News & Politics

Best of Washington 2012: Marvelous Mocktails

More bars and restaurants serve interesting alcohol-free cocktails. We asked pregnant women to judge mocktails from nine area bars.

Among the mothers-to-be who sipped and sampled virgin cocktails: Tracy Jan, Natalie Sinicrope, Alexandra Pare, Meg Lewis, Mona Touma Elliot, and Katherine Lippert. Photographed at The Lounge at Bourbon Steak by Vincent Ricardel.

1st Place

West Indian Limeade

$6
Bourbon Steak,
Georgetown

All the women praised this “refreshing” marriage of lime juice, ginger syrup, angostura bitters, and sparking water. “I almost don’t miss the alcohol,” said one.

2nd Place

Ginger Berry Lemonade

$6
EatBar,
Arlington

With its blend of lemon and lime juice, ginger simple syrup, pomegranate juice, blueberries, and pulverized candied ginger, this was deemed a “perfect summer cocktail.”

3rd Place

The Perfect Thyming

$2 each
Park Hyatt Lounge,
West End DC

“It tastes like a vacation,” a judge said of this fizzy, delicate fusion of elderflower nectar, lime and pear juice, apple cider, and fresh thyme.

Best Presentation

Black
Bramble

$2.65 each
Black Jack,
Logan Circle DC

While tasters called this mix of lemon juice, blackberry soda, blackberries, orange blossom, juniper, thyme, and honey “heavy,” they gave it points for creativity and style.

Want to see more mocktail fun? Check out a video of the taste test here.

Photographs of mocktails by by Renée Comet.

Best of Washington 2012