A DRINK WITH ALYSSA DiPASQUALE

By Maia Merrill Gosselin
Alyssa DiPasquale is on a mission. The ebullient owner of The Koji Club in the Charles River Speedway is determined to spread the gospel of sake to as many people as she possibly can. And judging by her remarkable success so far, she’s doing just that. Not only is The Koji Club the largest seller of sake in the state, but in the mere two years since opening, it has racked up accolades such as being named one of the Best Bars in America by ESQUIRE in 2023, Best New Restaurants in the World by CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER’S HOT LIST in 2023, and in 2022, BOSTON MAGAZINE named her Best Beverage Director. (It should be noted that The Koji Club is housed in a 250-square-foot space with 16 indoor seats and a 16-seat patio . . . you know what they say about good things and small packages!)

And while these awards are impressive indeed, for Alyssa, her bar is about so much more than simply a place to get a glass of sake. What she’s created is a platform for sharing the rich history and stories that sake has to tell. A true labor of love, The Koji Club celebrates community, discovery, and education. I caught up with the former publicist-turned-proprietor recently to discuss this unique passion project of hers. Upbeat and engaging, her enthusiasm for sake is infectious. But don’t take my word for it! Pay them a visit and you’ll soon see that Alyssa DiPasquale has crafted something truly special.

MAIA GOSSELIN You’ve taken a very interesting path from art administration and PR to owning a sake bar. What inspired you to take the plunge and open The Koji Club?
ALYSSA DiPASQUALE Owning the bar is art curation! And having a deep understanding and appreciation of public relations helps me to better communicate the beautiful stories about Japanese sake brewers/artists to guests.

MG You are clearly passionate about sake! What is it about this beverage that resonates so deeply with you?
AD When I was growing up, I had a difficult time connecting with Japanese culture until I began “studying” Japanese cuisine and beverage. It tied my passions to my heritage.

MG Sake is incredibly complex with different categories, styles and of course, price points. Where did you acquire your expertise and how long did it take to achieve your level of knowledge?
AD Early in my hospitality career, I was responsible for a beverage menu at a fine dining Japanese restaurant. It was there that studying high end sushi and sake launched my curiosity. I have always been a food centric beverage person rooted in how I began to learn about sake. Over time, experimenting with drinking sake at home with all kinds of cuisine was the real turning point to understanding the beverage more and more. And now, I have the great opportunity to travel to Japan for work to meet the brewers and hear their stories directly. It has been quite eye opening.

MG You’ve had remarkable success and accolades in a relatively short period of time . . . congratulations! To what do you attribute this overwhelming positive response?
AD First, we have a specific mission, vision and set of values that the whole team supports wholeheartedly. This sets a rhythm to our everyday lives in service and is the root of our success. We are unified in The Koji Club being a safe space to celebrate, learn about and drink really good sake. Our goal is to reframe Japanese sake from an esoteric, hangover inducing, sushi companion (insert sake bomb here) to an approachable everyday beverage choice through nontraditional partnerships, unique learning experiences and New England’s first and only sake bar. Our values are celebration, education and access.

MG Can you expound on those values and why they are a core part of your approach?
AD Celebration is important because it is a key personal value of mine. The key to life is to find celebration in the everyday. Making a point to celebrate the little moments brings joy and value without waiting for a birthday or holiday. Education: Most of our guests are first time sake drinkers, so education is inherent in our service experience. But our approach is through non-traditional learning experiences like dinner parties, sake tastings and hosting meet and greets when brewers visit. It does not feel like learning in the academic sense, but you are absolutely doing exactly that.

MG Talk a little about your employees and the way you’ve approached your staffing as well as your hours of operation.
AD The team is a group of folks who are deeply committed to Japanese sake. They have been working in Japanese restaurants or in beverage sales for a while. We have found one another through our common thread and while we are all quite different personalities, we deeply respect one another. As a symbol of respect to them, we will always be closed for at least 1 day a week (currently 2) to have collecting rest. Days where no one is working and are with their families and friends. This protects the boundary between work and life.

MG You began this journey in February of 2020 . . . obviously the world shut down a short time later. How did you pivot during this time? What are some of the positives that you took away?
AD I left my job in February of 2020, went into lockdown, learned how to tap dance on the ceiling of my apartment and then started full speed ahead on launching the club. I launched on June 1, 2020 and we were a virtual monthly subscription service through OddFellows Ice Cream in Boston and in Brooklyn for 2 years before opening the doors of the bar in February of 2022. This period of time was the hardest I have ever had to hustle but also where my community was ready to support in any way they could. To be honest, I really, clearly learned who my community was during that period of time – who was recommending me to their lawyers, who was delivering meals to me, who was volunteering to paint, who bought our stools when we ran out of money, etc.

MG Where do you find inspiration and creativity with your program?
AD The Menu. I am so proud of our incredibly diverse menu. Boston is not considered a “hub” of sake like New York and Los Angeles, so it has taken a lot of cooperation to achieve the level of diversity that our menu presents. I am so proud of it. And it changes seasonally! So we get to play with what bottles sing best in what season, and why, every three months.

MG Beyond being a restaurant/bar, you hold a variety of events at The Koji Club. Can you elaborate on them? What’s the response been like?
AD We host a supper club on Wednesday evenings called “Makanai — Family Meal” where you can get a 3-course meal for under $50. On Thursdays, Cafe Sushi Shoten deliveres bento boxes (pre-ordered through reservations) to enjoy with our sake menu. On weekends, we offer sake tastings so folks can dive a little deeper into what sake is and what their favorite glass is.

MG What is your local community like and how important it is for you both personally and for the Koji Club?
AD Our local community is a joyful group of incredibly curious folks who often have been to Japan once and love staying connected to an authentic Japanese experience

MG You travel somewhat regularly to Japan. Are these business trips and if so, what are you gleaning for these visits?
AD My travel to Japan is always for business. I go to learn what is trending both from a sake/beverage perspective but also from a travel and tourism perspective. I would love to open in Japan someday, ideally with your favorite hotel.

MG Favorite sake (if you can name just one!)?
AD Right now? In the summer heat, I am drinking yuzu sake on repeat.

MG And finally, it’s the end of your workday . . . the bar is closed and you’re having a well-earned libation. What’s in your glass?
AD A tiny ‘tini! Our lychee martini is the perfect sweet check at the end of any day of service.

EDITOR’S NOTE We’d love to hear from you! Do you know of someone notable in the Massachusetts beverage alcohol industry? If you would like to nominate someone for consideration, please email Maia Merrill Gosselin at mmerrill@beveragebusiness.com.