Queens Courier • buzz • april 14, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com buzz NEW CRAFT BEER BAR CRAFT CULTURE IS COMING TO RIDGEWOOD By Anthony Giudice agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Ridgewood, get ready for a whole new culture of drinks and food right on Myrtle Avenue. Craft Culture, a bar owned by Queens native Cesar Andrade, is set to open late this summer, providing customers Photo courtesy of Cesar Andrade Craft Culture, a new bar set to open in Ridgewood this summer, is looking to bring a unique twist on Ridgewood’s beer scene. Grab a free pretzel in Queens on National Pretzel Day (April 26) By Katarina Hybenova khybenova@qns.com @kamelka Have you ever dreamed of stuffing your face with free pretzels? Now is your chance. National Pretzel Day is coming up on April 26, and one pretzel-making chain sees this as an opportunity to give away thousands of free pretzels through its “Share Something Warm” promotion. Pretzelmaker requires that you share a message of kindness on your social media using hashtag #warmthoughts and show it to Pretzelmaker employees at any of their local stands. If you’re not big on social media, you can just give an in-person compliment to the employees instead. In return, you will receive one soft pretzel of your choice — original salted or unsalted. Residents of Elmhurst should make it a point to visit the only Pretzelmaker location in Queens, at Queens Place Mall at 88-01 Queens Blvd. “We are so thankful for our loyal customers and we look forward to sharing our own messages of gratitude through this promotion,” said Lisa Cheatham, director of marketing at Pretzelmaker. “We look forward to hearing pretzel lovers’ warm thoughts nationwide, and we invite folks to stop by a Pretzelmaker store on April 26 to enjoy a free pretzel on us.” Established in 1991, Pretzelmaker made their name through introducing their famous soft pretzel. The chain currently has 360 location in the U.S. and worldwide. with a wide variety of delicious beers from all around the world, and tasty food to perfectly complement the brews. The bar will be located at 59-04 Myrtle Ave. and will have a bar, as well as a kitchen space to accommodate the hungriest of guests. “I’m close to the Middle Village/Elmhurst area, but the markets there wouldn’t dictate my business,” Andrade said. “I was very familiar with the markets in Ridgewood, Astoria and Westchester. Ridgewood had a certain buzz about it. It has an energy to it. It’s quiet, but not too quiet. The bar is not going to be a crazy nightclub-type atmosphere, so Ridgewood was a great fit.” Andrade wants his bar to be the “flavor connoisseur” of the neighborhood, bringing in a slew of classic beers along with some less familiar brews. “With the beer we are going to have 16 taps of beer, and that will rotate,” Andrade said. “Some will be weekly, some will rotate monthly and some will be steady, because everyone has their favorite beers. On top of that, you will have beers from all over the city, state and the world. We will have some craft beers that are really popular and some that aren’t as well-known. It’s about introducing people to different beers.” The food that will be served at Craft Culture will create a new twist on some classic bar foods. “We will have charcuterie cheese plates and artisanal inspired plates,” Andrade explained. “You will see some popular bar foods, but I want to try some different artisanal ingredients in them. So it will be regular bar food, like nachos and cheese, but with a different or richer flavor. It’s all about the flavor.” The bar is slated to open later this summer, as the location is going under some major renovations. Andrade said that the space, which has never been used as an eating and drinking establishment, needs to have a complete utility overhaul to give it the right equipment needed to operate as a bar and eatery. “I’m hoping for mid-June, but it could be pushed back to late August,” Andrade said. “It depends on the Department of Buildings and on how soon they get things approved. The utility companies have to come and upgrade all the equipment. It just about being patient right now. I’ve been working very diligently with the architects and making sure everything is clean and ready to go.” Ridgewood Social first reported this story.
QC04142016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above