It’s no secret that Queens is a food paradise filled with nearly every international cuisine imaginable—and when it comes to Latin food, everyone knows that Mamajuana Cafe Queens in Woodside, NY is the place to go. Stop by this Dominican restaurant any evening for dinner, and you’ll see hoards of happy diners munching on yucca fries and fresh ceviche, and sipping the signature house mamajuana that first put this local joint on the map.

For those who aren’t familiar with the drink, its taste can best be described as a more fragrant and multi-faceted version of port wine infused with a woodsy and earthy flavor. Invented and popularized in the Dominican Republic, this brewed drink of rum, wine, honey, roots, bark, and wild herbs has been widely consumed in its current form since approximately the 16^th century. However, for hundreds of years prior to the invention of alcoholic mamajuana, people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti enjoyed an herbal tea that contained many of the same roots and herbs as the modern alcoholic drink—so the blend itself may be close to 1,000 years old!

There are many variations on mamajuana depending on the seasonings used, but star anise, whole cloves, chamomile, china root, basil, coconut palm root, brazil wood, rosewood, and princess vine are all common. Some blends contain only a couple of these ingredients, while others contain a dozen or more different herbs and roots. Long thought to be medicinal in nature, people have been using mamajuana as an aphrodisiac and cure-all for many years, prompting the widespread saying in the Dominican Republic: “It cures all of what ails you”.

To try this possibly medicinal and definitely delicious drink with a side of awesome Spanish food, stop by Mamajuana Cafe Queens for brunch or dinner! Give them a call at (718) 565-6454 if you have any questions.