A group of ladies sharing Mocktails at the Arizona Biltmore Lounge.
Spirits, Cocktails, and Mocktails.
15 Spots for Arizona’s Best Mocktails
From using alcohol-free spirits and CBD tinctures to leaning into good old-fashioned creativity, these Arizona bars and restaurants elevate the ever-growing mocktail scene.
The precision and care that goes into The Annex’s alcoholic drinks make its way to their mocktails, too. The team of knowledgeable mixologists can transform any of their regular cocktails—which are segmented into classifications like Light & Lively or Warm & Cozy—into just-as-tasty NA versions.
Tucked into a historic house neighboring Pizzeria Bianco, this cozy bar can shake up simple sober concoctions with tonic or ginger beer. But most of the mocktails pair Seedlip non-alcoholic spirits with Bar Bianco’s housemade syrups for layered NA drinks. Try the citrusy, sweet Vinifera Spice or the herbal Mariposa Milk, a union of two non-boozy spirits with pistachio orgeat and lemon and lime juices.
Since opening in 2014, Bitter & Twisted has racked up awards for their expertly crafted beverages, including one as a top 10 finalist for “Best U.S. Cocktail Bar” from the prestigious Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. On their NA menu featuring 6-8 mocktails, you’ll find must-try drinks like the Nada Colada and Miss Nightingale, a fizzy libation highlighting hibiscus, sage, and cinnamon.
At this all-things-mixology destination, you can visit three themed bars, each with its own mocktail menu. At the New Orleans-styled Grey Hen, go for Mother’s Reward with an alcohol-free cousin to London dry gin; railroad car Platform 18 features fan favorite Temperance League featuring Jamaican “rum”; and tiki bar UnderTow’s mocktail list includes the Starboard and Steady with “bourbon” and ginger.
This traditional tearoom—reservations only—not only serves a variety of teas alongside its lavish spread of sandwiches, scones and sweets, it also offers up half a dozen interesting mocktails. Penny Rose uses Lyre’s White Cane Spirit and Lyre’s aperitif Rosso with rose tea syrup and rose petals while Two Days Slow melds the softness of hibiscus tea syrup with the acidic bite of fresh lime.
The owners at Garden Bar stock a selection of zero-proof distilled spirits that mimic the properties of alcoholic ones and partner these with CBD tinctures. Two popular sober sippers: Black ForestMargarita made with Free Spirits “tequila” plus black cherry, blackberry and lime, and the classic Gimlet with a Free Spirits gin alternative and thyme, lavender, marjoram and lime.
In addition to coffees, teas, cold-pressed juices and blended beverages, this vegan café also showcases a few mocktails. Notable NA drinks: the Electric Sapphire, a whirlwind of spirulina, coconut water, aloe vera and a touch of stevia, and the Green Mountain, which gives fresh wheatgrass juice a ginger-lemonade kick.
Enjoy several tasty non-alcoholic drinks at this Southwestern restaurant, each made with healthy, housemade ingredients. The Prickly Pear Sparkler marries the sweetness of prickly pear fruit with tart lemonade, refreshing mint and calming club soda. And the heady Horchata mixes almond milk with the warm flavors of cinnamon and vanilla.
It’s a tall order to create booze-free tiki drinks, but Hula’s tackles the challenge like a pro. The restaurant serves 4-6 inventive mocktails like the Captain’s Colada (coconut cream, allspice falernum syrup, pineapple juice), Castaway Cooler (pomegranate syrup, ginger ale, pineapple, orange juice) and Hula Juice (passion fruit syrup, pineapple, orange juice, cranberry juice).
This is a completely non-alcoholic, pop-up sober bar, or (so)bar, in Phoenix. The mixology team uses a selection of some of the finest alcohol-replacement spirits—think Amass, Ghia, Kin and Three Spirit—to whip up impressive beverages. In the mood for a cool and casual NA treat? Go for one of the canned drinks such as Crisp & Crude, and Leilo.
This wine bar expands its vino menu to include two well-made non-alcoholic drinks. In the Prometheus, Fever Tree tonic adds a sparkle to the botanicals in Ritual Zero Proof “gin” and to the spiced-orange notes in the NA Giffard Apertif. For something fruity, try the Aphrodite, a bright blend of strawberry, mint, lime and coconut water.
This welcoming, wood-ceilinged bar might be more popular for its mighty menu of strong cocktails, but it also offers a fun “softail” roundup. Cider vinegar features prominently in the Electric Barnyard Heaven, with honey, lemon, cayenne and ginger rounding out the flavor profile. Ginger shows up again in the Southside Patio Cooler, along with lime, salt, mint and soda.
This restaurant at The W Hotel offers NA drinkers a trio of mocktail options: the Zen Garden, a zesty bevvie of cucumber, mint, lemon, lime, pineapple and tonic water; the Coco Loco, with coconut water, lime and pineapple juice; and the pleasingly complex Lost in Paradise, a mash-up of serrano chiles, orgeat, lemon, pineapple, passion fruit and ginger ale.
For the beer drinker, this bottle shop and tap room sells a robust selection of non-alcoholic beers from brands like Athletic Brewing Company (which also makes alcohol-free sparkling hop water) and woman-owned Busty Lush.
At JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Tía Carmen’s duo of mocktails sport the names Tall & Bubbly and Short & Spicy—both supposedly inspired by the restaurant’s managers. The latter artfully combines cucumber, ginger, lime, pineapple, aguachile syrup, mint, cilantro and serrano, while the Tall & Bubbly punches up black tea syrup and hibiscus syrup with prickly pear, rhubarb bitters and lemon juice.
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About the Author
Jessica Dunham
Jessica Dunham is a travel, food and fitness writer whose work has been published in PHOENIX Magazine, Runner's World, Phoenix New Times, Valley Guide, Phoenix Travel Guide, Modern Luxury Scottsdale and more. She is passionate about all things Arizona, especially spontaneous Saturday daytrips around the state. She can be reached at dunham-media.com.
