Just six months ago, Carl Radke was early in the planning stages of opening Soft Bar + Cafe, a non-alcoholic-focused gathering place in Greenpoint, Now, the “Summer House” star is just days away from cutting the ribbon.
The official opening is set for Sept. 17, with the 200 Banker St. cafe serving guests in both the morning and evening hours. Radke has already held two “soft” launches for friends and family — which he described as both celebratory and motivating.
“So far, it’s been incredible. Being able to pull back the curtain and show everyone our space has been exciting for me because it’s been a process,” he said. “We built this from scratch — we had to install this big bar, our arches, stone and marble. It took time, but to be able to show everyone was like a celebration of what we’ve accomplished in the past year. Now it’s time to get to work.”
Functional drinks with a purpose
That work includes serving up a line of carefully-crafted drinks designed with wellness in mind.
“We serve drinks with healthy, functional ingredients. We include electrolytes, vitamins amino acids and collagen,” Radke said. “This gives our guests a little something more — they’ll feel calm, focused or vibey.”
The menu offers mindful alternatives for those who want to “take a break” or experience something beyond the standard non-alcoholic drink. Radke has coined a new name for the beverages, breaking with traditional language surrounding sobriety and drinking culture.
“We don’t make mocktails here, we make soft cocktails,” he said. “It’s an elevated, sophisticated, premium non-alcoholic drink.”
“And, we’re not making fun of anything,” he laughed.
As he spoke with Brooklyn Paper, Radke sipped on a negroni-style drink called “Bitter Beginnings.” Soft Bar also features beverages modeled after espresso martinis and the Aperol spritz.
Building community in Greenpoint
Soft Bar, however, is not just about beverages. Radke has made a point to root the business firmly in the Greenpoint community, where he also lives. Through collaborations with local food, fitness and wellness partners, he hopes the cafe can be a hub for connection.
He hopes to “invite our neighborhood in here to have an event, community meetup, post-run club, before or after yoga or even a first date.”
“This is a playground for any kind of adjacent health and wellness opportunities,” Radke continued. “If you’re a collaborator launching a book, you can party here. If you want to get together with a group of your sober friends and have fellowship — this is the spot.”
Above all, Soft Bar’s goal is inclusivity.
“It’s important to me that we built a third space that is welcoming to everybody in the neighborhood,” he said.
A morning niche
One unique element people may not expect: Soft Bar will open its doors early each morning.
Radke, who doesn’t drink coffee himself, saw an opportunity to create something new. He wants to “combine coffee and non-alc culture,” because “finding an alternative coffee drink in the city is challenging.”
Aside from premium coffee, the café space will offer matcha and teas with more of those functional ingredients starting at 7 a.m.
Radke is also excited about the food. While Soft Bar + Cafe isn’t a sit-down restaurant, it will offer healthy snacks and hot food, like flatbreads, meats and cheeses and pastries in the morning.
A personal journey
For Radke, the entire journey has been deeply personal.
“I feel a sense of accomplishment,” he said. “I’m proud to give a place and space for those who don’t drink alcohol, for people who maybe want to take a break or just looking for somewhere to hang out that is completely free of alcohol.”
Fans of “Summer House” are familiar with Radke’s sobriety and mental health journey. After getting sober in 2021, he has been open about the challenges and the transformation that followed. Soft Bar, he said, was built for both others and himself.
“This is such a need, but also a personal thing for me,” he said. “I’m looking for what I built here. I haven’t been able to find it so that’s why I built this.”
Still, he insists this project is bigger than his reality TV persona.
Despite his celebrity, he wants the space to stand on its own. “This isn’t Carl’s Soft Bar,” he said. “It’s just Soft Bar.”
He credits his team for bringing the vision to life, saying the project has been a group effort from start to finish.
“The beauty of when you really stand for something as a business, and you have a purpose and mission, people are really excited to be part of this.”
