Despite the massive growth the video game industry has seen over the past decade, it's still rare to see video game culture cross into real life outside of t-shirts. Elden Ring is a great example. It's the biggest game release of 2022 and has sold well over 10 million copies, but no one expects to see Malenia references beyond social media. Needless to say, one restaurant-goer was recently surprised by the cocktail list, which featured several Elden Ring-themed drinks.
Redditor OdnarDominus recently shared their discovery on the Elden Ring subreddit. Their post included a photo of part of the restaurant's cocktail menu. The drink section's name is "Slammerz'" and, surprisingly, it featured four drinks that are clear references to Elden Ring. No other items on the menu referenced the game or gaming in general. It's a mystery how this happened.
The four drinks should be recognizable references to Elden Ring players. The first is the Volcano Manor, which mixes rum with grapefruit, beet, lime and seltzer. It's a direct reference to the Volcano Manor location in Elden Ring. Drink number two is Phantom Steed, made with citrus vodka, fennel, honey, grapefruit, and seltzer. It's a nod to Elden Ring's ghostly mount Torrent. Azur's Comet is the third drink, made with tequila, lime, and ginger beer. Comet Azur is a particularly strong sorcery that can be cast from a far distance. Lastly, there's the Tarnished Currency, a gin, mint, and seltzer concoction referencing the Elden Ring's Tarnished protagonist.
The rest of the drink list is largely empty of other gaming references. One drink is named the Site of Grace, another Elden Ring reference, and others are a bit nerdy like the Arrakis. Overall, it's clear that whoever named the drinks was just having fun. They're celebrating a game that they were enjoying, and winking at other Elden Ring fans in the process. Perhaps it was a bartender, perhaps it was a manager; it doesn't really matter.
Those interested in seeking out the restaurant will need to find a way to Salem, Massachusetts. The restaurant's name is Opus and it serves Asian-influenced upscale bar food ranging from sushi to drunken noodles, to street tacos, to mac and cheese. A carbonated unofficial Elden Ring cocktail or two would probably pair well with the food.
Video game-related food offerings aren't necessarily a rarity, of course. A good example is the Final Fantasy 14 pop-up cafe, which sometimes serves a variety of themed food based on consumables found in-game. There are always video game-inspired Rockstar energy drinks, too, like the upcoming Starfield drink. Perhaps From Software should consider opening a pop-up cafe to serve Crimson Tears soda, Boluses donuts, Cured Meat Jerky, Shabriri Grapes, and Boiled Prawn and Crab. On the other hand, maybe unofficial cocktails is a better option.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.