20 NYC Bars & Shops That Aren't Faking It: The Best Mocktails & Zero-Proof Cocktails • Over Here New York

Listen, for a long time in this city, “not drinking” meant you got a watery soda with a sad lime wedge while everyone else sipped on $22 concoctions. You paid restaurant prices for tap water with a splash of cranberry. It was, frankly, an insult.

But times have changed. The city finally caught on.

It’s not just about “Dry January” anymore. People want complex, interesting, adult drinks, just without the booze. And thankfully, a few places are finally taking that seriously. As someone who’s seen trends come and go (and paid way too much for all of them), I can tell you which spots are legit and which are just pouring you expensive juice.

Here’s where to go for the best non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails in NYC.

Disclaimer: A quick note from a local: This city changes fast. I’ve verified all this info as of November 2025, but prices, hours, and even addresses can change. Always click the link to check before you haul yourself across town.

The Main Event: Dedicated Non-Alcoholic Bars

These aren’t just bars that have mocktails. These places are built from the ground up for the zero-proof experience.

Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge

If you want a true mocktail bar in Manhattan, Hekate is it. It’s part witchy apothecary, part cozy neighborhood hangout, and 100% alcohol-free. They don’t just “replace” spirits; they build entirely new drinks from elixirs, teas, and botanicals. It’s a dim, wonderful-smelling place that feels like a real bar, not a juice shop.

Price: $$
Address: 167 Avenue B, New York
Website: https://www.hekatenyc.com | hekatenyc@gmail.com
Helpful Tip: It doubles as a bottle shop, so if you like what you’re drinking, you can buy a bottle of the N/A spirit and take it home.

Mockingbird

This spot is a true gem and a serious contender for the best mocktail bar NYC has to offer, period. Mockingbird is a dedicated zero-proof bar that also serves as a bottle shop. It’s a proper neighborhood joint in Park Slope that proves a mocktail bar in Brooklyn can have all the craft and vibe of its boozy counterparts. The menu is creative, the space is inviting, and you never feel like you’re missing out on anything.

Price: $$
Address: 213 7th Ave, Brooklyn
Website: https://mockingbird.nyc | (347) 687-0087 | hello@mockingbird.nyc
Helpful Tip: They also serve coffee in the mornings, making it a great all-day hangout spot.

No More Cafe

This is one of the newer spots (it opened in 2024), and its whole attitude is “a good bar for any reason.” It’s not a “wellness bar” or a “sober space,” though it is that, too. It’s just a sophisticated, adult bar that happens to be completely non-alcoholic. They’re serious about their craft, making everything in-house and building drinks that are layered and complex.

Price: $$
Address: 352 E 13th St, New York
Website: https://nomorecocktails.shop | +1 929-332-8114 | nomorecafeny@gmail.com
Helpful Tip: This is the perfect spot for a first date or a client meeting where you want a “bar” setting without the pressure to drink.

Bars With a Vibe: The Best Mocktails in Manhattan

Sometimes you want the buzz of a classic New York cocktail bar. You want the velvet ropes, the dim lighting, the bartenders in vests. You just don’t want the hangover. These are the best bars for mocktails where the zero-proof menu isn’t an afterthought.

Dante

Dante has been named one of the “World’s Best Bars” more times than I can count. It’s an institution. And they apply that same obsessive quality to their non-alcoholic drinks. They have an entire “Temperance” section on the menu. The star, of course, is the “NOgroni,” which has all the bitter, complex bites of the real thing. If you want the absolute best of mocktails in Manhattan, you go to Dante.

Price: $$$
Address: 79-81 Macdougal St, New York
Website: https://www.dante-nyc.com | +1 212-982-5275 | dante@dante-nyc.com
Helpful Tip: Reservations are basically essential, even for a “quick drink.” Book way in advance.

The Nines

If you want to feel like a character in a movie, this is your spot. The Nines is a super-luxe, red-velvet piano lounge in NoHo. It’s pure opulence, and they have a short, but perfect, list of zero-proof cocktails that are just as sophisticated as their boozy counterparts. Get dressed up for this one.

Price: $$$$
Address: 9 Great Jones St, New York
Website: https://www.ninesnyc.com
Helpful Tip: There’s a dress code. Don’t show up in sneakers. The live piano and red-velvet everything make it worth the effort.

