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Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low around 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..
Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low around 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Updated: June 26, 2026 @ 10:03 pm
Ostrowidzki
Ostrowidzki
On Fridays, we’ll spotlight the men and women serving up cold ones and conversation in our neck of the woods. Let us know about your favorite bartender by emailing ltaylor@news-gazette.com.
From escape-room game master to magical tavern bartender, Sarah Ostrowidzki has played some unique roles.
Bartending is all new for her after she offered to split time between her previous job running games at C-U Adventures in Time & Space and serving drinks at Parcadia when that side of the business opened.
Previous experience as a barista ended up coming in handy.
“We were always making seasonal lattes and matcha drinks and things like that, so the same sort of proportions and mixing are in there, too,” Ostrowidzki said.
The bar’s popular espresso martini brings back those coffee-making memories, too. It’s one of her favorites to make among the bar’s intricate, fantasy-themed menu, which also features beverages involving bubbles, dry ice and unique glasses. Ostrowidzki’s favorite to drink is Parcadia’s take on a Sazerac, which they call a “Multi-class” — a term borrowed from fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons.
“I really have to be in the mood for it, but every time I get it I’m like, ‘yes, absolutely, 100 percent, this is my favorite,’” she said.
Working at Parcadia means playing the role of a magical barkeep, and Ostrowidzki loves when guests play along, especially if they dress up to fit the vibe.
“I do think this is completely different from pretty much anything else that’s going on in town,” she said. “I want everybody to be telling each other, like, this is the place to come to.”
The space is also available for events, and is aimed at a wide range of ages, with a full menu of “dirty sodas” and other non-alcoholic drinks to appeal to kids or anyone not interested in alcohol.
Ostrowidzki says some of her favorite times at the bar are brainstorming new drinks with her coworkers.
“I really, really enjoy the people that I work with here. We’ve got a really solid crew, everybody is super helpful, and I’ve learned a lot from everybody,” she said.
You might have seen her serving and bartending at any number of restaurants around Champaign-Urbana, but for the last two years, MOLLIE PRITCHARD has been behind the bar at Biaggi’s.
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