The 15 Best Spots For Dry January In Chicago

Taking a break from alcohol is a great way to hit the reset button for the new year—and Chicago’s top restaurants have nonalcoholic and Insta-worthy cocktails ready for you to experience. Sip on refreshing fruit juices, fun fizzy sodas and creative liquor substitutes so tasty you’ll enjoy staying true to your booze-free goals.

Arbella

112 W. Grand Ave. / Website

River North cocktail lounge Arbella offers an inventive selection of zero-proof drinks. A few of our favorites are...

• Smoking Kills: Lemon-ginger kombucha, lime and ginger-beer with infused smoke
• Secret Window: London dry spirit-free, hibiscus, peachtree sipping vinegar and citrus

Daisies

2375 N. Milwaukee Ave. / Website

It’s no surprise that this Logan Square hot spot—a two-time recipient of the Michelin Green star for its exceptional sustainability practices—would have an equally impressive slate of N/A offerings. Among the menu’s featured cocktails, herbal sodas and shrubs is one mainstay: the mushroom sour, a sweet-and-savory sipper featuring housemade syrup made from fermented mushroom stems.

• Mushroom Sour: Mushroom syrup, lemon juice, egg white

Dearly Beloved

900 N. Franklin St. / Website

Machine Hospitality Group’s latest concept, cocktail bar and restaurant, Dearly Beloved, is already making a name for itself with a lineup of globally inspired craft cocktails that incorporate innovative, unconventional ingredients (think bacon-washed Seedlip Notas de Agave, probiotic yogurt clarification and more).

• Clearly Cultured: Seedlip Grove, probiotic yogurt clarification, lime, Mallorca melon, hibiscus, ginger, rose water
• Soda Pop: orgeat, oat milk, coconut soda, orange flower water, rose water, hint of lime

Esmé

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2200 N. Clark St. / Website

One Michelin-starred Esmé goes all out when it comes to nonalcoholic beverages. Director of beverages Stevan Miller crafts all the syrups, shrubs and juices used in their innovative booze-free creations in-house and pays special attention to the flavors of the dining menu’s dishes so she can create flavors that will pair seamlessly. The restaurant’s N/A offerings include a spirit-free pairing with its tasting menu, along with spirit-free cocktails like the Borah Spritz, made with Lyre’s bitter, pomegranate molasses and ginger beer.

Fioretta

318 N. Sangamon St. / Website

Who says steak houses are all martinis and red wine? This Fulton Market hot spot tempts with one particular spirit-free cocktail that has become a house favorite.

• Pineapple Punch: Seedlip, grapefruit, pineapple, cardamom, ginger, lemon

See Also: Chicago’s Best Vegan Restaurants

Gaijin

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950 W. Lake St. / Website

James Beard Nominated chef Paul Virant takes Japanese fare to new heights with West Loop institution Gaijin, Virant’s love letter to okonomiyaki-style cuisine. The spot’s cocktail menu encompasses an array of non-alcoholic and alcohol-removed beverages curated by Beverage Director Stella Miller. The restaurant offers one signature N/A cocktail for each season, including:

• Aki (Fall): Lyre’s White Cane Spirit, hojicha, persimmon, honey
• Fuyu (Winter): amazake, yuzu, coconut, sesame
• Haru (Spring): Lyre’s Dry London Spirit, cherry blossom, lemon, soda
• Natsu (Summer): matcha, lemon, strawberry, soda

LondonHouse Chicago

85 E. Wacker Drive / Website

One of the city’s premier rooftop destinations, this riverside hangout boasts stunning views and a see-and-be-seen crowd—plus a slate of tempting N/A drinks to boot, like the below.

• Aperitif & Soda: Bitter-Sweet Aperitif cordial, soda, orange
• One In A Melon: Seedlip Garden, Rtc Mallorca melon shrub, pineapple, lemon

LYRA

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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.

• Halara: Seedlip, pomegranate, lemon, mint and tonic
• Cypress: Seedlip 94, pineapple, lime and ginger

Nobu Chicago

854 W. Randolph St. / Website

This chic Japanese restaurant and bar in the West Loop has amped up its N/A game with three new mocktails that make ideal pairings with the destination’s signature dishes like tuna tacos and black cod miso.

• Strawberry Yuzu Calpico: Strawberry Calpico, yuzu, mint
• Como La Flor: Ritual tequila, cranberry tarragon and lemon

Pigtail

500 N. Clark St. / Website

This subterranean speakeasy inside master chef José Andrés’ River North tapas spot Jaleo beckons with an extensive libations menu ranging from classic cocktails to daringly contemporary drinks (cold vacuum-infused G&T anyone?), plus spirit-free cocktails that are equally intriguing.

• Squaring the Circle: Spiritless Kentucky 74, spiritless amaretti, maple syrup and cumin tincture

Prime & Provisions

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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.

• Facade: Ritual gin alternative, Ritual aperitif alternative, Giffard elderflower alcohol-free, lemon, tonic
• Spiced Grapefruit: Spice 94 Seedlip nonalcoholic spirit, grapefruit juice, soda and lime

Sushi-San

63 W. Grand Ave. / Website

This Lettuce Entertain You sushi fave is so dedicated to its spirit-free offerings that they have their own menu—the N.W.A, as in “nothin' with alcohol”). A top pick is The Glitter Bomb, which is a shot of strawberry cordial and fresh coconut water (with some edible glitter) dropped into housemade banana soda.

• The Glitter Bomb: Strawberry cordial, fresh coconut water, housemade banana soda, edible glitter

Three Dots and a Dash

435 N. Clark St., alley / Website

Staying clear-headed at this beloved tiki bar can be particularly challenging given the boozy nature of most of the libations on offer (we’re looking at you, Rum Barrel). Now there’s a solution that involves neither club soda nor cranberry: Honeycrisp Nombie, made with Honeycrisp apple syrup, nonalcoholic Amaro, Verjus Blanc and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

• Honeycrisp Nombie: Honeycrisp apple, nonalcoholic Amaro, Verjus Blanc, cinnamon

Toro Chicago

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200 N. Columbus Drive / Website

Chef Richard Sandoval’s Pan-Latin Millennium Park haunt Toro Chicago combines Central and South American flavors and ingredients to produce tempting offerings, from sweet corn empanadas to prime tomahawk steaks. Chef Sandoval has recently developed a limited-time spirit-free menu to help guests achieve their Dry January aspirations and New Year’s resolutions.

• Clarita: Almave Blanco non-alcoholic blue agave spirit, coconut cream, yuzu, aquafaba, togarashi
• Spiced Hibiscus Mule: Seedlip spice, lime, agave, hibiscus ginger beer

Yardbird

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530 N. Wabash Ave. / Website

Head to Yardbird to dine on locally sourced farm-fresh menu items and imbibe spirit-free cocktail creations. The eatery serves two fruit-forward, spirit-free cocktails, which incorporate flavors like passion fruit, grapefruit, lemon and ginger.

• Passion Fruit Breeze: Passion fruit, basil, lemon, ginger ale
• Pretty ‘N Pink: Passion fruit, grapefruit, Q Grapefruit Soda

See Also: Chicago’s 15 Best Gyms

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