Best places for mocktails in Asheville

Whether you’re sober or participating in “Dry January,” check out these eight spots for delicious mocktails in Asheville, North Carolina. 

It’s a new year in the Tarheel State, and that means cool January mornings, football season in full swing, and new year’s resolutions. While many North Carolinians are hitting the gym or decluttering their closets, a growing number of people in North Carolina and elsewhere are participating in Dry January, a fun challenge that involves abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the year.

Others across the state choose not to drink year-round for health or personal reasons. Either way, spending January in Asheville without any alcohol doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious drink! Plenty of bars and other establishments around the city serve mocktails, which are creative and tasty beverages without the alcohol.

Here are some of the best spots for enjoying mocktails in Asheville this January and beyond.

1. The Buzz

225 South Grove Street, Hendersonville

Located in Hendersonville, The Buzz bills itself as a “Sober Social Bar and Cafe,” meaning there’s no alcohol on the menu, but still plenty of good times. Mocktails are a house specialty, from the tea-based Lavender London Fog to the coffee-forward sweet treat the Bee Charmer, made with hibiscus and espresso from the Sharewell Coffee Co.

 

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2. The Golden Pineapple

503 Haywood Road

A landmark in downtown Asheville, The Golden Pineapple is a quirky place for cocktails and creative casual eats. However, some of the most delicious mocktails in town lurk underneath the signature neon sign, including botanical sodas and a nonalcoholic beer menu. Check out its no-spirit “Espresso Phony Negroni” for a Dry January drink with a bite!

3. Haywood Common

507 Haywood Road

From steaks to seafood and Sunday brunch, Haywood Common has it all. This beloved Asheville spot has an extensive menu to suit all tastes—and that extends to their drinks offerings. Alongside wine, beer, and cocktails is a thoughtful array of non-alcoholic beverages, including multiple varieties of kombucha and the MerTail nonalcoholic “Mertini” and Mergarita”!

 

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4. Little Jumbo

241 Broadway Street

One of Asheville’s most celebrated cocktail bars, Little Jumbo isn’t just for those who like an innovative approach to alcohol. Its menu includes a “Spirit Free Sippers” section made with creativity and flair. From the bitter-spicy Shoots Then Leaves to the phosphate-infused Future Fashioned, there’s something for all palates to try something new!

5. Mountain Madre

13 West Walnut Street

A family-owned Mexican restaurant and longtime Asheville favorite, Mountain Madre is as beloved for its Mexican classics made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients as it is for being home to Western North Carolina’s largest agave bar. But you don’t need to indulge in agave to enjoy the beverages at Mountain Madre—its house cocktails, like the famous Green GOddess, can easily be converted into mocktails; just ask your server!

6. One World Brewing – West

520 Haywood Road

Sister establishment to One World Brewing, One World – West is a comfortable tap room with a rotating selection of beers—maybe the last place you’d expect to find mocktails. Think again! Just ask the staff; they’re happy to provide a wide array of non-alcoholic beverages for Dry January and throughout the year.

7. Rosetta’s Kitchen

68 North Lexington Avenue

For over 20 years, Rosetta’s Kitchen has served up delicious, locally sourced food. It has also served as a community organizing space for Asheville residents of all walks of life, including their current local disaster relief projects. In 2022, it opened a kombucha-forward “Buchi Bar,” with a menu of non-alcoholic treats from “Wild Pop” artisan soda to house-made energy drinks. Cheers!

8. Sovereign Kava Bar

268 Biltmore Avenue

An alcohol-free, plant-derived spirit, kava is starting new trends across the nation. In the case of Sovereign, this means an entire bar, Asheville’s first, dedicated to the drink and its many variations. Those new to kava should note that it can have effects similar to alcohol, although it is chemically distinct. But if you’re comfortable drinking kava in Dry January, Sovereign can introduce you to treats from the tangy Kava Mule to the colorful sweetness of the Kava Sunrise!

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.