The historic Harlem community will soon welcome the opening of Sugar Monk, a sophisticated new mixology cocktail bar just a short walk from the famous Apollo Theater, located on Frederick Douglass Boulevard (between 123rd & 124th Streets), nestled along a now vibrant restaurant row.
Sugar Monk is the creation of two artists who have merged their diverse artistic styles under one roof – Ektoras Binikos, an award-winning mixologist and visual artist, and Simon Jutras, a photographer and designer.
Sugar Monk pays hommage to the uptown speakeasies that once flourished at the height of the Harlem Renaissance. Places where the creatives of the day, writers, musicians, poets, visual artists, social and political activists, as well as fashion and entertainment icons sought social interaction and cultural exchange after hours, over some delectable concoctions – far from the social constructs of race, ethnicity, and sexual identity.
Ektoras and Simon are reflecting upon that era, at a time when the community is experiencing a new resurgence, attracting today’s creatives, and preparing for the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. Their goal is to fashion Sugar Monk into a modern classic, an intimate spot with a vibe that welcomes all patrons, and where the soft eclectic music sets the mood for engaging conversation. A place where those seeking an unforgettable and heightened sensory experience can indulge in a selection of the most complex and exquisite elixirs created by Ektoras Binikos, the epitome of a modern-day alchemist.