By: Lindsay Garbacik By: Lindsay Garbacik | December 29, 2022 | Food & Drink Feature Community
With the new year fast approaching, you’re likely pondering what healthy changes you should aim to enact in the year 2023. While boozing can be fun in moderation (and, okay yes sometimes in excess too, we can’t deny that one,) start the new year off by taking a break from alcohol and taking part in the increasingly popular Dry January. Lucky for you, Chicago’s top restaurants have non-alcoholic, and equally Insta-worthy, cocktails ready for you to experience. Sip on refreshing fruit juices, fun fizzy sodas and creative liquor substitutes, so tasty you’ll actually enjoy staying true to your booze-free goals.
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64 Green Bay Road / Website
Aboyer’s chef Michael Lachowicz is passionate about your food and beverage pairings when devising his dining experiences, but couldn’t care less about your beverage’s booze contents. With that in mind, he’s created a list of no-alcohol cocktails featuring exciting flavor profiles, fresh ingredients and Insta-worthy presentations, perfect for Dry January. Better yet, the booze-free cocktails can also be paired with the tasting menu at George Trois.
1616 N Milwaukee Avenue / Website
Enjoy locally-sourced, seasonally inspired brunch and dinner menus at Cafe Robey. Instead of opting for a tired mimosa or espresso martini, try something new this year with Cafe Robey’s housemade sodas.
2200 N Clark Street / Website
One Michelin Starred Esmé is going all out when it comes to non-alcoholic beverages. Director of beverages at the popular spot, Tia Barrett, crafts all of the syrups, shrubs and juices used in their innovative booze-free creations in-house. She pays special attention to the flavors of the dining menu’s dishes, so she can create flavors that will pair seamlessly.
925 W Randolph Street / Website
Head to this Fulton Market District Italian haven for non-alcoholic beverages featuring bright, light and fresh flavors inspired by Italy.
1465 W Willow Street / Website
This Michelin Guide izakaya and omakase hotspot may be known for having a stellar list of Japanese Whisky, sake and cocktails, their nonalcoholic cocktails seriously deserve some love and attention too. Every season, beverage manager Zak Sherman crafts unique spirit-free cocktails that play to the season as well as the cuisine.
625 Davis Street, Evanston / Website
Head out to Evanston for a unique and unconventional French-Moroccan menu with a slew of pair-worthy booze-free cocktails. With an uber-Instagrammable, 360-degree room and award-winning chef Debbie Gold at the helm of LeTour, it’ll make the trek worth your while.
905 W Fulton Market / Website
Known for its transportive atmosphere, stellar Greek cuisine and lighthearted Mykonian vibes, LYRA offers guests simply delicious nonalcoholic beverages. With a mouthwatering brunch, dinner and dessert menu, this is a fabulous spot to give Dry January a try.
222 N Lasalle Blvd. / Website
Pair your premium dry-aged cut of steak with a light, booze-free cocktail crafted using bright flavors and refreshing fruit juices.
530 N Wabash Avenue / Website
Head to Yardbird to dine on locally-sourced farm-fresh menu items and imbibe on spirit-free cocktail creations.
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Photography by: Jonathan Borba / Unsplash