The Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktails on Philly Menus Right Now
These aren’t “mocktails.” They’re classy, well-thought-out, crafted cocktails that just so happen to be alcohol-free.
N/A drinks from Wilder / Photograph by Neal Santos
The non-alcoholic beverage industry has come a long way.
There are now entire bottle shops and bars dedicated to serving booze-less booze and specialty drinks, and gone are the days of mixing club soda with juice just to give it a little fizz. Bartenders are stocking their shelves with zero-proof brands and concocting N/A cocktails with such a high level of precision, it’s like they’re auditioning for the buzz-free equivalent of Netflix’s Drink Masters. They’re tinkering with recipes that build complex flavor profiles and add texture, infusing excitement into every glass.
To simply call them “mocktails” would be an insult. Drinks as eloquent as these aren’t mocking anything — they’re so clever, so tasty, and just so darn gorgeous to look at that they’re carving out their own sections on restaurant menus.
Regardless of your reasons for ordering an alcohol-free drink, you deserve something that’s still fun and interesting. Here are the best zero-proof cocktails in Philadelphia right now.
Drifting through the blinds at Southwark / Photograph courtesy of Southwark
Drifting through the Blinds at Southwark, Queen Village
For the sober and sober curious, Southwark’s Drifting Through the Blinds is a great choice if you’re looking for a smooth, subtly sweet textural masterpiece. Egg whites always add a lovely silky and frothy texture to cocktails, and in this case, it lends itself nicely to the citrus, honey, ginger, and herbs mingling in the glass. Think creamsicle, but all grown up. 701 South 4th Street.
Cel-Ray of Light at Post Haste, Kensington
Post Haste is known for having some of the most inventive cocktails in the city, and their N/A selections are just as creative. Right now, the most exciting zero-proof drink on the menu is the Cel-Ray of Light made with celery syrup, horseradish-infused Ritual N/A gin, yuzu, and soda water. Act fast, though, because this spicy number is only available for Dry January. 2519 Frankford Avenue.
The Squirt Gun at Andra Hem / Photograph by Neal Santos
Squirt Gun at Andra Hem, Rittenhouse
Step aside, espresso martini — the espresso soda is going to be the caffeinated beverage of choice in 2026. Andra Hem’s Squirt Gun is their take on the European favorite and it’s exactly what it sounds like: espresso with bitter soda. Now, if you think the soda will water down the espresso, think again. The bubbles have this magical effect that somehow releases all the chocolatey, velvety, toasty notes locked inside those coffee beans. 218 South 16th Street.
Anything off the N/A list at Wilder, Rittenhouse
Owners Nicole Barrick and Brett Naylor are both sober, so they have made a considerable effort in crafting an N/A drinks list. The flavors on this menu run the gamut from their smokey lapsang souchong tea-forward Doctor’s Orders (which is reminiscent of a peated whisky) to their fruity and effervescent orange and lime Top Shelf Bubbles. Honestly, there’s no bad order here, and, best of all, they’re all just $10. 2009 Sansom Street.
75-Year-Old Virgin at Forsythia / Photograph by Max Mester
75-Year-Old Virgin at Forsythia, Old City
A play on the French 75, Forsythia’s 75-Year-Old Virgin achieves the same citrusy, spicy, botanical essence of gin with juniper, cara cara, and lemon. It’s a light, refreshing, and refined cocktail that’s delightful to sip with deviled eggs at happy hour or at dinner over the 10-day dry-aged whole duck. 233 Chestnut Street.
THC-Infused Cocktails at Mercantile 1888, Collingswood
This N/A bar has an extensive selection of zero-proof drinks that you can enjoy at the counter or take home. Whatever you need — alcohol-free wine, beer, spirits, liqueurs, mixers — you’re going to find it here … plus a little extra. For the California sober, Mercantile 1888 offers THC infusions that can be added to any of their cocktails. You won’t get the groggy hangover that alcohol leaves in its wake, but you will get a different kind of buzz. So just be sure to take the PATCO home. 765 Haddon Avenue.
Barrel-Aged “Old Fashioned” at Char & Stave, Ardmore and Chestnut Hill
Between the espresso martini and the espresso tonic, coffee cocktails have been enjoying an extended period of time in the limelight. So if you’re going to get a coffee-based cocktail, get one directly from a coffee roaster. The barrel-aged “Old Fashioned” employs an interesting technique that you don’t come by often in the coffee world. They use a barrel-aged espresso as the base, which gives it a bourbon-like, oaky smoothness, but, of course, it’s alcohol-free. 21 Rittenhouse Place; 8441 Germantown Avenue.
Bar Palmina’s Brown Dog N/A cocktail. / Photograph courtesy of Bar Palmina
Anything at Bar Palmina, Fishtown
Fishtown’s only zero-proof bar is a veritable playground of non-alcoholic options. There’s something for everyone – beer, wine, and a whole section of classic cocktails reimagined without the hard stuff. 1306 North Front Street.
Ginger Soda at Darling Jack’s, Midtown Village
This is not your average ginger soda. If the ginger-lime cordial and bubbles don’t give this N/A cocktail enough zing, the Sichuan peppercorns will. 104 South 13th Street.
The Mleczarz and the Sadownik at Little Walter’s, Kensington
Little Walter’s just dropped a whole menu of zero-proof cocktails dubbed “bezalkoholowe” (which translates to “non-alcoholic” in Polish), so picking just one drink this Dry January is tricky. If you want the dill-forward taste of the pickletini without the Luksusowa vodka, try the Mleczarz, a N/A beverage made of whey, apple shrub, and dill. For something more fruit-forward, go for the Sadownik, featuring tart cherry, orange, and cardamom. 2049 East Hagert Street.
Korean Spice Margarita at Ember & Ash / Photograph by Mike Prince
Korean Spice Margarita at Ember & Ash, East Passyunk
Since opening, Ember & Ash has put a lot of thought into their N/A program, and as a result, their entire zero-proof lineup is banger after banger. But if you’re like me, a sucker for spicy margaritas, go for the Korean spice margarita, a citrusy cocktail made with mandarin purée and lime and spiced with gochujang and ginger. 1520 East Passyunk Avenue.
Bartender’s choice at Friday Saturday Sunday, Rittenhouse Square
FSS bartender Paul MacDonald is among the very best in the city, and he doesn’t leave non-drinkers out. Belly up to the bar and ask him what he’s excited about in the zero-proof world – he always has a whole arsenal of options. 261 South 21st Street.
Additional reporting by Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé
