A Spirited Journey

When the pandemic struck the award-winning West Village eatery, it marked the beginning of a new era. For the brick-and-mortar based on an old-world Italian lifestyle—serving as a sun-drenched neighborhood place and a cozy haven for evening gatherings—an unforeseen future was yet another opportunity for growth. 

“To be completely honest, we always believed the Via Carota brand could become a household name, and ready-to-serve cocktails were the unexpected product to make that happen,” Via Carota Craft Cocktails CEO Bart Silvestro says. “The pandemic taught us consumers were seeking a quality at-home drinking experience previously limited to skilled mixologists.” 

Much like other local establishments, Via Carota began selling pre-batched cocktails for customers to savor in the comfort of their homes. Silvestro notes that the offering was not only embraced by Via Carota's devoted customers but also in high demand, a fact that served as the catalyst for the initial brand launch.

“Our priority from the start was to make sure this felt authentic to the vision of the Via Carota founders, Rita Sodi, and Jody Williams, while still keeping the two brands separate,” Silvestro says. “To ensure we were bringing the warmth and elegance of the West Village establishment to people around the country, we started with the logo, designed by the talented Louise Fili.”

The Via Carota Craft Cocktails team collaborated with the creative minds at Stranger & Stranger to design the brand structure, bottles, and labels. The goal was to present a timeless look that resonated with the restaurant's core identity, yet stood apart as a brand of its own. One of the key aspects of that process? The selection of spirits.

“When choosing the range, we wanted to balance the initial line with a mix of the most beloved cocktails at the restaurant alongside classics that would benefit from our unique approach to flavor and construction,” Silvestro says. 

Via Carota Craft Cocktails introduced its primary collection in three sets: The Negroni, the Martini, and the Bourbon. In addition to these signature assortments, the brand offers six pour-over-ice cocktails inspired by beloved Via Carota drink menu staples. These have quickly gained popularity among loyal locals and statewide enthusiasts alike.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive since day one,” Silvestro says. “In the eight months since launch, we’ve grown our distribution across multiple markets, received over 89 medals from prestigious spirits competitions, and received so much customer acceptance and fan love.”

Having played such a close role in the 18-month process to bring the brand concept from paper to launch, Silvestro says the most gratifying aspect is the reaction from customers.

“Their facial expressions are priceless in the best way,” Silvestro says. “I don’t think anyone imagined they could have a ‘bar-top’ quality cocktail in a bottle—and we have a breadth of cocktails to appeal to many. We are hard at work on the next chapter of Via Carota Craft Cocktails and hope they will receive as warm of a welcome as our launch. Stay tuned!”

Learn more about Via Carota Craft Cocktails and shop the range at www.drinkviacarota.com.