An experienced hospitality team is preparing to bring a new Filipino-American cocktail bar to East Village. Co-owner Darwin Pornel told What Now New York that June Baby will open at 197 Second Avenue in spring 2026.
Pornel draws on past experience at The NoMad Hotel and Mister Paradise. His wife and partner, Roxanne Bangalan, formerly worked at Union Street Cafe. They are teaming up with experienced bar owner Ben Rojo, who previously operated neighborhood bar Black Emperor in the East Village from 2019-20 and now owns No Smoking in Los Angeles.
June Baby’s name pays homage to the Philippine’s independence day, which is on June 12.
“No concept exists that highlights our culture and upbringing, so after working together for a while, we decided that we would open our own place,” Pornel said.
The food menu will feature Filipino drinking snacks and dishes such as pork adobo and kilawin, as well as American dishes that offer a nod to their own American youth experiences, such as a burger reminiscent of popular California spot In-N-Out.
For beverages, the spot will serve approachable cocktails with Filipino flavors.
“We’re trying to build it in a way that anybody can enjoy anything on the menu and not have to know what or why it is that way, unless they want to, in which case we will happily educate them,” Pornel said.
The space will feature 17 tables and 42 seats and one ten-seat bar. The team is hoping to incorporate Filipino design elements such as binakol, a traditional weaving pattern in the Philippines, and an art piece that mimics the rice terraces common in Filipino landscapes.
“We are hoping to highlight some characteristics of the culture that aren’t common in a lot of spaces,” Pornel said. “We’re super proud to be Filipino but we are approaching it from a cultural standpoint with an if-you-know-you-know mindset.”
Pornel envisions the cocktail bar as becoming a neighborhood spot with regulars. The proposed hours of operation are 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Friday, with hours extended to 2 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, according to community board filings.
“We want to welcome the same people in three or four times a week. We want the energy to be inviting and warm,” Pornel said. “We want to highlight how naturally it comes to our culture to be welcoming and hospitable.”
