Whether you're finally taking the plunge and trying out Whole30 or just drying out for a spell (hi, dry January), you don't have to be a hermit.
Get out of the house, belly up to your favorite bar, and order a satisfying, zero-proof, specialty mocktail concocted to help you stay social, satiated, and sober. Happy detoxing.
Candy cap mushroom cider.(Courtesy of Lazy Bear)
Candy Cap Mushroom Cider
Warm up with a cup of housemade candy cap mushroom cider—made with fuji apples, ginger, and spices—created by the bar director at Lazy Bear. The addition of candy cap mushrooms add a natural note of maple. Get cozy, sit by the fire, and calm your senses. // Lazy Bear, 3416 19th St. (Mission), lazybearsf.com
Pomegranate Smash
Trou Normand bartender Nathan Rea crafts his mocktails with the same vetted flavor combinations and attention to taste as the restaurant's boozy alternatives. This season's offering includes a pomegranate smash, a mix of lime, raw honey, mint, seltzer, and housemade grenadine. // Trou Normand, 140 New Montgomery St. (SoMa), trounormandsf.com
Boulevard No Way
When Rich Table's former bar director became the national rep for Lyre's Non-Alcoholic Spirits, it was no question that the new guy, Larry Piaskowy, had to make a cocktail with Lyre's stuff. Boulevard No Way, a combination of Lyre's American Malt and Giffard Apertif Sirop, is a zero-proof version of the Boulevardier. Full bodied with loads of texture, Larry promises you won't miss the buzz of the original. // Rich Table, 199 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), richtablesf.com
Seedlip + Tonic
Dosa by Dosa, the popular SF restaurant's casual Oakland sister, may have a full bar, but non-drinkers can get a taste of the seasonal flavors as well. Try the Seedlip and tonic, made from Seedlip Garden 108, tonic, lemon, and mint. Haven't heard of Seedlip? It's the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, so you can have a drink without the hangover. // Dosa by Dosa, 2301 Broadway (Oakland), dosabydosa.com
Schizandra berries and sumac replace the usual Campari in this boozeless NA-groni.(Courtesy of Gibson)
Mean Girls
Inspired by Tina Fey's iconic 2004 film, chef Anthony Strong named his pomegranate and blood orange mocktail for its pink color and puckery sweet flavor. Made with lemon, tonic, and Peychaud's bitters, it's light, refreshing and, according to Strong, the "tonic makes it hit like a grownup cocktail, even though it's still totally PG-13." // Prairie, 3431 19th St. (Mission), prairiesf.com
NA-groni
Bitter schizandra berries from northern China and smooth acidic sumac from Rhode Island come together in a housemade Campari-alternative to make up the base for Gibson's NA-groni, a mocktail created by bar program manager Adam Chapman. Bonus points: It's super low in sugar. // Gibson, 111 Mason St. (Tenderloin), gibsonsf.com
Peach Dreamsicle
Sunday brunch doesn't have to be a drag while you're on the wagon thanks to SPQR's Peach Dreamsicle. Inspired by the classic bellini, the drink combines peach puree (from Matt Accarrino's freezer) with sparkling water. But the real treat comes in the form of a creamy top by way of chickpea aquafaba spun frothy from a CO2 charger. // SPQR, 1911 Fillmore St. (Lower Pac Heights), spqrsf.com
Pineapple Basil
When Ryan Fitzgerald open the Mission's ABV, he wanted to the bar to have something for everyone. That's why the cocktail-focused lounge has always had a zero-percent ABV section, including the Thai-inspired Pineapple Basil. Lemon juice and pineapple gum syrup are shaken with basil leaves, finished with soda, and strained over ice into a collins glass. Tastes like the beach. // ABV, 3174 16th St. (Mission), abvsf.com
