For Dry January: Raleigh’s first alcohol-free bar + places serving mocktails
If you’re thinking about giving up booze for a Dry January but hate to give up social time with friends at local watering holes, you’ve never been better positioned to party while sober in the Triangle.
Not only have several local bars and restaurants already announced an enticing lineup of creative mocktails for the month, but Raleigh’s first alcohol-free bar, Dry Umbrella Bar, makes a First Friday appearance downtown this week.
The bar, founded by Meg Paradise, is described as “a sophisticated cocktail bar, without sacrificing health or wellness goals.” The brick-and-mortar location (for now, “downtown Raleigh” is all we’re getting) will open soon, with unique, alcohol-free cocktails built with “a variety of zero proof spirits.”
To get a taste before the permanent location opens, find them this Friday (Jan. 6) at their Mocktail Pop-Up event from 5-8 p.m. in City Plaza. The featured mocktail will be “That Sober Glow,” which is “an immune-boosting, energizing elixir topped with pink bubbles.”
Other Triangle bars & restaurants serving mocktails
Da Kine’s Kava, 1114 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham. dakineskava.com
This is Durham’s alcohol-free bar, founded in 2018 by Zoey Best & Brent Waffle, so everything on the menu will work for your Dry January goals. Some of the options from their menu:
- Nitro Blast: Passionfruit, citrus, and two full spectrum Indo shots. Infused with Nitrogen for a smooth taste and boosted effect
- Dark Magic: Anti-inflammatory loose leaf tea with Red and Silver Shots
- Hibiscus Lemonade: Hibiscus flowers, lemon juice, lime juice, and stress-relieving Gold Blend
The Willard Rooftop Lounge, 9 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. thewillardraleigh.com
- Everything Nice: espresso, chai, cinnamon, clove, ginger, half & half
- Pink Drink: grapefruit, pomegranate, cinnamon, clove, lemon, crushed cranberry rim
- Bright Eyed & Mock-Tailed: Orange, cinnamon, clove, ginger
- Lemon-Whey’d: Lemon, whey, butterfly pea flower, apple cider vinegar, honey
Junction West, 310 West St. Suite 110, Raleigh. junctionwestnc.com
- Forbin’s Ascent: Pomegranate, grapefruit, lime, agave
- Famous Mockingbird: Lemon, lime, simple, bitters
Watts & Ward, 200 S. Blount St., Raleigh. wattsandward.com
- Espresso MartiNO: Seedlip Spice 94, cold brew, syrup, nutmeg
- Garden Bubbles: Seedlip Grove 42, orange juice, soda
Crawford and Son, 618 N. Person St., Raleigh. crawfordandsonrestaurant.com
- Gas Light: Turmeric, orange, Seedlip Grove
- Little Johnny: Apple cider, ginger, rosemary, miso
Dram & Draught, Locations in Raleigh, Durham and Cary. dramanddraught.com
- Baby Aspirin: Lyre Spiced Cane, pineapple, orange, Coco Lopez, lime
- Sunday Spritz: Lyre Italian Spritz, Blanc Verjus, Lemon, Sugar, Soda
- Morning Mojito: Lyre White Cane, mint, Lime & Cucumber Oleo, soda
Killjoy, 116 N West St., Raleigh. killjoycocktail.com
Plum Thyme Lemonade: Plum thyme reduction, lemon, simple syrup. Served sparkling
Spiced Cranberry Lemonade: Spiced cranberry simple syrup, cinnamon, lemon
Orange Dreamsicle: Orange, vanilla & cream, topped with club soda
Eat, Drink & Be Berry: A caffeinated blackberry-mandarin-vanilla spritz
Picture Pear-fect: A caffeinated pear-hibiscus-lemon spritz
Haiku-cumber: Cucumber water, sweetned with aloe, lime & orchard shrub. Served up (a mocktini)
Irregardless Cafe, 901 W Morgan St., Raleigh. irregardless.com
- Puttin’ on the Spritz: Lavender hibiscus syrup, lemon, lemon-ginger kombucha
- Passion Pit: Peach basil puree, lemon, ginger beer
Fiction Kitchen, 428 S Dawson St., Raleigh. thefictionkitchen.com
- House-Made Soda: Flavors are orange, spicy ginger, root beer, pomegranate, seasonal shrub and homemade tonic.
Sitti, 137 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh. sitti-raleigh.com
Tonic Punch: Pineapple, orgeat, lemon, Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic
Lebanese Sweet Tea: Passion fruit nectar, ginger-infused simple syrup, tea. Served over ice
Pomegranate Spritzer: Pomegranate molasses, honey, lime, ginger ale, soda water
Limon Nana: Lemon, mint-infused syrup, water
The Merchant, 126 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh. themerchantnc.com
- Thai Tea Party: Thai tea, sugar, lemon, honey, ginger, ginger beer
- Herbaceous Haze: Hibiscus & thyme shrub, lemon, aloe water
- Greener Pastures: Lemon, fresh mint, sugar, pineapple juice, honey, ginger beer
- Off The Wagon: Cranberry, lime, fresh orange juice
- Red Light, Green Light: Lemon, cherry lavender, aloe, ginger beer
Gallo Pelón Mezcaleria, 106 S Wilmington St., Raleigh. gallopelon.com
- Santo Domingo: Sweet cucumber juice, lime, ginger cordial, soda
- Eternal Denial: Passion fruit, berry cordial, lime, tonic
Wye Hill, 201 S Boylan Ave., Raleigh. wyehill.com
- And On and On...: House-made blackberry reduction, fresh lemon, bubbles
O-Ku Sushi, 411 W Hargett St., Raleigh. o-kusushi.com
- The Palmer: Yuzu, lavender honey, lime
- Pinku: Prickly pear, lime
- White Dragon: Lychee, lime ginger, agave
Oak Steakhouse, 417 W Hargett St., Raleigh. oaksteakhouserestaurant.com
- Gold Rush: Lyre’s American Malt, honey, fresh lemon
- Nagroni: Lyre’s London Spirit, Reconstituted Campari, Lyre’s Aperitif Rosso
- Classic Daquiri: Lyre’s White Cane Spirit, fresh lie juice, simple syrup
Colletta, 1 Fenton Main St., Suite 170, Cary. collettarestaurant.com
- Blueberry Thyme-Limonata
- Hibiscus Fresca
The Parlor, 308 S Boylan Ave., Raleigh. heightshousenc.com/parlor
Limonata al Rosmarino: Housemade lemonade with rosemary sugar
Bright Side Sparkling Water: Cucumber Lime, club soda, yuzu elderflower or peach ginger
Cucumber Minty: Freshness in a glass.
Blueberry-Sage Spritz: Vibrant, herbal and juicy
Barcelona Wine Bar, 430 West Martin St., Raleigh. barcelonawinebar.com
Bees & Bays: Lime, salted honey syrup, cardamom, bitters, sparkling water, smoky torched bay leaf.
Non-alcoholic wine also available.
This list will be updated throughout January as we learn of other places serving mocktail specials. If you know of a place we should add to our list, email ask@newsobserver.com.
This story was originally published January 5, 2023 at 10:27 AM.
