An upcoming café and wine bar in Old Town is getting closer to opening its doors.
Ksenia Varakina told ALXnow she is hoping to open her new business, Cherry on Top, around mid- to late May at 1021 Queen Street. There, she hopes to offer a variety of wine, espresso beverages, charcuterie and pastries across the shop and its accompanying 437-square-foot yard.
“I would like to have private and public events as well,” Varakina said. “The building has the yard, and it’s really cozy. I think you can have a lot of fun there, like some trivia nights, for example, or some coffee classes.”
Varakina also hopes to collaborate with local businesses to host workshops. On the walls, she envisions a gallery where local artists can display their work for sale, with a small commission going back to the café.
Cherry on Top’s menu is still being finalized, but Varakina said it will include coffee sourced from Antica Flora Coffee. The New York City-based brand was founded by the former owner of Yours Truly Coffee, where Varakina worked as a barista while attending Baruch College.
“It was like 2018, I think, and from that time, I just couldn’t take it out of my head,” Varakina, who currently works as a data scientist, said. “I was thinking, well maybe, one day I’m gonna [own a café].”
The business has been in the works since last summer. The shop still requires some maintenance work and will need to pass inspections before it can open, Varakina said. It is expected to be able to accommodate about 40 guests.
Varakina said she is grateful for the support she’s received from the community over the past year on her first business. Her main focus is opening this location, but she has not ruled out other locations if it succeeds.
“It’s been quite a journey,” Varakina said. “I think I knew that it was going to be, not a fast thing to do … but I learned a lot. I hope my next location is going to be much faster than this one. I think hopefully, we are right now on our final phase.”
