Family sees restaurant as golden opportunity

Alchemy was a historical practice that sought to turn regular metals into gold, and the founders of Alchemy Lounge on Kalispell’s First Avenue look to carry that tradition into their new restaurant.

“Alchemy is about turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, and that’s our philosophy,” said Joey Costa, who is launching Alchemy Lounge alongside his parents, John and Stephanie Costa.

They plan to transform a restaurant that has changed hands multiple times — most recently as First Avenue Taphouse — into a community staple.

The Costas first rebranded the restaurant as The Interim Bar, which was intended as a deliberate placeholder while the space was renovated to make way for Alchemy Lounge.

This month, they opened the doors to the blue-and-gold-patterned lounge where they hope locals will enjoy cocktails and small plates.

“It’s a very comfortable, elevated experience with great food and great cocktails,” said John, who works in the aerospace industry. He said opening a restaurant has always been his dream.

Stephanie Costa said the family was inspired by PLONK, a wine bar with locations in Missoula and Bozeman.

“We just really liked the feel of it,” she said. “There really wasn’t anything like that in Kalispell.”

The trio hopes Alchemy Lounge will fill a gap in the community without drawing anything away from existing businesses.

“There’s a lot of great restaurants,” John said. “We want to complement really what’s out there.”

John said he was particularly excited to open a restaurant in Kalispell because of the revitalization efforts going on downtown. The Costas wanted to play a part in adding new opportunities alongside developments like the Kalispell Parkline Trail and the new ownership of the KM Building.

At Alchemy Lounge, the menu centers around shared plates, although a few larger dishes are available as well. The menu is iterative, Joey explained, with room to grow and change seasonally.

Chef Keefe Carvelli said his background rests in classic French and Italian cooking, but his offerings at Alchemy Lounge are “all over the board.”

His favorite dishes to make are pastas, but so far his most popular creation at Alchemy Lounge has been lamb lollipops. The lamb lollipops are served with balsamic fig jam and blistered heirloom grape tomatoes.

Scallops and salmon tacos are also in high-demand, Carvelli said. The diverse menu also carries exotic options like gambas al ajillo — Spanish garlic shrimp — and a Japanese fried chicken dish known as karaage.

He added everything at Alchemy Lounge is made by hand, and he strives to source as many ingredients locally as possible, from providers like Wicked Good Produce and Flathead Fish and Seafood.

The hands-on approach transfers over into the drink menu as well. The Alchemy Lounge crew hand-squeezes all the juices for the cocktails and makes its own simple syrup fresh every other day.

“We’re really trying to create something very magical with the ingredients we put in,” said Joey.

The bar offers a suite of classic cocktails with a few fresh twists. “We’re not reinventing the wheel, just tweaking it and making it our own,” Joey said.

Alchemy Lounge is located at 139 1st Avenue West. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Alchemy Lounge is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Find Alchemy Lounge online at https://www.theinterimbar.com.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at 406-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.