In Portland, the proverbial fountain of craft beer, wine, and locally-distilled spirits is always overflowing. Finding an equally delicious nonalcoholic beverage can require some swimming — er, digging.
Whether you’re observing Dry January, making permanent lifestyle changes, or have never enjoyed alcohol in the first place, these mocktails will quench your thirst without exacting a hangover toll.
G-Love, 1615 NW 21st Ave. | If your resolutions include cutting back on booze and getting more fruits and veggies in your life, these drinks are a win-win. The Flamingo Beach (blood peach, pineapple, and lemon) and Carrotina (carrot, bell pepper, ginger, mole, and lemon) look good and taste even better.
Takibi, 2275 NW Flanders St. | You’ll find options across the flavor spectrum at this Pacific Northwest-inspired Japanese izakaya, from the creamy A Haiku #3 (The Pathfinder Hemp & Root, oat milk, peppermint tea, demerara, and shoyu) to the fruit forward Meadowlark (Wilderton bittersweet aperitivo, Commissary pineapple gum, Mizuba chamomile hojicha, and grapefruit juice).
Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen, 835 SW Second Ave. | As one of the stars of Portland’s Southeast Asian culinary scene, this late-night foodie hot spot’s oft-overlooked showstoppers are the alcohol-free beverages. The Thai Tea Creamosa (Thai tea, lime syrup, soda, and salted coconut whipped cream) and Durian Horchata (jasmine rice, durian, honeydew, and pandan) are must-drinks.
The Old Gold, 2105 N. Killingsworth St. | Wash down an elk burger with a liquor-free sipper like the Ginger Cooler (honey syrup, lime, black walnut bitters, and ginger beer) or the Mockarita (Som Pineapple Szechuan Cordial, lime, pineapple, and orange bitters) at this comfortable watering hole in the Overlook neighborhood.
You may need alcohol to light a drink on fire, but Hale Pele’s mocktails are still lit.
Photo by @hottubscotty
Hale Pele, 2733 NE Broadway | Get tiki with it but dodge the buzz with a $5 drink from the “Virgin Sacrifices” menu. Our top picks are the Nada Colada (coconut and pineapple, blended) and Trouble on the High Seas (grapefruit, lime, falernum, bitters, cinnamon, and passion fruit).
Dolly Olive, 527 SW 12th Ave. | Hellooo, Dolly. This Mediterranean-inspired downtown eatery’s lineup of mocktails includes the Red Bone — a concoction of lemon juice, honey syrup, and a bittersweet aperitivo from Hood River-based Wilderton Botanical Spirits.
Sousòl, 227 SE Sixth Ave. | Descend into award-winning chef (and self-identified member of the sober community) Gregory Gourdet’s subterranean cocktail bar, located beneath Kann, and enter into the world of pan-Caribbean flavors. The zero-proof cocktail menu incorporates ingredients like spiced banana shrub and promises to deliver “experiences not found anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.”
