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The Doyle in Dupont Circle puts a zero-proof spin on an Old Fashioned.

Where to Sip Superb Zero-Proof Drinks in D.C.

18 prime stand-ins for cocktails

by Tierney Plumb Updated Jan 10, 2020, 3:10pm EST

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The Doyle in Dupont Circle puts a zero-proof spin on an Old Fashioned.

| Doyle/official photo

by Tierney Plumb Updated Jan 10, 2020, 3:10pm EST

Mocktails are having a full-blown moment right now, and with dry January in full swing, there’s never been a better time to hop on the virtuous drinking trend.

There’s proof that no-proof drinks are here to stay all year long. Shaw tea house and mocktail master Calabash Tea & Tonic expanded with a second location in Brookland last summer, and two former Joseph A. Magnus employees recently started their own pop-up cocktail company that makes zero-proof drinks and tonics for parties. Next month, Coconut Club is playing host to a spirits-free event.

The drinks on this list won’t deliver hangovers and frequently sell at lower price points (many are around $5). Some of these also cater to drinkers with menus instructing diners to add liquor.

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Calabash Tea & Tonic

Brookland’s jewel-toned tea shop makes a kombucha mocktail ($5.82) with muddled herbs and flowers grown on-site, agave, and Digestive Bitters (an ancestor of cocktails bitters) topped with local kombucha on tap. “I like to say we are the queens of mocktails — it’s been our thing for many years,” says owner Dr. Sunyatta Amen, whose inaugural Calabash opened in Shaw in 2015.

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2701 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20018

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The 17 Most Beautiful Restaurants That Opened in D.C. This Year

The Gibson

The decade-old speakeasy serves a Musique Sortie (orange, lemon, vanilla, tonic) and the Hear The Falconer with cranberry maple shrub, lime, Old Fashioned bitters, and ginger ale ($7 each).

2009 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

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Lupo Verde Osteria Palisades

The Palisades’s Italian go-to serves an Under the Tuscan Sun with orgeat syrup, cherry reduction, lime juice, club soda, and blueberries ($8).

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4814 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington, DC 20007

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El Techo

A warming mug of “Housemade Nutella” at Shaw’s tropical rooftop bar comes with coconut, hazelnuts, cacao, dark chocolate and milk ($8). The sweet treat can be spiked for $12.

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606 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

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Doyle

The glitzy bar tucked inside the Dupont Circle Hotel makes a believable Old Fashioned with kombucha, demerara, orange, and angostura ($12).

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1500 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036

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Logan Tavern

The P Street mainstay has an entire mocktail menu with seven options ($6 each). A Green Tea Mojito comes with with Tazo Zen blend, lime juice, mint simple syrup, and soda water. A wintertime Mock Mule is a mashup of blueberries and mint instead of strawberries and basil.

1423 P St NW, Washington, DC 20005

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O-Ku Sushi DC

The sleek Japanese spot near Union Market offers options like the antioxidant-packed Doctor’s Orders ($6), featuring a house-made tea blend of chamomile, ginger, and cinnamon, with lemon juice and spiced winter demerara syrup (cardamom, clove and cinnamon).

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1274 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

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Iron Gate Restaurant

Iron Gate spirits director Nick Farrell just unleashed a new spicy mocktail for the winter called Walking East ($6), made with milk thistle, honey, bitter orange, chiles, and chinotto coda, an Indian-spiced syrup flavored with sous vide orange peel.

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1734 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

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Columbia Room

The award-winning cocktail bar’s popular Getaway is now available sans alcohol. It’s made with San Pellegrino Chinotto, maple shrub, lemon, aquafaba, and salt. The no-proof list here will grow during dry January with the addition of four more spirit-free elixirs.

124 Blagden Alley NW, Washington, DC 20001

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Blue Duck Tavern

The classy hotel restaurant inside the Park Hyatt whips up a non-alcoholic Pineapple-Passionfruit Julep ($12).

1201 24th St NW, Washington, DC 20037

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Mirabelle

The French stunner relies on Seedlip’s trend-setting line of non-alcoholic spirits to fill a trio of cocktail replicas that work well as stand-ins for a working lunch downtown. Apothecary Pick Me Up ($10) comes with Seedlip Grove, lemon, lime, Verbena Tisane Fee Brothers grapefruit bitters, and soda water.

900 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006

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Mirabelle offers a trio of zero-proof elixirs.

