So, you’re halfway through Dry January and you can feel your resolve quickly leaving your body. Not drinking in D.C. can feel like a near-impossible feat. But it gets a lot easier when you know where you can get a delicious and thoughtful no-ABV cocktail, because let’s be honest, not all mocktails are created equal.
This award-winning cocktail bar puts as much thought into their zero-proof options as their cocktails, resulting in elaborate and complex mocktails. I love the “Flying Free” with Ritual Spiced Spirit, honey, lime, and Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Wine.
The Green Zone has at least eight non-ABV options at any one time, from fresh squeezed pomegranate juice to the Royal Jallab (my favorite) with pine nuts, raisins, and pistachios on top.
This French bistro in Georgetown has my favorite mocktails of all time, The Other Side has roots rosso, plum shrub, orgeat, andsalted honey. They also have a non-ABV pairing option for their prix-fixe menu that includes de-alcoholized wine and cider with sloe berries.
While they don’t have non-alc drinks on tap, they always have a rotating selection of no-ABV beers that taste as good as, if not better than, the real thing.
Inside Death & Co in Blagden Alley. (Kaela Cote-Stemmermann/City Cast DC)
Although Lapop’s mocktails are less complex — think pomegranate rose water and mint yogurt soda — they are still a delight and I always find myself ordering seconds.
The always-changing no-abv cocktail menu keeps things interesting at this Hong Kong-style restaurant. Right now, they have a mock-quiri on tap with lemon balm, lavender, and honey.
This velvet-soaked cocktail bar has boozeless versions of most of their popular cocktails and they are *chef’s kiss*. My favorite is the Air Bee n Bee with almond blossom, smoked bee larvae, mango vinegar, and non-alc riesling.
It’s hard to find a dive with good non-ABV options, but this AdMo stand-by has proven up to the task. This month, they have an Amaro Spritz, made with Amaro Lucano, and Rosemary’s Baby zero-proof gin. They are also working on a non-alc espresso martini.
