Our Story

Retired UFC fighter Ryan LaFlare discovered kava while living in Del Ray Beach, Florida. While being on a strict diet and training schedule, Ryan needed something safe to help him wind down and take his mind away from the stress of being a professional fighter. A friend mentioned that he'd been going to a local kava bar and drinking kava to help them with their anxiety and sleep.

Kava has unique calming properties that help drinkers relax, recover and get great sleep. As an athlete in peak shape, there aren’t many options for a relaxing experience that aren’t detrimental to your health and cardiovascular system. 

After his introduction to kava bars and the welcoming social setting they provide nearly a decade ago, Ryan became friendly with the kava community and wanted to bring kava home to Long Island. When the idea was mentioned to his longtime friend and business partner Eric Ott, immediately they thought of Patchogue as a perfect fit. Long Island’s growing wellness community is firmly rooted in Patchogue which hosts businesses like The Float Place, Cryology, several yoga studios and many other health and wellness oriented businesses.

Ryan and Eric believe that Island Kava is a perfect fit for Patchogue and we have enjoyed introducing kava to Long Island.