A solid spot for a sober person in 12 Chicago neighborhoods
Mocktails and non-alcoholic options are taking up more menu space at everything from Michelin starred spots to neighborhood favorites.
A solid spot for a sober person in 12 Chicago neighborhoods
Mocktails and non-alcoholic options are taking up more menu space at everything from Michelin starred spots to neighborhood favorites.
By Courtney KueppersFrom the jump, Renauda Riddle wasn’t going to open a cocktail bar without a mean mocktail. For the co-owner of Nobody’s Darling in Andersonville, having a wide array of options is another way the LGBTQ bar lives up to its goal of being welcoming to all.
But lately, non-alcoholic drinks are also good business. Across Chicago, bottle shops, minus the booze, have popped up in Humboldt Park, West Town and Ukrainian Village; and increasingly, mocktails are a mainstay on menus at bars and restaurants, whether they’re Michelin Star winners or neighborhood dives.
At Nobody’s Darling, Riddle said a current fan favorite is the Darling Spritz, made with “alternative” Aperol from the brand DHŌS. Mixed with club soda, Riddle said it’s a dead ringer for the real thing.
“We play with our non-alcoholic beverages probably as much as we play with our alcoholic beverages,” Riddle said, adding that whether or not a customer drinks — her establishment has a reputation to live up to. In 2022, the bar was a James Beard Award finalist in the “outstanding bar program” category. “We want to meet the needs of everyone.”
From Andersonville to Hyde Park, here are spots in 12 Chicago neighborhoods to get a good mocktail. Did we miss something? Email web@wbez.org with the subject line “mocktails,” if you want to tell us about your favorite destination and drink in Chicago. Your suggestions might be used in future reporting or on social media.
Albany Park
4716 N. Kedzie Ave.
The seasonal alcohol-free cocktail menu has flavors from beet to blueberry. Drink to order: Christmas in July, featuring preserved peach, pineapple juice, cinnamon habanero shrub and lime, $9
Andersonville
1744 W. Balmoral Ave.
The owners of Nobody’s Darling have made mocktails a priority since they opened their doors in Andersonville in 2021. Drink to order: Darling Spritz or Recess CBD, which is billed as fruity, herbal and bubbly. $10 each.
Avondale
2734 W. Roscoe St.
Eden’s mocktail options lean away from sweet and toward spicy, relying on ingredients like tamarind and fermented tajin to do the trick. Drink to order: Spicy Tamarind Sour, $10, or Spice Brazilian Lemonade, $12.
Hyde Park
1462 E. 53rd St.
The James Beard Award-winning spot in Hyde Park leans into Southern hospitality, so it’s only fitting they have a little something for everyone on the drinks menu. Drink to order: Coconut Woman, made with coconut cream, pineapple and lime, $10.
Lincoln Park
2429 N. Lincoln Ave.
The Michelin Star Middle Eastern restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chef Zachary Engel has a variety of Gazoz, which the menu describes as fizzy, fruity, herby sodas. Drink to order: Pomegranate Gazoz, with hibiscus, cardamom and rose, $10
Logan Square
3143 W. Logan Blvd.
The Logan Square cocktail lounge takes mocktails very seriously — applying the same precision and innovation that they show the rest of the menu. Drink to order: Lupine Lady, which general manager Corban Kell calls “one of the best sparkling NA cocktails I’ve ever had,” $12.
2375 N. Milwaukee Ave.
An additional Logan Square option, since this newly minted Michelin Green Star winner has carefully crafted non-alcoholic options like homemade sodas and kombucha at a good price. Drink to order: Herb soda, $7, or Mushroom Sour, $6.
McKinley Park
3630 S. Iron St. and 1950 N. Western Ave., Logan Square
At both its McKinley Park taproom and Life on Marz Community Club in Logan Square, the brewery has developed a robust NA menu, including a new winter menu. Drink to order: “Rum”-Chata Hot Cocoa, available at the community club, this new winter item is made with oat milk horchata, zero proof rum, dark chocolate sauce and cinnamon.
Pilsen
960 W. 18th St.
Simone’s offers seasonal and year-round mocktail offerings that incorporate Seedlip’s non-alcoholic spirits. Drink to order: All Ponche, No Punch, a christmas punch made with fruit, hibiscus, spices and Seedlip Grove, $9.
River North
676-8 N Orleans St.
In the basement of Green Door Tavern, The Drifter calls itself “Chicago’s last real speakeasy.” But you don’t have to imbibe to enjoy the vibes of this 1920s-era spot. Drink to order: Honey Badger Highball, made with Ritual Tequila, Seedlip Spice, mango, honey, ginger beer and lemon, $13.
South Loop
1520 S. Wabash Ave.
The South Loop martini bar leans on alcohol-free sparkling brut for much of its mocktail menu. Drink to order: Strawberry Lemonade Fizz Martini, made with lemonade, strawberry puree and alcohol-free sparkling brut, $10.
West Loop
630 W. Lake St.
Owner and mixologist Julia Momosé wrote a “spiritfree manifesto” in 2017, and the longlist of options on the menu reflects it. From tart to “subtly piquant,” there’s something for every nondrinker. Drink to order: Time to Shine, made with jasmine green tea, coriander and cardamom, plus sparkling grapefruit and lemon, $16.
Wicker Park
1566 N. Milwaukee Ave.
At The Revel Room, you’re in good hands with partner Anthony Mitchell, who stocks a wide variety of options. But Mitchell’s main advice is to lean into the vibe of a place when you’re not drinking, so you may opt for an NA Old Milwaukee, one of his favorites. Drink to order: Kentucky 74 Spiritless Bourbon Old Fashioned, $11, or Old Milwaukee NA, $5.
Courtney Kueppers is a digital producer/reporter at WBEZ.