The COVID-19 pandemic was a shock to everyone when it ravaged the world in 2020, and forced many in Santa Monica and beyond to reconsider their health habits. Specifically, locals looked in the mirror about their alcohol consumption, realizing that while they may have fun with boozy drinks, they may not remember the night.
To create a more memorable experience for Santa Monica, Hannah Wilen and Neil Bhatia have stepped in with a healthy alternative to the traditional night on the town. The co-founders recently opened Kavahana at 306 Pico Blvd, cultivating a communal experience around Kava Nectar, a relaxing drink sourced from the natural roots of the kava plant grown in Hawaii and the South Pacific. The beverage has calmed civilizations for thousands of years, and has found its way into the city, combining wellness with a will to make connections.
The co-founders noted that the drink is a non-alcoholic drink “that you can actually feel,” creating a tingling sensation on the tongue with its earthy and smooth taste. Kava Nectar is similar to a strong matcha, and is comparable in strength to coffee, albeit with an opposite effect. With no caffeine, sugar, alcohol, gluten or chemicals to speak of, the plant-based beverage promotes calmness and sociability, something Wilen has sworn by during her decade of drinking.
“I grew up in a very health-conscious household, so alcohol was never really a part of my upbringing,” Wilen said. “So when I [went] to college, it was pretty interesting seeing the whole alcohol culture … it was very prevalent. As someone who doesn’t like to drink or didn’t like how I felt when I was drinking, Kava was an amazing alternative for me.”
Bhatia also recounted how saturated alcohol culture was during his college years in New York City, lamenting that he would forget many a night and wake up with phone numbers without a clue who was texting him. With the Kavahana environment, he discovered his calling for non-alcoholic social advocacy, stating that the drink has been in his family for a long time.
“It’s just something that’s really nice and relaxing … it’s a great social drink that also has that historical relevance,” he said.
Both Bhatia and Wilen said Kava Nectar is an “acquired taste” but those who try it quickly take in the tingles and eventually want more, similar to someone’s path with trying espresso drinks for the first time. The two eventually turned a desire for non-alcoholic communion into a business, starting with the underground rave and party scene in Los Angeles, another space traditionally dominated by booze.
“I love concerts, I love music … [but] if you’ve ever been to those concerts, it’s very alcohol-fueled … we wanted to bring a fresh take on [it],” Wilen said. “There are a lot of people who want to go to raves and concerts without alcohol, but don’t have any options.”
The duo’s message eventually brought together three different worlds: Los Angeles partygoers, the area’s wellness community and curious food and drink connoisseurs. The two quickly picked up momentum for Kavahana at wellness events, athletic endeavors like last year’s Malibu Triathlon, and food markets like Smorgasburg LA in the downtown area.
Eventually finding the Pico space, Kavahana was transformed into a dual-purpose abode, with a coffee shop-type environment by day and a non-alcoholic bar atmosphere by night. Wilen stated that she “saw so many happy, smiling faces” during a Feb. 10 grand opening, which is “the most important thing” to her.
“We had people sitting at our bar, and people who have never met each other … we would see all throughout the night, strangers connecting and talking to each other and not under the influence of alcohol, and making genuine connection,” she said.
The Kavahana menu starts from the source, as the kava plant can only grow in a select number of countries and needs anywhere from five to seven years before it is ready to be harvested. Wilen and Bhatia said they go to “really great lengths” to be able to bring the product to Los Angeles, with the sustainably sourced drink served at the “best quality possible.”
Menu options take the nectar and mix it with multicultural ingredients and flavors, with no artificial coloring on drinks like the blue “Beach Nectar,” mixing in Blue Spirulina, coconut, vanilla and house cane syrup. Another popular option is the Mint Julep Nectar, a healthy alternative to the alcoholic drink that includes mint and fresh lime alongside nectar and sparkling water. A true specialty is the Hana’s Fresh Coconut Nectar, served in a whole young coconut, with reusable coconut bowls also an option with any menu drink.
The co-founders foster healthy social experiences, such as planned music and arts events on the horizon, showing how Santa Monicans can have fun without wrecking the body.
“As people are becoming more educated about the effects of alcohol on health, people are kind of [thinking], ‘I don’t really want to have that in my body every day,'” Wilen said. “But more so than just health, I think it’s also a mental thing. Not everyone wants to use alcohol as the only way to hang out and be social and have a good night.”
Kavahana is open from Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and more information can be found at kavahana.com.