Guess Where O‘ahu’s Newest Cocktail Bar Is?

Eleven opens inside Foodland Farms Ala Moana today, Dec. 9 with compelling cocktails and small plates that will make you forget you’re in a supermarket.

Tucked in a back corner of Foodland Farms Ala Moana, on the Pi‘ikoi Street side, you’ll find Eleven. Named after Foodland’s original Ala Moana Center store, the chain’s eleventh, the new cocktail bar will open its doors on Dec. 9, nearly two years after its planned March 2020 opening was derailed by the pandemic. We sampled delightful cocktails by corporate mixologist Matt Rosskopf and small plates by Foodland head chef Rebekah DeCosta and corporate pastry chef Brian Sung at a recent media event.

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To find Eleven inside Foodland Farms, veer left and past the lines of customers at the registers. It’s on the other side of the store from R. Field Wine Co., the wine bar where you can sit while grocery shopping and eat the poke and fried chicken you’ve bought or order some charcuterie or a burger. Eleven is different. The closer you get to the blonde wooden door, the more the bustling supermarket scene fades into white noise. Stepping into the airy space feels like teleporting into a chill cocktail lounge complete with high ceilings and multiple seating options. The other way to find Eleven is through the entrance on Pi‘ikoi Street.

The collection of spirits and cocktails put together by Rosskopf adds to the chill vibe. There are classic cocktails such as the Hemingway Daiquiri and unexpected drinks like the Pickled Garden, a savory cocktail matching a pickled garden shrub with aquavit. The Kaka‘ako Mule is a twist on the Moscow, with fresh cantaloupe, pineapple and serrano chile; the cosmopolitan has a tequila and pomegranate spin; and 400 Rabbits is a concoction of tequila, yellow chartreuse, rooibos tea and citrus juices, all clarified with goat’s milk. A separate whiskey menu with more than 100 whiskies from around the world is available in nine cocktail styles or treatments—meaning you can order a whisky sour, then have it smoked.

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While there are some bar snacks, the menu of small bites features toasted breads with different toppings. Our favorite was the Ho Farms tomato, which pairs a delightfully tangy tomato jam with smoked applewood bacon and Worcestershire aioli on toasted ciabatta. That’s clever: A carb-centric menu means more cocktails, right?

Eleven is an energetic respite, if you will, especially during the holidays. The best part is, on your way out you can grab that bag of rice or carton of eggs that you said you’d bring home.

Reservations are recommended, and seatings are limited to 90 minutes. 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., (808) 949-5044, elevenhnl.com, @eleven.hnl