The Dead Rabbit

Another “World’s Best Bar” winner, this multi-floor temple of Irish-American cocktail history takes its “Temperance” menu seriously. They have a whole section of “Spirit-Free” drinks that are complex and satisfying. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it’s a classic NYC experience, just sober.

Price: $$$
Address: 30 Water St, New York
Website: https://www.thedeadrabbit.com
Helpful Tip: It’s packed by 5:01 PM. Go at an off-hour, like 3 PM on a Tuesday, if you actually want a seat.

Albert’s Bar

Let’s be real: finding anything good in Midtown is a challenge. Finding a great bar is even harder. But Albert’s delivers. A friend dragged me here, and I was shocked. There’s nothing “mid” about this Midtown spot. They have a fantastic, dedicated zero-proof menu that’s genuinely creative. It’s easily one of the best mocktails NYC Midtown has.

Price: $$$
Address: 140 E 41st St, New York
Website: https://www.albertsbar.com | 212-597-9345
Helpful Tip: It’s the perfect spot after work if you have to be functional the next day. It’s civilized.

Nubeluz

If you’re looking for a swanky spot to feel like you’re floating on a cloud — literally — Nubeluz (on the 50th floor of The Ritz-Carlton NoMad) is your vibe.

Price: $$$
Address: 25 W 28th St, New York
Website: https://www.nubeluzbyjose.com | +1 212-804-9070
Helpful Tip: Dress smart — the rooftop has a “cocktail-appropriate” dress code.

Katana Kitten

This Japanese-American “dive bar” is anything but. It’s another award-winning cocktail den, and their N/A options are fantastic. Look for anything with yuzu, melon, or tea. The vibe is high-energy, and the drinks are precise.

Price: $$$
Address: 531 Hudson St, New York
Website: https://www.katanakitten.com | +1 347-866-7739 | info@katanakitten.com
Helpful Tip: It gets insanely crowded. Go early or be prepared to stand. The N/A “Panda Fizz” is a must-try.

Dear Irving

This is my go-to “impress a date” spot. It’s a time-travel-themed bar with different rooms (like a ’60s Mad Men room and a ’20s flapper room). They have a solid list of “Teetotaler” cocktails that are just as beautiful as the alcoholic ones.

Price: $$$
Address: 55 Irving Pl, New York
Website: https://www.dearirving.com | +1 212-533-4466 | info@dearirving.com
Helpful Tip: Make a reservation and request a specific room. The beaded curtains in the front room are the best for people-watching.

Superbueno

This spot is just… fun. It’s a vibrant, modern Mexican-American joint in the East Village. The N/A menu is small but mighty, featuring a non-alcoholic “Mole Negroni” and a “La Shamami” with N/A agave spirit, pomegranate, and tonic.

Price: $$
Address: 13 1st Ave, New York
Website: https://www.superbuenonyc.com | info@superbuenonyc.com
Helpful Tip: It’s a party vibe. Go late and get the N/A Michelada.

The Owl’s Tail

The UWS has plenty of great restaurants, but the craft cocktail scene can be hit-or-miss. The Owl’s Tail is a definite hit. It’s a true neighborhood cocktail parlor, and they show real respect for their non-alcoholic options. This isn’t just pineapple and soda. They have a section of “Temperance Cocktails” that are balanced and thoughtful. It’s my top pick for the best mocktails on the Upper West Side.

Price: $$
Address: 215 W 75th St, New York
Website: https://www.owlstail.com | +1 646-609-3906 | info@owlstail.com
Helpful Tip: It’s small, so it gets cozy. It’s the perfect pre-Beacon Theatre stop.

Amor y Amargo

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This tiny East Village bar is famous for one thing: bitters. It’s a “no-citrus, no-shaker” bar, which means all the drinks are stirred and spirit-forward. This makes their N/A program fascinating. Ask the bartender for a non-alcoholic amaro or a “N/A Americano,” and they’ll build you something bitter, complex, and deeply satisfying.

Price: $$
Address: 443 E 6th St, New York
Website: https://www.amoryamargo.com | +1 833-328-4588 | info@amoryamargo.com
Helpful Tip: It’s tiny. Like, 12 seats tiny. Go alone or with one other person.

