Maybe you’re taking on a Dry January challenge, staying sober for the first month of the year or beyond. 

Perhaps you’ve always prided yourself on having straight-edge status, or you’re adverse to hangovers. 

Whatever your reasons for giving alcohol the cold shoulder, there’s one thing that’s for sure; you might be ditching the fizz, but there’s no need to miss out on the fun.

Living in (or visiting) a city as eclectic, imaginative, diverse and ever-changing as London means there truly is something to please everyone, and your choice of bars and restaurants need not suffer just because you’ve given booze the boot. 

In fact, there’s a plethora of places that pride themselves on offering either a completely alcohol-free environment, a tipple-less menu or a lengthy list of faux cocktails. 

Here, we’ve raked through some of the best alcohol-free restaurants and bars in the London to find the most exciting mocktail and alcohol-free dining experiences around. 

Cheers!

Ella Canta

Ella Canta, a Mexican restaurant in Mayfair, serves its delicious, non-alcoholic palate cleanser all year round, alongside an extensive menu of tasty treats. The restaurant’s Agua Fresca menu includes prehispanic lemonade (£7) with lemon, agave, syrup and chia seeds, and a coconut, rose and lychee water (£7) with fresh lychee and nectar, lime and coconut, perfect for those bypassing booze.

Once snuggled in the atmospherically lit and gorgeously decorated restaurant, we have no doubts that your attention will soon be piqued by the tasty a la carte menu. Serving up a mixture of nibbles and main dishes, Ella Canta has a certain skill in creating authentic Mexican cuisine with a modern twist, and we can assure you it’s not something to be missed. 

What’s more, we love that the restaurant is inspired by strong women and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and prides itself in promoting female chefs. 

Make a reservation here. 

Yeotown Kitchen 

Yeotown Kitchen, London’s first mindfulness café, serves up deliciously nutritious food and detoxifying freshly pressed juices in a unique meditation station. In a serene environment, guests are invited to sip green juice, settle into a meditation pod, select a guided mindfulness meditation, and emerge feeling refreshed and de-stressed.

They offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, and all drinks are made with nutrition and wellbeing in mind.

See more information here. 

34 Mayfair 

34 Mayfair is just as lavish as it sounds. A desirable postcode, glamorous decor and food so pretty it almost stops you from tucking in, all come part and parcel of this gorgeous restaurant. So we don’t blame you for wanting to soak up the ambiance and enjoy the finer things in life, even if you’re not looking to spend big bucks on booze. 

Luckily, the “luxury mocktail menu” is just as fancy as its alcoholic counterpart. We recommend chatting to staff about what you like most to find the perfect drink for you. 

Make a reservation here. 

The Book Club

The Book Club in Shoreditch has launched a zero-proof cocktail menu for customers looking for cocktails with lots of flavour but none of the sauce. 

The restaurant-slash-bar has also created plenty of twists on classic cocktails so you don’t feel left out. We particularly like the sound of the nojito with ginger, mint, lemon, lime and Seedlip Spice 094 (£6), as well as the sage-in with Seedlip Garden 108, plum, ginger, sage and tonic (£6.50). 

Make a reservation here.

Sanderson

When it comes to Saturday night plans, most of us fall into the familiar pattern of dinner and drinks. And if you’re trying to cut back on the bubbles, the Sanderson has a rather tasty solution. 

The Fitzrovia hotel is introducing the Three Spirit menu to its Long Bar’s – offering two refreshing mocktail options with flavours of lemon, marmalade and ginger, and basil, grapefruit and ginger beer. Ditching the booze never tasted so good.

Make a reservation here.

Sexy Fish 

Asian-inspired restaurant Sexy Fish is one of Mayfair’s coolest hang-outs. But if you thought its cocktail list would be off-limits, think again. You can enjoy all the joys of a fancy cocktail minus the alcohol, with delectable flavours, a novelty glass and an experimental garnish all thrown in for good measure, thanks to the venue’s mocktail menu. 

Try the Driver’s Julep (£7), which mixes lime juice, agave, ylang ylang, tonic cordial, cucumber and chilli. Or treat your taste buds to SeedSide (£7), and enjoy a concoction of seedlip green garden, lime juice, sugar, mint and soda. 

Make a reservation here.

Drink Shop Do

Drink Shop Do is not only an amazing place to hang out, it’s also a safe haven away from booze-laden menus thanks to its glittering array of delicious mocktails. 

There’s lots on offer, including the vanilla bramble with blackberries, vanilla, lime and soda (£4) and the raspberry lychee fizz which is made with raspberry puree, lychee syrup, lemon and soda (£4).

Make a reservation here. 

Redemption Bar

Redemption Bar was founded by two female entrepreneurs, Catherine Salway and Andrea Waters, who wanted to create a buzzing restaurant environment, minus the alcohol. 

The entire restaurant is completely alcohol-free which means that you can enjoy yourself without fear of temptation, or rowdy crowds of people who may have had one too many. 

The food menu is exquisite and features only hyper-healthy, sugar and wheat-free food that has been sourced ethically and tastes like heaven. You can enjoy the experimental food menu and an alcohol-free drinks list at either the Notting Hill or Shoreditch branches.

Make a reservation here. 

The Sky Garden

The Sky Garden, with its indoor woodland and unparalleled views of the city, is a gorgeous place to visit at any time of the year. Mixologists at this sky-high watering hole have mixed up a non-alcoholic storm for those laying off the tipple.

From 34 floors up, enjoy a hot non toddy with apple juice, gingerbread, agave syrup, green tea, lemon and pear (£9) or a chilled berries with apple juice, cranberry juice, butterscotch, lemon, raspberry and crushed sweet chilli flakes (£9).

Booking is essential, make a reservation here. 

Images: Courtesy of venues