LilliStar (353 Bedford Ave.), a rooftop bar perched on the 11th floor of the new Moxy hotel in Williamsburg, opened last week. LilliStar is an indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant with tropical cocktails, Indonesian-inspired small plates, and skyline views from Bar Lab Hospitality.
At the helm is the talented Christine Wiseman, Bar Lab Hospitality’s Beverage Director, who was just named North America’s best bartender.
“The breathtaking views from the LilliStar rooftop are the perfect accompaniment to the refreshing cocktail list we’ve created,” Wiseman said. “Pulling inspiration from Indonesian flavors and seasonal ingredients, the cocktail menu is fruit forward and very playful.”
LilliStar’s beverage menu features fun, seasonal cocktails, plus large format drinks for the table, a generous selection of wine, and a few beer options like Singaporean brand, Tiger.
Some of the cocktails are, indeed, playful, as Wiseman said. One fun option is the Wu Wave with lime leaf infused mezcal, blue curacao, macadamia nut orgeat, and lime juice, topped with yuzu soda, presented in a bag like a goldfish. Another highlight is the Bumbu Margarita, a twist on a classic spicy margarita, with tequila, strawberry and kiwi oleo, bird’s eye chili, lime juice, and strawberry salt.
LilliStar’s food menu was created by Chef Eli Buliskeria, known as Chef Buli, also responsible for the Israeli cuisine at Mesiba, in the same hotel. Like at Mesiba, Chef Buli’s menu focuses on shared plates and small bites, but at LilliStar, he steers away from Israel and toward Indonesia and other Asian nations for inspiration.
LilliStar’s food menu features Indonesian fried chicken wings, buckwheat noodles with root vegetables and a peanut-miso sauce, chicken tandoori with pickled onion and raita, rendang bao with 24 hour braised short ribs, and guacamole with cumin papadam chips.
The restaurant itself provides a lively backdrop for these playful drinks and plates. Bar Lab Hospitality, Lightstone and Basile Studio designed the space to blend contemporary Indonesian and Australian style with Brooklyn energy, according to the team.
LilliStar is the latest addition to Williamsburg’s Moxy Hotel, which opened in March. The Moxy is also home to Israeli restaurant Mesiba, cafe and cocktail bar Bar Bedford, and Jolene Sound Room, a nightclub.
LilliStar is closed Monday and Tuesday and open Wednesday and Thursday 5-11 PM, Friday from 5 PM until late, Saturday from noon until late, and Sunday from noon to 11 PM.