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CIRCA (Multiple locations)

All area Circa locations, including its new outpost in Navy Yard, offer two sober cocktails: a Grapefruit Rose Fizz ($7) with lime, lemon, simple syrup, rosemary, and lemon-lime soda and a Treat Yo’Self ($8) with turmeric, carrot, orange, pineapple, mango, lime, and ginger beer. Either can be jazzed up with gin.

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2221 I St NW, Washington, DC 20037

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The Grapefruit Rose Fizz at Circa.

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Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Washington, D.C.

The cavernous Cuban chain in Penn Quarter stirs “no-jitos” — aka its long list of 11 mojitos — without rum. Sample watermelon, passionfruit, and grilled pineapple varieties built with fresh sugar cane juice, called guarapo, pressed in-house, and tropical fruit juices ($4 per glass and $22 per pitcher).

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801 9th St NW suite a, Washington, DC 20001

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barmini by José Andrés

José Andrés’s Michelin-starred cocktail lair in the heart of Penn Quarter ditches alcohol in the well-crafted Eastern Promises, made with Seedlip Garden, lemongrass, butterfly pea, yuzu, sudachi, and a floating a hibiscus cloud finish ($18). Reserve a spot via Tock.

501 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

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China Chilcano

José Andrés’s Peruvian restaurant serves a refreshing “Chicha Morada” — a traditional drink made from imported purple corn, pineapple, and various spices ($5). The fruit-forward Peruvian favorite has started to gain traction in the U.S. in recent years.

418 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

No such thing as too much #ChichaMorada...#ChinaChilcano #Refrescante

A post shared by China Chilcano (@chinachilcano) on May 14, 2015 at 9:32am PDT

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Buffalo Bergen

Shrubs and syrups expert Gina Chersevani’s latest edition of Buffalo Bergen in Capitol Hill makes a tongue-in-cheek Marion Berry mocktail ($6), jam packed with blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapefruit, chia seeds, and sugar.

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412 3rd St NE, Washington, DC 20002

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12 Stories

The stunning Wharf rooftop bar offers a pair of non-alcoholic cocktails ($8 each). The Ginger Snap comes with fresh ginger juice, pineapple, agave, lemon, mint, and soda water.

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75 District Square SW 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20024

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RASA

The Mango Lassi at Navy Yard’s fast-casual Indian destination comes with puréed fresh mango, saffron, dahi (yogurt), sugar, and water ($5). The colorful, traditional drink can be spiked with Cotton & Reed Spiced Rum.

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1247 First St SE, Washington, DC 20003

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Calabash Tea & Tonic

2701 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20018

Brookland’s jewel-toned tea shop makes a kombucha mocktail ($5.82) with muddled herbs and flowers grown on-site, agave, and Digestive Bitters (an ancestor of cocktails bitters) topped with local kombucha on tap. “I like to say we are the queens of mocktails — it’s been our thing for many years,” says owner Dr. Sunyatta Amen, whose inaugural Calabash opened in Shaw in 2015.

Open in Google Maps

2701 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20018

Visit Website

The Gibson

2009 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

The decade-old speakeasy serves a Musique Sortie (orange, lemon, vanilla, tonic) and the Hear The Falconer with cranberry maple shrub, lime, Old Fashioned bitters, and ginger ale ($7 each).

2009 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

Visit Website

Lupo Verde Osteria Palisades

4814 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington, DC 20007

The Palisades’s Italian go-to serves an Under the Tuscan Sun with orgeat syrup, cherry reduction, lime juice, club soda, and blueberries ($8).

Open in Google Maps

4814 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington, DC 20007

Visit Website

El Techo

606 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

A warming mug of “Housemade Nutella” at Shaw’s tropical rooftop bar comes with coconut, hazelnuts, cacao, dark chocolate and milk ($8). The sweet treat can be spiked for $12.

Open in Google Maps

606 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

Visit Website

Doyle

1500 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036

The glitzy bar tucked inside the Dupont Circle Hotel makes a believable Old Fashioned with kombucha, demerara, orange, and angostura ($12).

Open in Google Maps

1500 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036

Visit Website

Logan Tavern

1423 P St NW, Washington, DC 20005

The P Street mainstay has an entire mocktail menu with seven options ($6 each). A Green Tea Mojito comes with with Tazo Zen blend, lime juice, mint simple syrup, and soda water. A wintertime Mock Mule is a mashup of blueberries and mint instead of strawberries and basil.

1423 P St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Visit Website

O-Ku Sushi DC

1274 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

The sleek Japanese spot near Union Market offers options like the antioxidant-packed Doctor’s Orders ($6), featuring a house-made tea blend of chamomile, ginger, and cinnamon, with lemon juice and spiced winter demerara syrup (cardamom, clove and cinnamon).

