Booze-Free Beverages for Dry January (& Beyond)

If you’re giving your body a break from booze this January, great news — there are tons of zero-proof cocktail offerings sprinkled amongst your favorite hangouts. Whether you’re looking for a little something to substitute for your usual tipple, or a flavor that’s all-new to stay on the straight and narrow, there is something for every taste and occasion from espresso martinis and no-gronis, to groovy guava and perfect pineapple treats, to minty berry no-hitos. Take a peek at some of these fun non-alcoholic drinks in the roundup below, and plan a pub crawl where you’re guaranteed to always remember to pay your bar tab.

Alcove – No Wake

Slow your alcohol intake down a notch after the hard-drinking holidays with Alcove’s No Wake made with unfermented Pinot Noir juice, cranberry and ginger. The fresh juice is grown and bottled by Navarro Vineyards in Philo, California with no sorbates, artificial color or added sugars for a really unique no-alcohol flavor for any wine lover.

 

Alibi Bar & Lounge – The Jailbait

Take your zero-proof tour through Alibi Bar & Lounge at The Liberty Hotel for a marvelous mock blueberry mojito known as The Jailbait. Named for the Beacon Hill hotel’s former life as the old Charles Street Jail, the tasty tipple is made with fresh blueberries, lime juice, simple syrup, mint and soda, and looks every bit as much the smooth criminal as any of Alibi’s other craft cocktail offerings.

 

Bar Volpe – Ferrari

There’s no need to cut back on your social life just because you’re cutting back on alcohol. In fact, Bar Volpe’s Ferrari, made with pomegranate, habanero extract, ginger beer and lime juice, is an open invitation to step on the gas and get down to Southie. It’s the perfect pick-me-up paired with a plate of handmade pasta or a bite or two from the mozzarella bar.

 

Baramor – Strawberry Nojito

Giving up spirits doesn’t mean giving up all your favorite cocktail flavors. Head to Baramor in Newton for the Strawberry Nojito, a fresh twist on a mojito made with strawberry shrub (a type of concentrated drinking vinegar), lemonade, simple syrup, lime and fresh mint to scratch that itch for a traditional Cuban punch. You won’t even miss the rum!

 

Burton’s Grill – Cold Brew Vitality

“New year, new you” doesn’t have to mean giving up the espresso martinis – pop by a Burton’s Grill for the Cold Brew Vitality. This stylish sipper is made with Seedlip 94 Spice, cold brew and cold brew simple syrup so you’ll have no problem staying up late — or getting up in time for work the next day.

 

Citrus & Salt – Strawberry Piña Colada

If you’re ready for a beach vacation, let the pros at Jason Santos‘ Back Bay Mexi-Cali hangout, Citrus & Salt, get you into a Baja state of mind with this virgin version of the classic colada (pictured here with the whimsical and refreshing Fruity Pebble Iced Tea). Made with coconut cream, strawberry, pineapple and toasted coconut, the Strawberry Piña Colada is sure to have you feeling all sun-kissed and sober.

 

Cosmica – Pineapple Margarita

South Enders, you can keep on the straight and narrow with your 2023 health kick and still sip in style anytime with Cosmica’s fresh-squeezed mock Pineapple Margarita. Packed with ginger, pineapple, lime and coconut, it’s equally at home with their brunch, dinner or late night Cali-Mexican eats.

 

La Gallina – Passion Fruit Smash

Head to La Gallina at MarketStreet in Lynnfield for a classic cocktail that’s totally alcohol free. The Passion Fruit Smash is based on a traditional julep with lime juice, mint and soda for bubbles and a modern twist of tropical passionfruit. Pair it with a crispy, cheesy pizza made with their 125-year-old sourdough starter for the perfect winter warm up meal.

Lime – Mock Madras

Chelsea peeps looking for a healthy pick-me-up can pop by the brand new Lime for a Mock Madras made with cranberry, orange juice, ginger ale and lime, which would be perfect with one of their BLTs with potato crisps, or have one of their house-made Italian-style sodas made with seltzer and a splash of house-made syrups like passion fruit, prickly pear, blueberry and Meyer lemon — just ask your server for the day’s featured flavors.

