It’s Time to Put a (Good) Nonalcoholic Cocktail on Every Restaurant Menu
A deliciously complex—but booze-free—cocktail: Is it too much to ask?
Thomas J. Story
I took self-induced breaks from alcohol before I got sober, so I know what it’s like to dine out both ways: not drinking because I want to, and not drinking because I have to.
That means I’ve looked at a lot of lists and discovered, much to my chagrin, that they’re devoid of the kind of drinks I’d love to sip.
Let me be clear: This is a personal choice, and I’m not looking for pity. But with a growing number of booze-free brands adding botanical breadth to the range of available spirits, I’m of the strong opinion that every restaurant should have at least one good nonalcoholic cocktail on the menu. And by that, I don’t mean a margarita sans tequila—à la lime juice, agave syrup, and club soda served over ice.
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I’m talking about one-of-a-kind cocktails that deserve to be savored. I’m talking about cocktails that are worthy of the same price tag as any margarita or Old Fashioned on that same list. I want floral and earthy and herbaceous. I want layered and complex and delicious.
Thomas J. Story
There’s really no excuse: A bevy of Western brands are pioneering this tradition with one-of-a-kind distillates that feature absolutely no alcohol. An aptly named bottle of Smokey from Los Angeles-based Optimist is like mezcal except it’s not. I use it to add a mouthwatering char to at-home concoctions; it’s a perfect pairing for egg-white libations. Popular brand AMASS crafts Riverine with botanicals you might see in gin—coriander, orris root, and juniper, for example—that are begging for complements like honey, cucumber, or mint.
And up in Oregon, Wilderton produces two spirits including the herb-driven Earthen and citrus-focused Lustre, each made with raw botanicals from across the globe. “The broader vision here is to create a new category of spirits that just happens to be nonalcoholic,” says Brad Whiting, Wilderton’s CEO who traveled the globe for 14 years, sourcing spirits for Oregon’s Hood River Distillers. It’s all part of the evolution of modern cocktailing, Whiting adds. While there’s much to be said about the sober-curious movement sweeping the country, Whiting says his broader goals center on “making cocktails more interesting.”
For someone like me, who’s not drinking alcohol, discovering booze-free cocktails on a menu is more than interesting; it’s delightful. Take the Bella Coola at Alice Waters’ new Los Angeles restaurant Lulu in the Hammer Museum, for example. This bright red libation combines AMASS Riverine with lime juice, simple syrup, blood-orange juice, and Broken Clock Vinegar Works Lemon & Mint Shrub. It’s exactly what I want to sip during an early afternoon lunch. Equal parts tart complexity and refreshing zest pair perfectly with the Chez Panisse team’s California classic menu of grilled chicken salads and rosemary potato chips.
Carly Diaz
In Palm Springs, I sipped not one but two nonalcoholic cocktails made by the team behind the bar at one of the hottest restaurants in town, Bar Cecil. Perhaps the best Shirley Temple I’ve ever sipped featured housemade syrup, while a booze-free spritz packed a punch with Abstinence Blood Orange Bittersweet Apéritif.
And in Portland, dedicated zero-proof bar Suckerpunch recently opened to serve up beverages that read like garden-to-glass perfumes. Straight from the Fire, for example, is made with roasted corn tea and smoked pecan wood maple syrup. Bar director Matt Mount, a prolific Portland mixologist, crafts innovative drinks using kombucha and malleable teas. The team doesn’t want each cocktail to “just be a pale comparison” to alcoholic equivalents, says founder Andy McMillan, an events producer who is also behind the city’s XOXO festival.
“We can’t be too reliant on sugar and fruit juices,” the founder adds. “I really want to blow people away.”
Here’s looking at you, mainstream restaurants. The tools are at our disposal. Use them, so we can all raise a glass.
10 Nonalcoholic Cocktails to Make at Home
The Verdigo
When you want a refreshing (but booze-free) cocktail, this bright green drink is made with Optimist, a botanical spirit that’s free of alcohol and other additives like sugar, gluten, and carbs. This flavor, Fresh, combines juniper berry and cilantro with lime peels, oregano, and more to create a gin-like sip. In this recipe, it’s mixed with basil, lemon juice, and egg whites to create a creamy foam.
Bee’s Knees
A drink with so few ingredients could be hard to turn into something nonalcoholic. Seedlip Spice brings the complexity of a gin’s botanicals to the cocktail without the booze, while the lavender honey syrup is a unique addition to this Prohibition-era drink.
Pear Tree
A little tart and a little sweet, this mocktail of lemon-lime juice and pear juice will wake up your taste buds. Add a splash of seltzer and an herb garnish for a special presentation.
Bella Coola
For a refreshing, nonalcoholic cocktail, Lulu’s beverage director, Rosemary West, combines a botanical spirit with fresh, bright citrus flavors. “This cocktail is named Bella Coola after the Bella Coola River because Riverine botanicals are sourced from the Pacific Northwest,” West says.
Spirit-Free Moscow Mule
Our spirit-free version of this traditional vodka drink focuses on the citrus-forward notes of Seedlip Grove 42. Fresh spring mint helps brighten the cocktail and adds depth.
Earthy Beet
In need of a refreshing nonalcoholic cocktail? Look no further than this drink made with Wilderton Earthen, a botanical spirit with herbaceous notes. In this recipe, it’s mixed with beet and lemon juices, plus ginger-honey syrup for a colorful sip.
The Brightside
This cocktail is made with Optimist, an alcohol- and additive-free botanical drink. A bottle of Bright, used here, pairs ingredients like lemon, orange, jasmine, and fennel with cinnamon leaf and other ingredients to create a clean spirit that drinks similarly to vodka. The fresh pomegranate works to balance the spirit, and club soda offers a fizzy but liquor-free finish.
Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub
Sebastopol, California’s Fern Bar–where this recipe comes from–is all about hyper-seasonal cocktails. Rhubarb and strawberry are a classic spring combination. The vinegar of the shrub provides a tangy contrast to the sugar and natural sweetness of the fruit.
Pomegranate Fizzies
This is a super easy and fun drink that is perfect for cool evenings. Pomegranate fizzies can be made with or without alcohol. Just add sparkling apple juice!
Yu the Great
This recipe is excerpted from Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Drinks for When You’re Not Drinking for Any Reason by Julia Bainbridge. “I tested the recipe with Italian basil, out of curiosity, and it didn’t work,” Bainbridge says. “You really want Thai basil, which is less sweet, more herbal and licorice-like—spicy, even.”