Bars With a Vibe: The Best Mocktails in Brooklyn

Clover Club

This place is a pillar of the craft cocktail world. They’ve been doing it right for years. Naturally, their excellence extends to their mocktails. They have a whole list of “Temperance” drinks that are just as inventive as the boozy ones, using ingredients like house-made syrups, fresh herbs, and citrus. It’s a great place to go with a mixed group.

Price: $$$
Address: 210 Smith St, Brooklyn
Website: https://www.cloverclubny.com | +1 718-855-7939
Helpful Tip: It’s run by the same people as Leyenda. Go on a weekday for a more relaxed vibe; weekends are a scene.

Leyenda

The sister bar to Clover Club, Leyenda focuses on Latin spirits. The vibe is amazing, and their N/A list is just as creative. They have a fantastic “Virgin Pina Colada” and other tropical-inspired mocktails that are miles beyond a basic fruit-punch situation.

Price: $$
Address: 221 Smith St, Brooklyn
Website: https://www.leyendabk.com | (347) 987-3260 | info@leyendabk.com
Helpful Tip: The back patio in the summer is one of the best hangs in Brooklyn.

Sunken Harbor Club

This is a full-on, immersive tiki bar located above the restaurant Gage & Tollner. It’s dark, it’s transportive, and it’s one of the best bars in the city, period. They have a dedicated N/A menu with tropical-style drinks that are just as complex and fun as the rum-filled ones.

Price: $$$
Address: 372 Fulton St, 2nd FL, Brooklyn
Website: https://www.sunkenharbor.club | (347) 689-3677
Helpful Tip: It’s walk-in only. Show up 30 minutes before they open and get in line. Yes, seriously.

Public Records

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This place is almost too cool. It’s a hi-fi sound bar, vegan restaurant, and music venue all in one. The bar program is hyper-focused on N/A options, with a “Zero Proof Conspiracies” menu that features house-made sodas and complex elixirs.

Price: $$
Address: 233 Butler St, Brooklyn
Website: https://www.instagram.com/publicrecordsnyc
Helpful Tip: This is a “vibe” spot. Go to listen to music on their incredible sound system and sip something interesting.

For the Home Bar: NYC’s Best Non-Alcoholic Bottle Shops

Want to mix up your own creations? The “non-alcoholic” aisle at the grocery store is sad. Go to a specialist.

Spirited Away

This is the one. Spirited Away was America’s first booze-free bottle shop, located right on Mott Street. The owner is incredibly knowledgeable and has curated an amazing selection of everything—spirits, wines, aperitifs, and beers from all over the world. If you’re “sober curious” or just want a better option at home, this is where you start.

Price: N/A (Retail)
Address: 177 Mott St, New York
Website: https://www.spiritedaway.co | (929) 277-2520
Helpful Tip: Tell them what you used to drink (e.g., “I like a smoky mezcal” or “I miss Aperol”), and they will find you the perfect N/A substitute.

Boisson

Boisson has exploded, and for good reason. They are a chic, well-curated N/A bottle shop with multiple locations across the city. Their selection is massive, and they often have in-store tastings. It’s like walking into a high-end wine shop, but for zero-proof.

Price: N/A (Retail)
Address: Multiple locations (Upper East Side, Greenwich Village, Cobble Hill, etc.)
Website: https://boisson.co | +1 877-655-9177 | hello@boisson.nyc
Helpful Tip: This is the best place to find non-alcoholic wines that actually taste good.

Minus Moonshine

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A fantastic, Brooklyn-based N/A shop that really focuses on small-batch and local producers. They have two locations and a great, community-focused feel. They carry all the big brands but also have unique gems you won’t find elsewhere.

Price: N/A (Retail)
Address: 433 Sterling Pl (Prospect Heights) & 257 Driggs Ave (Greenpoint), Brooklyn
Website: https://minusmoonshine.com | +1 914-485-7502 | info@minusmoonshine.com
Helpful Tip: Great for N/A beers and functional drinks. Check their Instagram for events and new arrivals.

After you’ve had a chance to check out these bars, you might be in the mood for a walk. This city is one giant museum if you know where to look. For a great guide on what to see after your drink, check out our post on 15+ Best Outdoor Art In New York (A Local’s Guide).

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20 NYC Bars & Shops That Aren’t Faking It: The Best Mocktails & Zero-Proof Cocktails