Open in Google Maps

1274 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

Visit Website

Iron Gate Restaurant

1734 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Iron Gate spirits director Nick Farrell just unleashed a new spicy mocktail for the winter called Walking East ($6), made with milk thistle, honey, bitter orange, chiles, and chinotto coda, an Indian-spiced syrup flavored with sous vide orange peel.

Open in Google Maps

1734 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Visit Website

Columbia Room

124 Blagden Alley NW, Washington, DC 20001

The award-winning cocktail bar’s popular Getaway is now available sans alcohol. It’s made with San Pellegrino Chinotto, maple shrub, lemon, aquafaba, and salt. The no-proof list here will grow during dry January with the addition of four more spirit-free elixirs.

124 Blagden Alley NW, Washington, DC 20001

Visit Website

Blue Duck Tavern

1201 24th St NW, Washington, DC 20037

The classy hotel restaurant inside the Park Hyatt whips up a non-alcoholic Pineapple-Passionfruit Julep ($12).

1201 24th St NW, Washington, DC 20037

Visit Website

Mirabelle

900 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006

The French stunner relies on Seedlip’s trend-setting line of non-alcoholic spirits to fill a trio of cocktail replicas that work well as stand-ins for a working lunch downtown. Apothecary Pick Me Up ($10) comes with Seedlip Grove, lemon, lime, Verbena Tisane Fee Brothers grapefruit bitters, and soda water.

900 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006

Visit Website

Mirabelle offers a trio of zero-proof elixirs.

CIRCA (Multiple locations)

2221 I St NW, Washington, DC 20037

All area Circa locations, including its new outpost in Navy Yard, offer two sober cocktails: a Grapefruit Rose Fizz ($7) with lime, lemon, simple syrup, rosemary, and lemon-lime soda and a Treat Yo’Self ($8) with turmeric, carrot, orange, pineapple, mango, lime, and ginger beer. Either can be jazzed up with gin.

Open in Google Maps

2221 I St NW, Washington, DC 20037

Visit Website

The Grapefruit Rose Fizz at Circa.

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Washington, D.C.

801 9th St NW suite a, Washington, DC 20001

The cavernous Cuban chain in Penn Quarter stirs “no-jitos” — aka its long list of 11 mojitos — without rum. Sample watermelon, passionfruit, and grilled pineapple varieties built with fresh sugar cane juice, called guarapo, pressed in-house, and tropical fruit juices ($4 per glass and $22 per pitcher).

Open in Google Maps

801 9th St NW suite a, Washington, DC 20001

Visit Website

barmini by José Andrés

501 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

José Andrés’s Michelin-starred cocktail lair in the heart of Penn Quarter ditches alcohol in the well-crafted Eastern Promises, made with Seedlip Garden, lemongrass, butterfly pea, yuzu, sudachi, and a floating a hibiscus cloud finish ($18). Reserve a spot via Tock.

501 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

Visit Website

China Chilcano

418 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

José Andrés’s Peruvian restaurant serves a refreshing “Chicha Morada” — a traditional drink made from imported purple corn, pineapple, and various spices ($5). The fruit-forward Peruvian favorite has started to gain traction in the U.S. in recent years.

418 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

No such thing as too much #ChichaMorada...#ChinaChilcano #Refrescante

A post shared by China Chilcano (@chinachilcano) on May 14, 2015 at 9:32am PDT

Related Maps

Buffalo Bergen

412 3rd St NE, Washington, DC 20002

Shrubs and syrups expert Gina Chersevani’s latest edition of Buffalo Bergen in Capitol Hill makes a tongue-in-cheek Marion Berry mocktail ($6), jam packed with blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapefruit, chia seeds, and sugar.

Open in Google Maps

412 3rd St NE, Washington, DC 20002

Visit Website

12 Stories

75 District Square SW 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20024

The stunning Wharf rooftop bar offers a pair of non-alcoholic cocktails ($8 each). The Ginger Snap comes with fresh ginger juice, pineapple, agave, lemon, mint, and soda water.

Open in Google Maps

75 District Square SW 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20024

Visit Website

RASA

1247 First St SE, Washington, DC 20003

The Mango Lassi at Navy Yard’s fast-casual Indian destination comes with puréed fresh mango, saffron, dahi (yogurt), sugar, and water ($5). The colorful, traditional drink can be spiked with Cotton & Reed Spiced Rum.

Open in Google Maps

1247 First St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Visit Website

Related Maps