Sake gains steam in NYC as makers and consumers of Japanese beverage increase

An iconic Japanese beverage is brewing up big buzz in New York City.

There’s never been a better time to be a sake fan in the city. And there’s never been a better time for the Japanese beverage, either, with more New Yorkers interested in both making and consuming the rice-based alcoholic drink. 

New York’s sake hub has long been focused on two blocks in the East Village, where sake bars Decibel and Hi-Collar and specialty sake store Sakaya attract both enthusiasts and novices to East Ninth and East 10th streets.

Now, Industry City is emerging as another destination for the brewed beverage, with the recent opening of New York state’s first sake brewery, Brooklyn Kura, churning out sake borrowing from the 2,000-year-old tradition of Japan’s national beverage and made with American ingredients. 

The Sunset Park creative hub will also soon be home to what’s being described as a Japanese Eataly; this summer, Japan Village is slated to take over 20,000 square feet of Industry City with a grocery store from Sunrise Mart, food hall, izakaya and a sake store.