Grassroots Kava House is the Burg's only downtown kava & coffee house. We serve the finest kava, locally roasted coffee, and tea while promoting an active, healthy, creative and community based lifestyle. We provide free WiFi and comfortable seating both upstairs and downstairs. Enjoy sunsets and downtown nightlife on the balcony. We are located in the up and coming Edge District within walking distance of several restaurants and galleries as well as Tropicana Field.
**What is kava?
Kava is drink made from the roots of a native south Pacific pepper plant. The drink, known to produce relaxing effects, has been a ceremonial and social centerpiece to many south Pacific people in places such as Hawaii, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu.
Kava has also been known in western Medicine to contain properties that help with anxiety, stress, depression, and muscle relaxation. Interest in kava's medicinal properties dates to over 100 years ago in Germany. While kava can be found in pills and extracts, recent research from the University of Hawaii claims that kava is safer and more effective when consumed as a drink made using only the roots of the kava plant and water.
Our kava is traditionally made by hand daily using only water and ground kava roots. 

THE GRASSROOTS KAVA HOUSE STORY

The love of kava and the community that spawned 2 years ago brought us together. Sharing that love is what drove us to open Grassroots Kava House. Grassroots Kava House is built for the community by the community.

We work tirelessly to stay true to traditions of the south Pacific and also provide an environment that is friendly and inviting to newcomers. Traditional kava is our passion and exciting new twists on kava provide options for those interested in trying a shell but aren’t quite ready for the full experience. Our handmade syrups and use of local ingredients, whenever possible, allows us to make drinks that appeal to those looking to join us in saying “Bula!”

My kava experience began in 2001, when my college friend Jeff Bowman introduced me to kava at a mutual friend’s party. After an initial rejected offer, I gave it the old college try and hated it. All I thought was why would anybody drink this stuff? But being a good friend I offered to help him build the first kava bar in North America, Nakava (originally named The Nakamal) located in Boca Raton. And when I say build, initially it was only to build their website.

It was a week after New Year’s Day 2002; website was completed but “the Nak” wasn’t open yet. I found myself at the end of contract tech work without any work lined up. I started to visit Jeff’s soon-to-be open kava bar, helping decorate and learning more about kava and even how to make it. With the initial success of the business, I was lucky enough to be hired as the second employee. I took the job so I had some income while I continued to look for work in the tech sector after the bubble bust in 2001. Read More

 

What was initially a temp job turned into a passion. I became a manager, helped build their online store, develop packaging and create marketing materials. My time with Nakava culminated in my month long trip to Vanuatu in 2006. There I learned not only about the complex supply chain for kava but about the lives of the people who grew it, drank it, and loved it. I met many wonderful Ni-Vans, some of which I still talk to today. It was paradise.

So in 2009, the opportunity arose to be the general manager and co-founder of Bula Kafe in Saint Petersburg. After helping build the foundation for the Pinellas County kava community, I became the managing partner with Bula Kafe’s current owner. In the last two years, the kava community has grown more than ten fold with kava bars all around Pinellas County.