Bark Barbecue, the Texas-Dominican smokehouse at 25 Thames Street in Bushwick, is now serving beer, wine, and cocktails after receiving final State Liquor Authority approval, according to a press release from the restaurant’s publicist Denise Quintavalle at Bolster Media. The restaurant launched dry on July 1 due to what it described at the time as an unforeseen delay in the licensing process.
The drinks program was designed to pair with the restaurant’s smoked meats, according to the press release. The beer list features a rotating selection from New York-based craft breweries and Presidente, the Dominican lager. Bark says the selection reflects both its New York and Dominican roots. The wine list features varietals chosen to pair with smoked meats.
The cocktail program is entirely wine-based. The drinks include a Tamarindo Fizz (passionfruit juice, pineapple juice, tamarind extract, sparkling wine, soju), a St. Tropez Margarita (white wine, soju, agave extract, lime juice), a Watermelon Highball (sparkling wine, raspberry puree, soju, watermelon, fresh mint), and an Espresso Martini (fresh-pulled espresso, port wine, cocoa, vanilla).
Bark Barbecue was founded by self-taught pitmaster Ruben Santana, who started smoking brisket in 2020 from a makeshift rig in an Ozone Park garage and built the brand through Queens pop-ups, appearances at Smorgasburg, and a stall at Time Out Market New York before opening the 8,000-square-foot Bushwick flagship, which seats nearly 300 people. The restaurant does not take reservations. More information is at barkbarbecueny.com and on Instagram.
The Cafecito opens daily at 9 a.m., with lunch beginning at 11 a.m. Bark closes at 10 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and at midnight Thursday through Sunday; it is closed on Tuesdays.
Featured image: Courtesy bolstermedianyc.com
