After the holidays, like many, we get burned out on the rich comfort foods and sugary drinks that define the season: Come January, a break feels not just necessary but like a welcome refresh.
For anyone who is abstaining from wine, beer or spirits, for any reason, the reset is all the better amid a new era of nonalcoholic cocktails.
We might gravitate to alcohol as a social lubricant and for its ability to play off the flavors on our plates, telling the stories of multigenerational winemakers, expert distillers or maestros of agave. But as the demand for no- and low-alcohol options grows — the industry surpassed $11 billion in market value in 2022, up from $9 billion in 2018 — brands are determined to deliver an equitable experience with dealcoholized wine and booze-free beer, nonalcoholic spirit replacements and ready-to-drink beverages that tout nootropics, or cognitive enhancers, to help you feel good without risking a hangover.
It’s a new frontier for mixologists and chefs who are taking a chemist’s approach to building out their nonalcoholic beverage programs, replacing the unique mouthfeel of alcohol with ingredients like aloe juice or sparkling hops.
Geared toward New Year resolutions, challenges like Dry January, which involves quitting alcohol for the month, and Veganuary, when participants cut out meat, arose as ways for people to rethink their eating and drinking habits following seasonal indulgence and, in some cases, make significant lifestyle shifts. Whatever your motivation may be for tempering your alcohol intake, you’ll find a handful of local bars and restaurants that are creating their zero-proof beverage menus with intention and care, sourcing alcohol-free wines for dialed-in pairings and crafting mocktails with layered flavor profiles.
Some of the city’s most exciting NA programs involve a 10-course pairing with an omakase-style dinner; a modern Chinese tea house that gets creative after dark; and L.A.’s first alcohol-free lounge, which debuted on New Year’s Eve. Here are seven of the best spots to sample the NA trend right now. — Danielle Dorsey
