Even though kava drinking has been around for thousands of years, kava bars are a relatively new to kava culture.  In the south Pacific, kava bars are most popular in Vanuatu and New Caledonia.  And despite being native to Hawaii, there are more kava bars in Florida than anywhere else in United States.

In Vanuatu, the place where the people drink kava is called a "nakamal."  This place in the a tribal village would serve as a central meeting place for men after a day's work, where they can converse and discuss the days events or politics.  Other tribes' people passing through from a neighboring village could seek refuge here overnight.  In a traditional nakamal, no money is exchanged for kava. The local village people would simply dig up some of their kava and bring it to the nakamal and share it with whoever is present.  Today, in many of these remote villages, kava bars have opened where they sell kava by the coconut shell.  These kava bars were also referred to as a nakamal.  So in Vanuatu, kava bar and nakamal are often  used interchangeably.

In 2002, Nakava, formerly called the Nakamal, opened its doors in Boca Raton, Florida, becoming North America's first true kava bar.  Nakava, founded by Laurent Olivier, Jeffrey Bowman, and Diane Lysogorski, popularized American kava drinking in Florida.   Nakava has been featured in many printed articles (Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Boca Raton News, Boca Raton Magazine, Florida Atlantic University's University Press, City Link, New Times, and more).  Today, kava bars are located up and down Florida's east coast, from St. Augustine to Hollywood.

In November 2009, Bula Kafe, Nakava's sister kava bar, opened its tiki bar shutters, swung open the wooden gates to the kind and generous people of Tampa Bay.  Bula Kafe makes the distinction among all Florida kava bars as being the first on Florida's Gulf Coast and the only all-outdoor kava bar.   Bula (as the locals lovingly refer to us) has a spacious outdoor seating and gaming area.  Our kava bar is designed to help you enjoy a relaxing and chill time from friends and family.  We have a number of board games, like chess and backgammon.  We also have card games like Apples to Apples.  Try your luck at Truth or Dare Jenga. No matter what you do at our kava bar, there is a shell of kava waiting for you. Make your escape from the everyday.

BULA!