New year, new you? Maybe you’re curious about changing up your drinking routine or just looking for a fresh start to 2023. Regardless, joining the Dry January or Damp January trend doesn’t mean you have to spend the month avoiding bars. Many DC restaurants and drinking spots are offering special nonalcoholic menu options for the month, or adding more choices to their already strong rosters. Just look at H Street—where an entirely zero-proof bar is about to open. Until then, here are 17 places where you can imbibe good non-alcoholic creations this January.
Bresca
14th Street Corridor
It’s hard to stop into Bresca, or upstairs tasting room JÔNT, without ordering one of their gorgeous cocktails. But there are some lovely substitutes, including the Citronnade à la Menthe (a cardamom-and-lemon cordial that’s a take on traditional mint lemonade from southern France); the Pare Collins (zero-proof gin, pear, lemon, and ginger beer); and a riff on an old fashioned (with American malt, orgeat syrup, and aromatic bitters).
Brookland’s Finest
Brookland
This neighborhood hangout will offer booze-free drink pairings as a part of its weekly dinner series in January. Each Thursday, you can sip them alongside chef Shannan Troncoso’s three-course menu.
Doyle
Dupont Circle
This stylish bar in the Dupont Circle Hotel features cocktails like the Enough Said, made with citrus blossom, pomegranate, lime, and ginger beer, or the Fleur de Paradis, with spiced Seedlip (the non-alcoholic spirit), heliotrope, and tonic.
Estuary
Penn Quarter
Estuary, atop the sleek Conrad Hotel, is launching a shortlist of options this month. Among the offerings are an almond-scented sour; a take on the French 75 made with Seedlip, maple syrup, and non-alcoholic sparkling wine; and a passionfruit fizz.
Fight Club
Capitol Hill
The sandwich shop near Eastern Market just launched a Dry January menu that includes gingery pear lemonade, a take on a bellini, and an herbaceous mix of Seedlip Citrus Grove, celery water, mint, dill, and pepper.
Imperfecto
West End
Enea Diotaiuti, the bar manager at this mod-Latin American restaurant, is switching things up this January by offering a zero-proof margarita. Expect a spicy medley with cayenne peppers and a passion puree.
Irregardless
H Street Corridor
The wine-focused tasting menu restaurant currently offers a non-alcoholic Riesling (Leitz Eins Zwei Zero) by the glass. Bar manager Christine Cabatuan also concocts mocktails based on the a diner’s preferences. Or, there’s housemade limonata.
Lutèce
Georgetown
This snug French hotspot features a foamy and delicious New York Sour (beetroot, houjicha, tamari, bay leaf), a mock-whiskey-based drink called Spirited Away, and the Petite Gourgée, flavored with lime, honey, and nutmeg. In the mood for wine? Go for the NA sparkling rosé from Germany.
Michele’s
Downtown DC
This French-American eatery in the Eaton hotel is introducing a few zero-proof options this month. There’s the Muleing Around, with beet, ginger, honey, pink salt, and sparkling water, and the Storm’s Brewing, which includes lime, pink salt, fassionola syrup (a retro tiki accent), and a chili salt rim. Both are made with Ceder’s Wild, an alcohol-free spirit created from botanicals traditionally used to make gin.
Moon Rabbit
The Wharf
Kevin Tien’s modern Vietnamese restaurant has a new Taylor Swift-inspired mocktail called the Vigilante Shh, with horchata, faux bourbon, Bengal spiced tea, and a Rice Krispy treat garnish. It joins a lineup that includes Vietnamese iced coffee with sea-salt cream, a spritz made with Seedlip, and zero-proof gin and tequila drinks. There’s also NA Chardonnay, Grenache, and rose.
Namako
14th Street Corridor
Michael Schlow’s new sushi spot, in the space that once housed Tico, stirs up matcha coladas, spiced grapefruit spritzes, and a blend of pineapple, cucumber, yuzu, Thai basil, and tonic.
Pineapple & Pearls
Capitol Hill
Looking to celebrate? Aaron Silverman’s luxe tasting room offers an entirely booze-free pairing with its multi-course set menu, along with riffs on a Ramos gin fizz and Italian spritz.
Planta
Bethesda
This airy, plant-based restaurant, which has branches in Miami and Toronto, offers a roster of Seedlip drinks. There’s the Saturday Morning Cartoons, a mix that includes strawberry, pineapple, coconut milk, and vanilla; the Matcha Mojito, with lime, matcha, and mint; and the Cucumber Mule, with lime, ginger beer, and rosemary.
Serenata
Union Market
The cool cocktail bar at La Cosecha food hall serves up housemade agua frescas, serrano-spiked grapefruit soda, and a Seedlip cocktail made with grapefruit bitters and Martini & Rossi Floreale, a zero-proof Italian apertivo.
Umbrella Dry Drinks
Old Town
This pop-up tasting room and shop in Alexandria has a selection of take-home bottles of non-alcoholic beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails, along with a menu of elegant creations for sipping there.
The Wells
Capitol Hill
If you’re in the mood for something specific, this gin-focused hideaway across from Eastern Market tailors mocktails to a guest’s preferences.
Yasmine
Union Market
Come to this new Beirut street food-inspired counter in Union Market for the Jallab, a grape-and-date concoction with golden raisins and almonds; the limonata with mint and lime; or the apricot soda.
