10 Washington, D.C. Bars With Superb Zero-Proof Cocktails

There are several non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu at The Golden Age, a swanky new jazz bar in Dupont Circle. Find spirit-free drinks and low-proof cocktails like an ode to a Pimm’s Cup and Americano, plus an array of non-alcoholic beers, ciders, and wines as you listen to classic jazz tunes.

Namak’s non-alcoholic menu takes center stage with a diverse range of flavors, including drinks from the Eastern Mediterranean. Popular spirit-free drinks include the N/Aperol Spritz and the spiced hibiscus punch made with hibiscus, spices, rose, citrus, and clover honey. Other Eastern Mediterranean drinks include The Ayran, a traditional Turkish salted yogurt drink, and The Şalgam, blending fermented black carrot and turnip juice served spicy or mild.

Cleveland Park’s most popular wine bar also makes their own zero-proof wines and cocktails for anyone who might be sober-curious. Blackbird’s non-alcoholic wines include a full-bodied red bursting with juicy juniper berry and black pepper flavors, as well as a stone fruit white with almond syrup and apricot notes. Meanwhile, cocktails keep up – try their popular take on a non-alcoholic gin fizz, made with egg white, lemon and a non-alcoholic gin syrup.

This popular café and restaurant offers unique non-alcoholic cocktails, wine, and beer. Bar manager Brendan O’Connor and bartender Calli Layton work in unison on non-alcoholic drinks that pair seamlessly with the food menu.

Options include the Root Awakening made with watermelon shrub, Aperitivo Bianco, lemon, sumac, and club soda, and the Pendennis Punch with black tea, pomegranate, and bitters. The beverage menu also features low ABV beers, such as Brooklyn Brewery’s Special Effects in either Lager or IPA. Exclusive alcohol-free wines, including J&H Funkelwurtz sparkling wine, are also available.

For some Persian-inspired non-alcoholic cocktails, head to JOON in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Several drinks make use of Persian ingredients like The Doogh, made with a traditional Persian carbonated yogurt beverage spiced with mint. There are also several craft soda options including sour cherry and rosemary, apricot and basil, plus a mango and ginger spritz.

Looking for an entire beverage menu of zero-proof cocktails? Then, hit up Georgetown’s buzziest bar and restaurant offering waterfront views of the Potomac River. Here, River Club’s beverage book is filled with zero-proof cocktails, each influenced by coastal regions of the Mediterranean from Lebanon to Spain and Italy. Highlights include a zero-proof raspberry cobbler with Seedlip Grove 42 and a zero-proof lemon basil with lemon juice and an edible flower.

You’re invited to the Chef’s Table at Lutèce, which now pairs its food menu with non-alcoholic wines and cocktails. Their $55 “Sans Alcohol” pairing features non-alcoholic wines and other favorites like NON #1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile, Oddbird Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay, and Jörg Geiger Mirabellengold sparkling wine.

Bar Manager Megan Coyle has a wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails you can try at the bar or as part of the full tasting experience. The top hit? It’s the admirably named Defanged Chupacabra, which calls for agave syrup, grapefruit, and picante spices.

Read more on how to snag a table at Lutèce here.

Cucina Morini is a destination unto itself at happy hour. Playful concoctions are dreamed up by renowned mixologist Ryan Cooper. His non-alcoholic Mermaid Spritz is a light and effervescent tipple with coastal-inspired botanicals topped with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Elsewhere, don’t skip tasting The Overruled, a floral masterpiece with striking layers of lavender and citrus, topped with a velvety foam spiced with Earl Grey tea.

All Purpose debuted a new dry cocktail menu at both its Shaw and Capitol Riverfront locations this month. This pizza spot with a lively drag brunch on weekends is the perfect place to celebrate with family and sip non-alcoholic drinks like The Golden Boot, a mix of pineapple juice, basil, lemon juice, and soda, or the Italian-themed Positano Punch with pomegranate and apple blended with rosemary simple syrup and grapefruit bitters.

Fiery Indian dishes might be the main draw to Daru, but this top-rated Indian restaurant also has a robust bar program with several zero-proof cocktails worthy of repeat visits. That includes Indian-inspired drinks like a pearl and cinnamon lassi or the fizzy tamarind soda, which blends tamarind tea and lime soda. By far the most popular non-alcoholic drink on the menu is the sweet and slightly salty Mango Daisy.