 

The Longfellow Bar – Pink Print & Golden Hour

The Longfellow Bar in Harvard Square is all about good music and good times, and you can get yours going zero-proof style with either The Pink Print or a Golden Hour. You’ll be feeling yourself with the strawberry, honey, citrus, mint and bubbly Pink Print, and a Golden Hour will give you butterflies with its mix of pineapple, citrus, demerara and cucumber. Grab some of chef Michael Scelfo’s highbrow bar snacks and you’ll have a fabulous alcohol-free evening.

 

The Merchant – Hibiscus Mule

The secret to a truly elevated zero-proof cocktail is a flavor profile that you can’t get from any old soft drink. You’ll get plenty of highbrow vibe with the Hibiscus Mule at The Merchant. Take a break from shopping in DTX with this mix of tasty, tart hibiscus (almost like cranberry), lemon and ginger beer.

Nautilus Pier 4 – G + G & Pineapple Mule

These Jules Verne-approved concoctions from the team at Nautilus Pier 4 – the G+G, made with guava, grapefruit and citrus and the Pineapple Mule made with pineapple, house ginger soda and lime – are a sunny take on Dry January that’ll have you dreaming of a tropical heat wave on the shores of a desert island. You’ll have no problem going 20,000 leagues under the sea and then some —no hangover!

 

Noir – Eliot’s Day Off

If you’re taking a day or two (or more) off from the sauce, Noir has the perfect zero-proof negroni for you. Developed originally for serving during Head of the Charles weekend for rowers who wanted to socialize the night before the big race, Eliot’s Day Off uses a French non-alcoholic bitter aperitif, juniper, and Verjus (pressed juice from unripened wine grapes) to make a guilt-free version of a classic.

 

Pagu – Bara No Bara

Cantabrigians looking for a sip of something complex that’s also alcohol-free can head to Pagu for a Bara No Bara, made with pomegranate juice, blood orange, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, cacao, rose water and champagne acid. The crisp, winter-citrus-flavored bevvie is perfect with some of chef Tracy Chang’s Japanese tapas bites.

 

Rail Stop Restaurant & Bar – Matcha Maker

The Matcha Maker, a lean and green elixir made with green tea powder, fresh lemon, honey and aquafaba, will put a little pep (and protein) in your step. Perhaps it’s the matcha, or maybe it’s Rail Stop Restaurant & Bar‘s proximity to the New Balance building, but a few sips of this energizer will have you ready to tie on your sneaks and show 2023 who’s boss.

 

Sarma – Aegean Mai Tai

Chef Cassie Piuma’s award-winning Istanbul-inspired flavors come to life in the glass without the booze in the Aegean Mai Tai available from the bar at Sarma. Made with Persian lime, sesame, lime and grapefruit, it’s a great complement to a shareable feast of small plates at the Winter Hill hotspot.

 

Uni – Ms. Pfeiffer

An NA night out at UNI in the Back Bay is no problem thanks to Ms. Pfeiffer, a chic sip made with pineapple, lime, agave, lapsang souchong, togarashi. It’s as sleek and sexy as its namesake, and the perfect far-east twist on a margarita to match up with Ken Oringer and David Bazirgan’s award-winning sashimi and sushi.

 

Urban Hearth – Blueberry Mint Cooler

Pack some antioxidants into your next visit to Urban Hearth with this tall, cool Collins made with blueberries, fresh mint, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, seltzer and mint simple syrup. Served over crushed ice and garnished with fresh berries, it’s dressed up perfectly for a night out in Cambridge with chef Erin Miller’s imaginative menu.

 

Waypoint – Juniper & Juice and Tea Toddling

The seafood-loving folks at Waypoint have added a whole mocktail menu to their offerings in honor of Dry January. Take a spin over to Cambridge to pair chef-owner Michael Scelfo‘s award-winning eats with any of the booze-free beauties including the Juniper & Juice (a refreshing combination of orange juice, juniper syrup, lime and rosemary) and Tea Toddling (made with herbal clove tea, mint syrup, lemon and rose water).

Wusong Road – Nor’Easter

The bar masters at Wusong Road spend all their time coming up with the perfect concoctions for their Harvard Square celebration of all things tiki, so it’s no surprise they have some fabulous NA offerings like the Nor’Easter, which is made with New England Fassionola, orange and lemon. It’s all the fun of tiki time without feeling like a total zombie the next day.

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