The Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktails on Philly Menus Right Now
These aren't "mocktails." They're classy, well-thought-out, crafted cocktails that just so happen to be alcohol-free.
Korean Spice Margarita at Ember & Ash / Photograph by Mike Prince
The non-alcoholic beverage industry has come a long way. Seriously, there are now entire bottle shops and bars dedicated to serving booze-less booze and specialty drinks.
Gone are the days of mixing club soda with juice just to give it a little fizz. Bartenders are stocking their shelves with zero-proof brands and concocting N/A cocktails with such a high level of precision, it’s like they’re auditioning for the alcohol-free equivalent of Netflix’s Drink Masters. They’re tinkering with recipes that build interesting flavor profiles, add texture, and infuse excitement into every glass.
To simply call them “mocktails” would be an insult. Drinks as eloquent as these aren’t mocking anything — they’re so clever, so tasty and just so darn gorgeous to look at that they’re carving out their own sections on restaurant menus.
Regardless of your reasons for ordering an alcohol-free drink, you deserve something that’s still fun and interesting. Here are the best N/A cocktails right now and where to find them.
Korean Spice Margarita at Ember & Ash
Since opening, Ember & Ash has put a lot of thought into their N/A program and as a result, their entire zero-proof lineup is banger after banger. But if you’re like me, a sucker for spicy margaritas, go for the Korean spice margarita, a citrusy cocktail made with mandarin purée and lime and spiced with gochujang and ginger. 1520 East Passyunk Avenue
Where Fashion Sits at Rex at the Royal
So where does fashion sit, exactly? Does it sit a table by the stage where you can get a front row seat to a live jazz performance, in a sexy velvet booth under the chandelier, or at the long wraparound bar? The answer is anywhere in Rex at the Royal, especially when you’ve got this bold drink in your hand. Where Fashion Sits brings together orange, grapefruit and carrot and blends in turmeric and vanilla for a spicy, citrusy, juicy N/A cocktail. 1524 South Street
75-Year-Old Virgin at Forsythia | Photograph by Max Mester
75-Year-Old Virgin at Forsythia
A play on the French 75, Forsythia’s 75-Year-Old Virgin achieves the same citrusy, spicy, botanical essence of gin with juniper, cara cara and lemon. It’s a light, refreshing and refined cocktail that’s delightful to sip with deviled eggs at happy hour or at dinner over the 10-day dry-aged whole duck. 233 Chestnut Street
Sans Spritz at Bar Lesieur
There’s something about how effervescent drinks cut through the salty fattiness of foie gras. So the pro move here is to order the foie gras with the Sans Spritz made with grapefruit soda and a bittersweet N/A aperitif. The foie gras comes with fig, which tastes lovely with the grapefruit soda, plus those subtle bubbles in the Sans Spritz cleanse your palate so every bite is just as exciting as your first. 1523 Sansom Street
Doctor’s Orders N/A Cocktail at Wilder / Photograph courtesy of Bondfire Media
Doctor’s Orders at Wilder
It’s not often that tea makes its way into a cocktail, but when it is used as the base, it brings a considerable amount of depth to the drink. In the case of Doctor’s Orders, the smokiness of the lapsang souchong tea is reminiscent of a peated whisky. The spiciness of the ginger really punches it up while the sweet honey balances it out, resulting in a drink with mellow warm notes. 2009 Sansom Street
N/A Coquito at Cantina La Martina
Coquito may be a holiday favorite in Puerto Rico, but the eggnog-like coconut drink makes life merry and bright throughout the winter months. Cantina La Martina recently introduced a coquito to their drinks menu, so if you want a sweet, creamy, cinnamon and nutmeg-tinged drink, and you can request the coquito alcohol-free. 2800 D Street
Barrel-Aged “Old Fashioned” at Char & Stave / Photograph by Ben Wentzel
Barrel-Aged “Old Fashioned” at Char & Stave
Between the espresso martini and the espresso tonic, coffee cocktails have been enjoying an extended period of time in the limelight. So if you’re going to get a coffee-based cocktail, get one directly from a coffee roaster. The barrel-aged “Old Fashioned” employs an interesting technique that you don’t come by often in the coffee world. They use a barrel-aged espresso as the base which gives it a bourbon-like oaky smoothness, but of course, it’s alcohol-free. 21 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore
Noju Highball at SouthGate
Nothing says like you’re in the in crowd like ordering something that’s off-menu. The Noju Highball at SouthGate is a yogurt drink with pineapple and cranberry juices and lemon-lime soda that’s only available upon request. 1801 Lombard Street
Ginger Soda at Darling Jack’s
This is not your average ginger soda. If the ginger-lime cordial and bubbles don’t give this N/A cocktail enough zing, the Sichuan peppercorns will! 104 South 13th Street
