With new ‘theater cups,’ the party at Sunset Center can continue after the curtain rises.

When you visit the Sunset Cultural Center in Carmel for a performance these days, you might see a menu on one of the screens in the main hall. Depending on how cold, how hot or even how low-spirit you are, there’s a variety of pick-me-ups now available.

Sunset Center started operating the Sunset Café in the spring of 2019, with a break thanks to Covid. Currently, it’s open for select performances and community engagement events and includes beer (from Alvarado Street Brewery), wine (from Folktale, Puma Road and Scheid Vineyards), nonalcoholic drinks (coffee from Carmel Valley Coffee Roasters and tea) and snacks.

“This season we introduced our theater drink cups, allowing people to take cold beverages into the theater for the first time,” says Annelise Nussbacher, a marketing and development coordinator at Sunset Center. “People asked, we listened,” Nussbacher adds.

No more rushing to drink your wine or beer outside the theater doors as the chime rings.

Sunset’s new 8 – or 16-ounce reusable theater cup has a solid lid. “Even before 2019, we had a sort of cafe, managed by the Friends of Sunset Foundation,” says Sasha Swift, who oversees as part of her duties as event manager. “Now the cafe is run by our part-time concessions lead and concessions volunteers.”

The cafe typically opens one hour prior to performances and during intermissions. Throughout the year, Sunset Café offers some seasonal rotating wine options and snack items.