The New Year is here, Houston. It’s the time when we have to reckon with the impact of the holiday season – whether it’s cookie weight or a lengthy eggnog hangover. It’s also the time for many to participate in a month-long break from booze. Whether you’re doing Dry January, a teetotaler, or just want a couple craft drinks without the sauce, here’s where to find the best mocktails in Houston.
1. Monkey’s Tail
The Tejano Lindale Park hotspot its known for its incredible selection of margaritas, original, and classic cocktails. The mixologists at Monkey’s Tail also know how to finesse a mocktail.
If you’re looking for tasty mocktails in Houston with a Mexican-twist, head over to Monkey’s Tail for a Picka-Piña made with fresh pineapple, grenadine, chamoy, lime, tajin, and dill pickle brine or a Viva Maracuya, mixed with passionfruit, mango, tiki spices, salt, club soda, and lime.
Other mocktails available here include the Lyre’s G&T non-alcoholic gin and tonic, Penichill’n, Chango House Soda, and Jessie’s Topo. Monkey’s Tail also serves a couple N/A beers.
📍5802 Fulton St
2. Le Jardinier
Indulge in Michelin-starred mocktails at Le Jardinier. Tucked away in the Kinder Building at MFAH, Le Jardinier offers a joyfully creative, yet elegant atmosphere to enjoy masterfully-prepared French cuisine.
While we’re aware that the venue’s mocktails weren’t necessarily what earned the restaurant its Michelin Star, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to presume that the venue’s fresh, seasonal ingredients, expert personnel, and multi-leveled artistry applied to its selection of alcohol-free drinks, thereby making it for some of the best mocktails Houston has to offer.
Featured mocktails at Le Jardinier include Le Jardin made with cucumber, fine herbs, lime, and soda; Yellow Boots, with coconut cordial, spiced pineapple tisane, and pandan; and Fruits D’Atomne, with grapefruit, lemon, fig syrup, orange, and honey.
📍5500 Main St. Suite 122
3. Sipple
Billed as Houston’s first non-alcoholic liquor store, Sipple is a husband-and-wife shop in River Oaks opened a couple years ago. The venue offers hundreds of alcohol-free options ranging from beer, wine, aperitifs, cocktail mixers, as well as ready-to-drink mocktails. The venue also allows for customers to sample the products before purchase.
Favorites here include the BonBuz alcohol-free alchemy spirit, Crisp & Crude CBD-infused Mellow Mule, and Tenneyson’s Black Ginger.
📍2410 Quenby St Ste. 100
4. Haywire
The newly-minted farm-to-fork restaurant, bar, and party barn in Memorial City is celebrating Dry January with a trio of alcohol-free cocktails.
From now until January 31, patrons can enjoy Haywire’s Hibiscus Haze, made with prickly pear, hibiscus, Lady Bird Tonic, lemon, and simple syrup; Lady Bird, made with pineapple, grapefruit, guava, cranberry, and Lady Bird Grapefruit Soda; and Mojito Refresher, with lemon, cucumber, pineapple, mint, ginger ale, and agave.
📍947 Gessner Rd Suite A 100
5. Guard & Grace
Guard & Grace is a refined, award-winning steakhouse in Houston that offers an incredible selection of steak and seafood. Connected to the C. Baldwin Hotel, Guard & Grace also serves a series of zero-proof cocktails to go with its extraordinary culinary options.
Featured mocktails at Guard & Grace include the refreshing and fruity Blackberry Sparkler, caffeine-infused Burnt Sugar Espresso, and island-inspired Tropical Tango.
📍One Allen Center 500 Dallas St, Houston, TX 77002
6. Coltivare Pizza & Garden
The Heights’ quaint little Italian bistro and backyard is home to some of our favorite pizza in town. Coltivare also serves a variety of non-alcoholic beer, wine, and cocktails.
With regards to the latter, the rustic neighborhood spot has teamed up with the aforementioned Sipple to craft a number of refreshing mocktails including Not & Tonic, Madame Pamplemousse, and If You Wanna made with Cut Above Whiskey, pumpkin, spices, lemon, and orgeat.
📍3320 White Oak Drive, Houston, Texas 77007
7. Verde Garden
Opened spring of 2023, Verde Garden is a lush Mexican restaurant and garden from the Kirby Group. On top of its menu of Tex-Mex favorites, as well as enchilada, tortas, and vegetarian options, Verde Garden is offering a number of mocktail options.
Here, patrons can enjoy a selection of Mexican-spun mocktails including the Sugar Skull, mixed with Lyre’s Agave Blanco, watermelon, pineapple, and lime; Como La Flor, with Lyre’s Dry London, lime, ginger beer, grenadine, and orange; and Te Adoro, mixed with Lyre’s Agave Blanco, grapefruit, lime, and fruit punch.
📍2817 W Dallas Building C
8. Wild
Wild is a vibrant and flourishing CBD coffee lounge, dispensary, and cocktail bar that now has two locations in Houston — Montrose and The Heights. Here, patrons can delight in a buzzworthy selection of hemp-infused elixirs including the creamy and sweet Maui Mango, tart and refreshing Hanoi Lo Fi, sweet and sour Pink Loco, and classic Ocean Water.
📍1609 Westheimer Rd
📍2121 N Shepherd Dr Suite C
9. Puttshack
Located at The Shops at Houston Center, Puttshack is a 26,000-square-foot, tech-infused mini-golf course from the team behind TopGolf. If you’re looking for mocktails in Houston with a side of fun, head over to Puttshack where the venue is featuring a number of N/A options including the N/A Spritz, Passion Fruit Lemonade, H2NO Ranch Water, and Cotton Candy Crush.
📍1200 McKinney St. Suite 100 & 300
10. MAVEN at Sawyer Yards
Rex Hospitality Group’s Coffee + Cocktails concept, co-founded by Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., is featuring a number of mocktail options in honor of Dry January. Present features include the Button Buck, made with almond, lime, coconut, and ginger beer as well as the Shakerato, a caffeinated spin on the highball made with non-alcoholic amaro and MAVEN cold brew.
📍1501 Silver St. Bldg B
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