Imbibe Craft Cocktails at Mortar & Pestle

The amazingly popular CurryUpNow has leveraged their restaurant savvy and appeal with a new addition to their culinary offerings.  In addition to their San Mateo presence and food truck, the popular restaurant has added a new bar to their portfolio.

Mortar & Pestle is a bar showcasing craft cocktails, microbrews and California wines as well as offering a small bite menu.  The new establishment seats 35 and shares space with the established CurryUpNow, offering libations in the rear of the current restaurant space.

A lot of thought and preparation has gone into Mortar & Pestle; this venture is more than just a bar as was reported in a recent San Mateo patch article:

The owners, Akash and Rana Kapoor, conducted a nationwide search of bar consultants to help with the opening and settled on Bittercube, a Milwaukee and Minneapolis based firm that also makes its own craft bitters.

These are being used to help create an eclectic signature cocktail menu that includes an Indian inspired Rum Old Fashioned with a house made Garam Masala syrup, a Sri Lankan Coconut Arrack, and a namesake cocktail served in a mortar that is made with vintage bourbon and Demerara sugar and finished with lemongrass, rose syrup, mint and kaffir lime leaves.

Locals are raving about this addition to the San Mateo foodie scene. Here are a few Yelp reviews:

The bar area is contemporary and bright, great for parties of 2. They also have high top tables for parties of 2-4, as well as a large communal table in the center of the bar. We saw folks bring their Curry-up-now food to the communal tables and then order drinks later on in the evening.  Drinks are priced well, at $8-$10 per drink! All so delicious. Will most definitely be back! – Veronica S.

Amazing bar with great drinks. Something about cheap Indian food with signature cocktails is just about perfect. Definitely coming back. – Patrick T.

A welcome presence to San Mateo. Curry up now owner and entrepreneur has hit another home run. Great beverages, mixed drinks and infusions! Can’t wait to come back and explore the options. – Aleksey L.

Insider Tip: Try the curiously engineered punch, a new punch is featured every week.
Get social with Mortar & Pestle an i’klektik distillerie in San Mateo on Facebook and Twitter.

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image credit: Mortar and Pestle via Curry Up Now, Michelle Edmunds Photographer