Whether you’re going full dry January - or just keeping it a little ‘damp’ - then we’ve got you covered with this edition of Good This Week where our co-founder and sober CEO Alex rounds up the best non-alcoholic drinks spots in London.
I’ve been alcohol free for nearly 6 years now and long gone are the days where the only drinks options on a night out were water, Pepsi or orange juice. With the rising popularity of the ‘sober curious’ - a study last year found that just 27% of UK Gen Zers say they currently consume alcohol - as well as Dry January (a massive 175,000 people took part last year), pubs and bars have thankfully realised they need to up their game. And good companies are no exception.
Whilst I’m planning a pretty low-key start to the year, these are the bars which are top of my list for Dry January and beyond where I know I’ll be in good company.
Big Penny Social - for alcohol free beer on tap
One of the things I missed most when I stopped drinking was a refreshing cold pint of lager. Thankfully low and no alcohol beer has come on leaps and bounds though its mainly still bottle-based. Enter Big Penny Social, an open-hearted brewery and taproom that aims to create spaces and experiences that bring people together and communities to connect which offers alcohol-free beer on tap.
located just off Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, Big Penny Social is an accredited Living Wage Employer, meaning that all their staff are paid a decent salary, set above the minimum wage - something that’s especially rare and needed in the hospitality industry.
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/big-penny-social
The Midnight Apothecary - for a secret cocktail/mocktail spot
There are so many lists of the best kept secret bars in London so finding one which has an excellent mocktail list and is a good company has made my dry January! The Midnight Apothecary in Rotherhithe specialises in lovingly prepared seasonal botanical cocktails around a campfire. You can curl up, with a botanical mocktail in hand, in the enchanted, candle-lit roof garden and watch the sunset surrounded by your friends, partners and local wildlife.
They use ingredients grown in their garden or foraged close by to infuse and garnish their drinks, with the menu changing frequently depending on what’s in season.
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/the-midnight-apothecary
All Good Beer - for craft AF beer and kombucha options
Thankfully being alcohol free doesn’t mean you can’t get into the craft beer scene. All Good Beer is a craft beer and natural wine bar and bottle shop, stocking 100s of craft beers from leading UK and international breweries, nestled in Hackney Downs Studios. The majority of the vineyards and producers they work with are certified organic and biodynamic or following organic and biodynamic practices.
For those of us who don't drink, they also have a rotational range of alcohol-free beers and raw, unpasteurised kombucha. Like Big Penny Social, All Good Beer is also an accredited Living Wage Employer.
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/all-good-beer
Ethika - for mocktails to pair at the food market
If you haven’t tried Mercato Metropolitano yet then move it to the top of the list. Their original location between Borough and Elephant and Castle is a street food market haven. It's also home to Ethika, a local cocktail bar passionate about sustainable socialising. They take pride in sourcing locally, using small-batch and fair trade ingredients, and supporting independent producers.
If you do want to try their alcoholic options then they use only Fair Trade certified spirits, ensuring that farmers in the developing world are paid a fair price for their produce. Guilt-free drinking indeed! Personally I’m going for the Virgin mojito made with a vegan alcohol-free spirit.
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/Ethika
Demon, Wise & Partners - for classic mocktails in the city
Underground, leather seating, atmospheric lighting. Sometimes you just want a classic cocktail bar which just does one thing right - making a mean cocktail. Meet Demon, Wise & Partners, a classic cocktail bar located beneath The Arbitrager in the heart of The City of London, who pride themselves on making classic cocktails (and mocktails of course) from the best and imaginative ingredients. Once again, we rate them for breaking the trend of low-pay in the hospitality industry and being an accredited Living Wage Employer.
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/demon-wise-and-partners
Pretty Decent Beer - for drinks which do good
We love a place which has its cause baked firmly into its business model. Pretty Decent Beer gives money to local charities for every pint, cask, can and case sold. They’ve supported food banks, community football clubs, and charities supporting women escaping from abuse.
Their new brewhouse and taproom is part of the Blackhorse Beer Mile, also offers no/low alcohol options on tap. This is guilt-free, feel-good drinking at its best!
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/pretty-decent-beer-blackhorse-road-brewery-and-taproom
Axeperience - for alcohol-free adventure
NGL when I first read that Axeperience had a mocktail bar, I thought it was a mistake - because team-building activities are notorious for being alcohol centred. But I quickly realised that alcohol and axe-throwing probably don't go hand in hand!
So for a booze-free, team-building event, Axeperience is now officially top of the list. As well as being an accredited Living Wage Employer, they have partnership with Ripple Africa, a charity which empowers communities so they themselves can achieve a sustainable future, and plant trees with them.
One hour sessions start from £30 per person and they say that not one customer has left without sinking some axes.
Plan your visit with us https://ingood.app/company/axeperience
