Nonalcoholic cocktails have been getting more buzz (pun intended) throughout the last couple of years. Whether you’re looking to cut back on your regular alcohol intake, want to start a new habit, or just aren’t in the mood to drink, a mocktail can be a delicious alternative during a dinner out or night on the town. In recent years, craft cocktails bars across the state have caught onto the spirit-free movement and now offer several options—and sometimes entire menus—of nonalcoholic cocktails. So if you want to imbibe guilt-free and without the threat of feeling less than stellar the next day, here are six places to get a great mocktail in Alabama.
Queen’s Park (Birmingham)
This craft cocktail bar in downtown Birmingham is known for its creative tipples and effortlessly cool space. In addition to an expansive lineup of always-changing cocktails, it’s got an entire page in the menu dedicated to spirit-free flavors. Past options have included tempters like the Garden of Seeden with Seedlip Garden (a nonalcoholic spirit) plus raspberry, lemon, and egg white, and the Caribe Hilton, a refreshing combo of coconut, pineapple, and lime that’s described as Old San Juan in a glass.
Tasty Town (Birmingham)
One of downtown Birmingham’s newest hotspots, Tasty Town serves authentic Greek cuisine using traditional recipes and Southern seasonal produce and ingredients. Whether you’re coming in for dinner or just a stopping by for a few appetizer spreads and drinks, a mocktail can be the perfect complement. The bar can whip up one of three options, a non-alcoholic gin and tonic with rosemary, grapefruit, and pink peppercorn; an Argonaut with Spiritless 74, honey, tahini, and lemon; or a Grapefruit and Elderflower cocktail with grapefruit cordial, lemon, and elderflower tonic.
Juniper (Birmingham)
Every drink at this whimsical gin bar in Birmingham’s Forest Park neighborhood is more beautiful than the last. But you don’t have to love gin or even be drinking to enjoy the artistry and creativity of Juniper’s talented bartenders. Grab a seat on the heated patio and order The Bird of Paradise, a brilliantly blue concoction that tastes even better than it looks. It’s made with coconut, pineapple, butterfly pea flower, and lemon soda.
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Paper Doll (Birmingham)
The drink menu at Paper Doll goes on for pages and pages, each one dedicated to a different type of spirit: gin, vodka, tequila, whiskey, brandy, rum. But there’s also an entire page all for non-alcoholic drinks. Try the Close Collins with Free Spirits gin alternative, fresh lemon and lime juice, simple syrup, and soda, or the HavaN/A with rum alternative, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, mint, and soda.
Phat Sammy’s (Huntsville)
This festive Tiki-themed bar offers a welcome escape from everyday life. The tropical oasis is all about fun, fruity, and well-balanced drinks, which extends to its cocktails and mocktails. The Potions of Temperance menu features four different NA options: Piper & Leaf Tea, Thai Tea, a Virgin Pina Colada, and a Seasonal Shrubbery made with spiced pineapple shrub, fresh pineapple juice, and ginger beer.
The Lumbar (Birmingham)
Pepper Place’s resident science-themed bar draws a crowd year-round thanks to its creative cocktails, fun community events, tasty menu, and Adjustment Hour, where select drinks and apps are only $5. The “Low & No” section of their menu features popular standbys like the Pathfinder Spritz with Pathfinder nonalcoholic aperitif, lemon, and soda and the Mellow Margarita. But the bar also specifies several seasonal cocktails that can be made low abv (less than 2%) or entirely spirit-free. Try the T-Rex with cucumber, huckleberry tea, lavender, white cranberry tea, and orange blossom.
