Just over a year since opening in Hudson Square, New York, KABIN is redefining what it means to be a neighborhood bar with global ambition. The Nordic-inspired venue, founded by Alexandra Tangen, has announced its next chapter: a reimagined cocktail menu and long-awaited daytime coffee program. Both offerings are designed to transport guests from Lower Manhattan straight to Scandinavia — no passport required.
To achieve that, the team invented a fictional airline, Nordic Air & Travel, as the guiding theme for the new drinks list. Like a flight map across the region, the menu is divided into three categories — See, Experience, and Taste — each evoking a different sense of Nordic life. The goal, says Tangen, is “to let people feel like they’ve traveled north without ever leaving New York.”
The New Cocktail Program: See, Experience, Taste
Every section of the program tells a story. In See, drinks capture the colors and landscapes of the Nordics. The Northern Lights highball mixes tequila, mezcal, and Svöl aquavit, glowing like the aurora itself. The Karpe milk punch pays homage to Norway’s chart-topping rap duo, layering Bareksten aquavit with mezcal, chai, and rose water.
In Taste, the bar reimagines staples of the Nordic table. Kaffepause, a Carajillo variation, honors the region’s deep coffee culture, while Kardamom Bun turns a bakery favorite into a creamy, spiced cocktail. Experience channels the feeling of Nordic life outdoors: the Free Healthcare, a Penicillin riff, and Six Months of Winter, KABIN’s martini, embody the mix of resilience and communal warmth.
Scandinavian Comfort Food with a New York Twist
KABIN’s kitchen continues the cultural storytelling. Designed for sharing, the food blends seasonality with comfort. Plates include Swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam, Hasselback potatoes with Jarlsberg béchamel and trout roe, and a whitefish spread with rye crisps. For dessert, the Norwegian waffles with vanilla crème anglaise and lingonberry jam are destined to become a signature.
The menu strikes a balance between elevated dining and the cozy, communal rhythm of Nordic cabin life. Whether for snacks alongside cocktails or a full dinner, it’s an experience that feels novel yet deeply familiar.
Coffee, Waffles, and Nordic Daylife
The most anticipated addition may be the coffee program. Inspired by Norway’s kaffe og vafler tradition and Sweden’s fika, KABIN now opens weekdays from 7:30am to 3pm, serving espresso made with La Cabra beans and pour-overs featuring a collaboration with legendary Norwegian roaster Tim Wendelboe. Naturally, waffles are on the menu.
The duality of coffee and cocktails is intentional. “In Nordic culture, coffee is as important as spirits,” Tangen explains. “We wanted KABIN to embody that rhythm — day into night, caffeine into aquavit.”
A Home for Modern Nordic Identity in New York
When it opened in June 2024, KABIN sought to be more than a bar. Tangen, who grew up in London with Norwegian parents, imagined a space blending hygge with the communal energy of pubs and the dynamism of Manhattan. Today, KABIN feels like a living room for a new, diverse Nordic identity — equal parts design showcase, community hub, and destination cocktail bar.
Located at 300 Spring Street, KABIN welcomes walk-ins and Resy reservations. Hours run Monday–Friday for coffee service, and evenings Monday–Saturday for cocktails and dinner.
For more information KABIN cocktail menu, head over to the New York bar’s official website.
