The space at 111 East Pikes Peak Avenue has seen its share of transformations — from scooping ice cream at Josh & John’s to après-ski vibes at Lemon Lodge. Now, it’s home to something entirely different: kava.
Kava Works, the second location for the Colorado-based brand, has opened downtown, offering a relaxed, alcohol-free alternative in the heart of the city. The bar specializes in kava, a drink made from the root of a South Pacific plant known for its calming, mildly euphoric effects — relaxing the body without clouding the mind. You can find a guide to the kava experience on their website.
“Downtown Colorado Springs has long needed more alcohol-free options—and now, with two kava spots open, you can even barhop between them,” says owner Jason Benjamin. He’s referencing Ohana Kava Bar on Boulder Street and the new Kava Works, just 0.5 miles south.
Kava Works originally started as a food truck in 2020 before opening its first brick-and-mortar nonalcoholic bar near Academy and Woodmen boulevards.
Kava Works offers a variety of ways to try the experience, from traditional tea blends like the house Fiji Blend to flavored extract shots. They also serve kombucha, kava sodas and comfort food favorites like fried pickles, mac and cheese bites, and chicken with fries.
Happy hour runs from 6 to 7 p.m. nightly, with extended specials until 10 p.m. on Fridays — just in time for live music, which starts around 8 or 9 p.m. Other weekly deals include BOGO kava on Mondays, extended happy hour on Tuesdays (4–9 p.m.), $7 teas on Wednesdays and Thursday game nights where winners can score a $25 tab.
111 E. Pikes Peak Ave.
kavaworks.com
