Whether driven by wellness culture, conscious living, or sheer sober curiosity, the nonalcoholic movement is having a global moment—and top chefs and mixologists are shaking, stirring, and fermenting to meet the demand. What was once an afterthought has developed into an art form, where spirit-free cocktails rival their boozy counterparts in complexity, craft, and storytelling.
Even celebrity tastemakers are getting involved. Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton’s Almave nonalcoholic spirits brand recently released Almave Humo, a distilled “mezcal” that delivers the depth and complexity of the real thing.
At New York City’s Clemente Bar, located above Eleven Madison Park, nonalcoholic drinks complement such savoury, plant-based small bites as agedashi tofu paired with a fizzy concoction of yaupon tea, yuzu, and cucumber soda.
In Wyoming, at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, Jhett Brown brings mountain sophistication to the zero-proof scene. Inside the 80 Proof speakeasy and the newly opened Steadfire Chophouse, the bartender’s modern mixology creations avoid added sugar while highlighting flavour-forward local ingredients like pine and wild berries.
Leo—one of Latin America’s most acclaimed restaurants, in Bogotá, Colombia—pairs its tasting menu with “botanical infusions” derived from the country’s ecosystems: guava fermentations, cassava starch elixirs, and floral macerations that taste like a journey through the jungle.
Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre recently doubled down on nonalcoholic wine. The hotel has opened both Tonic Bar, Saudi Arabia’s first nonalcoholic bar, and Café Boulud Cheese Library, which offers an enticing selection of fromage and beverages like the Italian zero-alcohol sparkler Bella.
And at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México, head mixologist Arturo Barroso celebrates Mexico’s heritage and traditions through fermentation. He reimagines tepache and tejuino—time-honoured beverages made from local fruits, herbs, and corn—as elegant, alcohol-free expressions. Halting fermentation at just the right moment, Barroso preserves flavour and texture.
