14 Nonalcoholic Drinks That Are Great for Parties, Fancy Dinners, or Literally Anytime in 2024

14 Nonalcoholic Drinks That Are Great for Parties, Fancy Dinners, or Literally Anytime in 2024

Whether you’re sober, doing Dry January, or just hate hangovers, we got you.

Courtesy of brands/Wesley Hall

There are all kinds of reasons why someone might want to reach for nonalcoholic drinks: They could be in recovery, taking a medication that’s not safe to pair with alcohol, pregnant, or simply tired of being hungover. Luckily there are way more exciting and delicious NA beverages than just plain seltzer water these days, so anyone looking to cut down on or avoid booze entirely can still enjoy a fun drink when the mood strikes. In fact, there are now so many alcohol-free options that it can be tough to figure out what’s worth adding to your bar cart. That’s why we asked bartenders and beverage experts to share their picks for the best nonalcoholic drinks, spirits, bitters, mixers, wines, and beers. The options below are Dry January–approved and guaranteed to feel special sans hangover.

All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • 1

    Kin Euphorics Kin Spritz (Eight-Pack)

    Kin Euphorics is known for its pretty packaging and intriguing flavors, like Bloom (juicy strawberry, white grape, and rosemary), Lightwave (sparkling lavender-vanilla), and Actual Sunshine (pineapple, cardamom, turmeric, and saffron). Lorelei Bandrovschi, founder of booze-free Listen Bar in New York City, particularly loves serving the “refreshing” citrus- and ginger-forward spritz as an alcohol-free option at parties. “I’ve found myself drinking pretty shocking amounts of these cans,” she tells SELF. One thing to note: Some of these bevs are lightly caffeinated, so you may want to avoid having them late at night.

  • 2

    Poppi Sparkling Prebiotic Soda (12-Pack)

    You’ve probably seen bright-colored Poppi cans lining the shelves at your grocery store, but there’s more to love than just the aesthetic. The soft drinks come in a variety of tasty flavors like black cherry limeade, raspberry rose, classic cola, and cranberry fizz. You can drink these on their own, but they’re also a great base for mocktails. (You can find recipe inspo on Poppi’s Pinterest.)

  • 3

    Mingle Mocktails Key Lime Margarita (Four-Pack)

    “One of the most popular cocktails at my events is the Mingle Mocktails Spicy Margarita,” Elizabeth Gascoigne, the founder of Absence of Proof, a New York City–based pop-up nonalcoholic bar tells SELF. “I use Mingle Mocktails canned Key Lime Margarita, Ritual Tequila, a little bit of orange juice, agave, jalapeño, and lime juice to create a nonalcoholic version of a spicy marg. It’s delicious, and I swear if you didn’t know, you’d think it had alcohol in it.”

  • 4

    Recess Sparkling Water (12-Pack)

    Recess is another delicious alcohol alternative. The carbonated water comes in fruity, floral flavors like strawberry rose, black cherry, blood orange, and peach ginger. Drink it solo or add a splash of your go-to nonalcoholic gin or vodka.

  • 5

    Seedlip Garden 108

    Every expert we spoke to mentioned this UK-based brand of botanical mixers, which are sold at upscale bars like The NoMad Bar, Eleven Madison Park, and Agern. Most of those bartenders also said that Seedlip, which has the consistency of water, is best paired with more textured mixers: “Sugary things, syrups, or bubbles,” Sam Thonis, co-owner of alcohol-free Getaway Bar in NYC tells SELF, adding that Seedlip is more like an essence. Leo Robitschek, vice president of food and beverage at the Sydell Group, which has The NoMad Bar and The Line hotels in its portfolio, agrees, and suggests adding “a few drops of saline solution (10g salt to 100ml water) to bring out all of the flavors in a more significant way.” His go-to drink combines tomato water—seasoned and blended tomatoes strained through a cheesecloth—as a “savory component” with the Garden 108, simple syrup, and lemon juice.

  • 6

    Ritual Zero Proof Rum Alternative

    “Ritual Zero Proof has an amazing selection of non-alcoholic spirits that you can make pretty much any cocktail with,” says Gascoigne. “This rum alternative tastes just like rum, and I love it for warmer drinks in the winter.” Add it to apple cider or ginger beer for an easy wintertime mocktail. Ritual also makes booze-free tequila, gin, and whiskey.

  • 7

    Dram Apothecary Palo Santo Cocktail Bitters

    Most of our experts agree that bitters give alcohol-free drinks the, well, bitterness that booze usually provides. However, “most bitters are actually made with tons of alcohol,” says Thonis, which is why he recommends Dram’s products, which are all glycerin-based. Thonis pairs the Palo Santo, which “has a lot of character on its own,” with tonic water for a spiced soda. For a lighter drink, he mixes a dash of the Dram citrus bitters with the Seedlip Grove 42, fresh grapefruit juice, and soda.

