The 20 Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktails for Dry January and Beyond

Non-Alcoholic Negroni

How do you make a zero-proof version of a drink that’s traditionally made entirely of alcoholic ingredients? Hyatt national bar director Miranda Breedlove employs a trio of non-alcoholic distilled spirits to replicate the classic combination of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.

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Non-Alcoholic Spicy Margarita

This drink comes from bar pro Natasha David’s 2022 book Drink Lightly. David relies on savory ingredients for her riff, combining muddled jalapeño coins and cilantro, agave nectar, fresh-pressed celery juice, and lime juice. A homemade salt solution accentuates the drink’s flavors.

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Gin-Free & Tonic

Homemade juniper syrup stars in this non-alcoholic take on the classic, which also enlists lemon juice and a high-quality tonic water. You’ll want to keep it on hand to mix up zero-proof G&Ts whenever the craving strikes.

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Shirley Temple

Whether you love it or hate it, this bright-red mix of grenadine and lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale) is undoubtedly the most famous non-alcoholic cocktail of all time. For a more sophisticated version, add a squeeze of lime and a high-quality grenadine (you can even make your own).

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Tonic Rickey

A classic Rickey combines a spirit (often bourbon or gin) with lime juice and sparkling water. For this non-alcoholic take, cocktail blogger Camille Wilson enlists tonic water, seltzer, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. Two dashes of Angostura bitters contribute a scant amount of alcohol to the finished drink, but you can use a non-alcoholic brand such as All the Bitter to make it entirely alcohol-free.

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Vitamin Parade

David calls this drink from her book “pure liquid fortification.” It’s chock-full of feel-good ingredients, including fresh carrot and pineapple juices, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, an egg white, and ginger beer. 

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Berry Smash

“The pink non-alcoholic beverage has a bad rep for always being too pink or just tasting like juice,” says LP O’Brien. That’s far from the case with the vibrant Berry Smash. It offers layers of flavor and complexity, thanks to three types of berries, two Seedlip expressions, hibiscus tea, lemon juice, mint, and ginger beer.

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Far Afield

Bartender and Focus on Health director of operations Alex Jump calls this elegant stirred drink a “slightly herbal White Negroni variation.” She combines two non-alcoholic distillates—Martini & Rossi Floreale Aperitivo and Seedlip Garden—with tart blanc verjus and a ginger-citrus tea syrup. 

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Rosemary-Pomegranate Soda

This herbaceous combination from former chef and bartender Nic Sims tastes much more complex than your average soda. He mixes pomegranate juice, a homemade rosemary simple syrup, and soda water. 

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Mint-Basil Limeade

This drink is made for Mojito lovers—or anyone looking for an herb-forward and refreshing sip. It combines muddled basil and mint, simple syrup, lime juice, and soda water.

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Slow Burn

Leyenda co-owner Ivy Mix created this sweet-tart Margarita variation for Listen Bar, an alcohol-free pop-up series. The combination of Ritual Tequila Alternative, lime juice, maple syrup, and pomegranate molasses is made even more delicious by a spicy-sweet smoked salt rim.

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Garden Collins

Homemade syrups can add flavor and body to non-alcoholic drinks, as seen in this herbaceous Tom Collins twist from O’Brien. She adds a syrup made from fresh-pressed celery juice to a refreshing combination of Seedlip Garden, brewed green tea, lemon juice, and ginger ale. 

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Shot in the Dark

Jump was inspired by Acid League Wine Proxies to create this sour-format drink. She combines the faux-wine blend with an herb-forward non-alcoholic distilled spirit, lemon juice, vanilla syrup, and vegan aquafaba to create a zero-proof cocktail that can be consumed by almost anyone.

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Mental Note

This earthy and tart drink from David mixes fresh beet, grapefruit and lemon juices, and a homemade vanilla syrup. A heaping barspoon of raspberry preserves ties everything together.

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Salty Ginger-Ade

This savory-sweet drink takes its cues from jaljeera, a tangy and hydrating Indian beverage that is often made with citrus juices and spices. This version combines a Medjool date, lime juice, salt, cumin, and ginger beer. 

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Dagwaagin (Fall Shrub)

This non-alcoholic drink comes from the winner of our 2023 Excellence in Sustainability award, Owamni. The Minneapolis restaurant features a fully decolonized menu and cocktail program that omits spirits, cane sugar, and citrus to focus on Indigenous ingredients.

The Dagwaagin is a perfect example of the restaurant’s decolonized approach. The squash-based shrub gets its heat from fresh ginger, sweetness from maple syrup, and a boost of acidity from apple cider vinegar. Top with soda water for a delicious non-alcoholic drink, or incorporate the shrub into other recipes.

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Night at the Spritz

New York City bartender Allison St. Pierre swaps the spritz’s usual bitter liqueur for Ghia, a Campari-like non-alcoholic aperitif. She tops it with soda water for a simple and refreshing libation.

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Don’t Call Me Shirley

This riff on the childhood classic from bar pro Colleen Kenny is all grown up, thanks to a homemade grenadine that combines pomegranate molasses and citrus juices. Luxurious Amarena cherries replace the classic neon-red maraschino garnish. 

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Strawberry Crush

This simple non-alcoholic drink from bartender Sean Barlow relies on easy-to-source ingredients. He combines muddled strawberries and mint, lime juice, simple syrup, and ginger beer. 

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Maple Beet Shrub

Typically made with fruit, sugar, and vinegar, shrubs are excellent options for those abstaining (or taking a break from) alcohol. This earthy maple beet shrub from recipe developer Casey Elsass gets a little heat from fresh ginger, and is delicious topped with soda water.

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