As the year nears the end and the increasingly popular dry January gets nearer, we feel some inspiration is needed to help you stick to your resolution of an alcohol free month. And it doesn’t have to be boring either! We can still meet up with friends over food and drinks, even better when you know where to enjoy delicious mocktails and paired with tasty food. Here are some of the best places to enjoy a dry January in London.
Torstig alcohol-free bar
Torstig, the famed alcohol-free bar from Brighton, is bringing its innovative concept to London’s Hoxton for a limited two-week pop-up event from 5th to 20th January, which has been named the Official Bar of Dry January by Alcohol Change UK.
Aptly named Torstig, meaning “thirsty” in Danish, this establishment has been selected as the Official Bar for Dry January. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Luke and Emmi, Torstig is a love letter to Copenhagen’s low and no-alcohol culture. They’ve poured the same level of attention to detail into crafting their no-alcohol concoctions as you’d find in traditional cocktails. To streamline the ordering process, the cocktails have been carefully developed, ensuring that even seasoned drinkers can recognize the familiar flavour profiles.
93 Kingsland Road, E2 8AE | www.torstigbar.com
Torstig
Apothecary East and Three Spirit
Apothecary East, the Izakaya-inspired bar and restaurant in Shoreditch, has created three alcohol-free serves in collaboration with Three Spirit to get your Dry January off to tantalising start.
Irreverent is made with Three Spirits Social Elixir and lemon juice, topped with Frankin and Sons Mandarin and Ginger Soda and served in a highball glass with a slice of lemon to garnish.
Off-beat uses Three Spirits Livener, lime juice, pineapple, agave syrup and a dash saline solution. Shaken and double strained, this mocktail is served in a couple with a dehydrated lime wheel garnish
Cerebral sees Three Spirits Nightcap mixed with housemade grapefruit and rosemary cordial, dashes of Angostura and grapefruit bitters, stirred and served in a rocks glass with a rosemary sprig.
Apothecary East
Bossa
This year, Bossa’s mixelogists are using Everleaf as the main non-alcoholic spirit of choice – delicious even with just tonic, it’s light and refreshing. If you have a more adventurous palette, be sure to try the ‘Evergreen’: a non-alcoholic gin sour, prepared using Everleaf Marine, shisho leaf, lemon and shisho bitters.
Owning to their Brazilian roots, Bossa also offers a twist on the classic ‘Swiss Lemonade’. The drink is traditionally made with water, lime and condensed milk. Bossa has adapted the recipe by using cold-brewed jasmine tea and whole lime for acidity. A final development they are excited for customers to try is a mocktail centred around the Yerba mate plant – a unique South American herb.
4 Vere Street, W1G 0DG| www.bossa.co.uk
Bossa, London
Scales
A stylish speakeasy bar that sits beneath Drink with Sasha on Duke Street, Scales and their in-house lab are constantly spearheading cocktail craft. It’s no wonder they’ve chosen to collaborate with Everleaf spirits to develop their non-alcoholic cocktail menu, offering delicious alternatives using Everleaf’s innovative alcohol-free formulas.
25 Duke Street, W1U 1DJ | www.scalesbar.com
Cavita
Transport yourself to the sun-soaked flavours of Mexico this January at Cavita on Marylebone’s vibrant Wigmore Street, whose enticing range of non-alcoholic cocktails is sure to whisk you away to warmer climates… From the reimagining of the ultimate Mexican cocktail classic, try the No Es Margarita, a refreshing blend of lemongrass tea, zesty lime, and citrus fruit syrup, or sip on the Nopa Loma, a delightful fusion of cranberry juice, sparkling grapefruit soda, lime, and ripe raspberries, delivering a burst of Mexican zest in every glass. For a taste of tradition, indulge in our homemade Horchata, a creamy elixir crafted from rice milk, sweet sugar, fragrant cinnamon, and juicy strawberries. Pair these delightful drinks with Chef Owner Adriana Cavita’s authentic Mexican dishes in the main restaurant or head downstairs to the Mayahuel bar, for drinks and snacks.
60 Wigmore Street, W1U 2RZ | www.cavitarestaurant.com
London Stock
London Stock’s mocktail offering dazzles the senses as much as its tasting menu. For those seeking a non-alcoholic beverage for a sweet tooth, there is the ‘Cherry Soda’, comprised of cherry syrup, citrus and soda. An experimental option is the ‘Cactus Fig Iced Tea’, blending prickly pear loose leaf with fresh lemon and sugar. Lastly, those with a penchant for a spritz will enjoy the ‘Hibiscus Fresh Fizz’; homemade hibiscus syrup with lung ching brew and lemonade.
6 Sackville Street, W1S 3DD | www.londonstockrestaurant.co.uk
If you’ll struggle with dry January these tips will help you.