  • 8

    Fever Tree Premium Ginger Beer (24-Pack)

    All of the experts we spoke to agree that, though nonalcoholic spirits are great for adding interesting flavors to a drink, they often lack heat and body—meaning they’re a little watery. That’s where mixers come in. Jack Casey, the general manager at Antidote bar in Asheville, North Carolina, loves all the Fever Tree sodas, but he’s a particularly big fan of the strong flavor and spice in their ginger beer, which he mixes with Seedlip Grove 42 and fresh lime juice for a citrus-forward Moscow mule.

    “It’s the best ginger beer,” Gabriella Mlynarczyk, the author of Clean + Dirty Drinking and beverage director at Winsome in LA, tells SELF.

  • 9

    Health-Ade Organic Pink Lady Apple Kombucha (12-Pack)

    Several of our bartenders recommend using kombucha as a sparkling base for mocktails, particularly “more effervescent” varieties like Health-Ade, Nicolas O’Connor, head mixologist at Apotheke in LA tells SELF. He loves the sour and savory flavor profile that comes with fermentation, adding that it “gives a real pop when mixed with conventional juices from fruits and veggies.” Robitschek agrees, explaining that the tangy flavor comes from the acetic acid typically used in kombucha (soft drinks usually contain citric acid instead). One thing to note: Most kombuchas you find in the store have trace amounts of alcohol, but by law contain less than 0.5% ABV and are considered a nonalcoholic beverage.

  • 10

    Wölffer Estate Petite Rosé Verjus (12-Pack)

    Thonis stocks his bar with this sparkling rosé, which is made from 100% pinot Meunier grapes grown on the North Fork of New York’s Long Island. The grapes aren’t fermented as they are with traditional rosé, so the resulting flavor is “quite sweet,” he says, more like fancy grape juice than an alternate wine. It’s served straight at Getaway, but he also suggests mixing it with the Lyre’s Aperitif Rosso for a fresh take on the classic Aperol spritz.

  • 11

    Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon Wine (2-Pack)

    It’s not easy to find a dealcoholized red wine alternative that has the bite of a traditional one, but Ariel’s does an excellent job thanks to the added tannins (which are responsible for making wine astringent, bitter, and oaky). It has notes of chocolate, cherry, and black currants and will taste great with your favorite cheese board, red meat dish, or pizza.

  • 12

    Surely Nonalcoholic Sauvignon Blanc

    Gascoigne praises Surely Wines, saying it has “perfected” the crispness necessary in a white wine alternative. “The Sparkling Brut and Sauvignon Blanc are both so fresh and delicious,” she tells SELF. “At Absence of Proof, we mix it with Ritual Gin, a little bit of simple syrup, and lime juice for a nonalcoholic take on a French 75.” Surely’s grapes are sourced from California wine country, fermented, then dealcoholized so you get the taste of a classic vino.

  • 13

    HOP WTR Sparkling Water (12-Pack)

    SELF’s senior commerce writer loves this buzzy beer alternative, which infuses hops in sparkling water. “For the past several years, I’ve avoided beer for the sake of my increasingly sensitive stomach, but I still miss the taste of it—specifically of the grassy, funky IPAs I drank in college,” she says. “Hop Wtr satisfies that craving with none of the gastrointestinal consequences. The original flavor is my favorite, as it tastes the most like, well, hops; pairs well with meals and snacks; and is actually refreshing.”

  • 14

    Partake Brewing Nonalcoholic Pale Ale (12-Pack)

    Partake’s Pale Ale is a great nonalcoholic beer with a crisp taste. It has medium bitterness and includes citrus flavors like grapefruit and orange zest, plus pine. The fruity and botanical notes are light and refreshing, and make it ideal to pair with your favorite Mexican meal, chicken dishes, or curries; it’ll balance the savory flavors and spiciness.

Jessica is a writer on SELF’s commerce team and covers beauty, health, and fitness products. Previously, Jessica was the beauty editor at USA TODAY’s product review website, Reviewed, where she wrote and edited stories about the best makeup and skincare products and practices. Jessica earned a B.S. in journalism from… Read more

Sarah joined the SELF team in November 2019 as the editorial assistant, and is now the team’s commerce writer. When she’s not working, she’s a part-time cycling instructor and full-time Plant Person. She’s also passionate about environmental justice, sustainability, nutrition, the internet, and fiction. Sarah lives in Brooklyn with her… Read more

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

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