Jan 8

Jan 8 The Guide to Dry January

A new year is here, and with it comes the annual resolution-making! For many, the first month of the year is a time to set goals and prioritize wellness. One popular resolution has come to be known as “Dry January”: taking a one-month break from drinking. Whether it’s to improve physical or mental health, recover from holiday festivities, or save some cash, more and more people are committing to Dry January as a time to reset and try healthy habits at the start of the year.

But just because you’re off the sauce doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a night out! So whether you’re a total teetotaler, “sober-curious” or just looking to cut back, here are just a few “zero proof” options around Boston!

Somerville speakeasy Backbar (Somerville’s Union Square) has always prioritized creative and delicious cocktails, even for those who aren’t drinking alcohol. Their rotating menu will take on a cozy winter theme this January, and will feature three non-alcoholic specials: “Cranberry Spice & Everything Nice”, a NA take on their cranberry cinnamon mojito; “Smoked Flowers”, a slow sipping floral martini with smoky flare; and a “Hot Cider” concocted with Lyre’s non-alcoholic whiskey. They can also invent fun custom drinks based on your preferences, so don’t be shy!

Drink (Fort Point) is famous for their menu-less experience: tell your bartender your favorite drink or your likes/dislikes, and they’ll concoct something just for you! Their mocktail experience is no different. They use Seedlip products — a non-alcoholic distillate translated and refined from an Old English alchemical recipe — to bring a “burst of aromas” to each sipper. Seedlip Spice, distilled from baking spices, is a great substitute for whiskey and rum, while Seedlip Grove, distilled from citrus, makes a good variant on vodka.

At Shy Bird (Kendall Square & South Boston), you can find compelling zero proof cocktails and non-alcoholic sipping spirits. Enjoy one of Shy Bird’s zero-proof cocktails like the Lexi Flemming, with gnista wormwood, lapsang souchong tea syrup, ginger beer and lemon, or the Allora, with ghia apéritif, apple cider, hot honey and lemon. If you’re more into sipping spirits, you can find options like Ghia Apéritif, a vibrant, herbacious, bitter, apéritif adjacent. Or Gnista Wormwood, a bitter, aromatic, floral, citrus whiskey adjacent.

Yellow Door Taqueria (Dorchester’s Lower Mills, South End, & Mission Hill) is known for their creative margaritas, but they also bring a fun flair to the mocktail scene! Currently, they’re offering an array of seasonal flavors: plum & cardamom, spiced guava, and peach & thyme. The drinks are light, refreshing and colorful, served with a colorful garnish that brings maximum style to zero proof. All three options pair perfectly with Yellow Door’s Cali-Mex menu, so enjoy them on Taco Tuesday or any day!

For those into the beer scene without the buzz, Samuel Adams (Jamaica Plain & Faneuil Hall) brings their classic taste to the NA beer scene. “Just the Haze” clocks in at below 0.5% ABV, and you can crack open a can at their taprooms or bring a six-pack home to go! For more variety, try Athletic Brewing Co., which offers a wide range of NA beers from IPAs to stouts, so there’s something for every taste. They’re brewed in Connecticut and available at plenty of bars throughout Boston!

Lastly, the Boston Young Professionals Association’s monthly After 5 Social at Aloft Seaport will have non-alcoholic menu items on offer, so come get social with us!

Thank you to those who contributed recommendations and information to help create this post!