Starbucks has always been the place to go to get your early morning caffeine fix, and now, it's looking to bring customers an entirely different sort of buzz. Starting Aug. 19, Starbucks' Evenings menu will be available at the store's Williamsburg location daily after 4 p.m., which means one very important thing for Brooklynites: your local neighborhood Starbucks is serving alcohol, along with the tasty likes of truffle mac and cheese, artichoke and goat cheese flatbread, salumi plates, and bacon-wrapped dates. In other words, grabbing coffee with friends no longer just means grabbing coffee with friends — at least if you live in Williamsburg.
The only news that could maybe top this would be if Starbucks revealed it was giving away pumpkin spice lattes for free during the month of September — and since that seems highly unlikely, I'll definitely settle for a glass of Starbucks-approved chardonnay instead. The Starbucks location at North 7th Street and Bedford Avenue is one of two dozen stores across the country that will start serving up a much fancier selection of food and beverages than the fare you normally see at your favorite coffee chain. Stop by after work to pick up your go-to iced coffee, if that's what you're into, or stay a while to sample Starbucks' new Evenings menu, which offers everything from super swanky small plates and charcuterie to a surprisingly large selection of wine and craft beers. The Evenings menu has already been tested at a handful of other locations in cities like Seattle, Chicago, and Atlanta, and depending on its success, could be coming to even more stores soon.
So what does the menu look like, exactly? A little something like this:
Why yes, that is a bowl of gourmet spinach and artichoke dip you see being served with a healthy portion of pita chips, next to an excellently curated cheese plate (Irish cheddar, Manchego, and herbed goat cheese all make appearances). The real winner here, though, is the bowl of truffle mac and cheese. I had a chance to try out the menu first hand before its launch in Brooklyn, and I think I can say with some honesty that nibbling at that little pot of decadently creamy cheesiness made me a better person. Served up with a glass of red? You win, Starbucks. You win.
Yup, that's a real photo I took inside a real Starbucks — pretty fancy, right? As for the alcohol menu, pick between sparkling, whites, reds, and craft beer. There's seriously something for everyone.
The best part of Starbucks' fancy menu is that everything is surprisingly affordable, meaning you can mix and match from the chain's Evenings small plates, and still afford a glass of wine, none of which will run you more than $15. So trade in your PSL for some prosecco, and get ready to settle in. If you live in Brooklyn, you may have just found your new, go-to happy hour spot.
What does the perfect glass of wine look like? Check out our video below, and visit Bustle on YouTube.
Images: Courtesy of Starbucks; Kathryn Kattalia
