Zero-proof cocktails on Charlotte-area restaurant menus for Dry January
Taking the month off from booze?
Dry January began in 2013 by a British-based group named Alcohol Change UK, CharlotteFive previously reported.
In 2023, 15% of U.S. adults — over 260 million Americans — pledged to a Dry January, Time magazine reported. That number includes many in Charlotte, C5 has reported.
The Alcohol Change UK website now has a free Try Dry app that also serves as a “total body reset” focusing on on better sleep, mental health and saving money and time as part of its Dry January challenge.
And here at home, Charlotte-area restaurants are offering alcohol-free cocktails during Dry January to help you with your journey. Want to make a whole event out of it? Funny Bus even has two special “Sober at 6:00” shows this January.
Check out details below:
Barcelona Wine Bar
Location: 101 W Worthington Ave Ste 110, Charlotte, NC 28203
Among Barcelona Wine Bar’s new N/A options are:
- Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling: a crisp nonalcoholic wine
- UNTOXICATED wine flight: a curated flight featuring Le Naturel Zero Zero Blanco, Tinto and Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling.
- Non-Alcoholic Sangria: crafted using the La Naturel Zero Zero wines to mirror Barcelona’s classic sangria recipe.
- Bees & Bays: A sweet, spicy and citrusy sipper
Billy Sunday
Location: 1115 N Brevard St UNIT 1, Charlotte, NC 28206
During January, Billy Sunday will host a Mocktail Happy Hour Monday through Thursday from 5-7 p.m., serving half-priced mocktails.
Funny Bus
Location: 301 E. 7th St, Charlotte
Comedian and sobriety coach Roxanne McDonald will host two special Dry January tours on the Funny Bus. “Sober at 6:00” will be held on Jan. 10 and 24. Jokes are Rated R at the tour tailored for locals with a “light history focus.” Tickets are $35.
Ever Andalo
Location: 3116 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Zero-proof cocktails on Ever Andalo’s menu include:
- View from the Top: Housemade lemon-anise syrup, grapefruit, lime, ginger beer.
- Apis Regina: Housemade juniper-honey syrup, grapefruit, lemon, soda water.
- Spirit Free Spritz: Lyre’s italian spritz, fre’s sparkling wine.
Haberdish
Location: 3106 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Check out these alcohol-free drinks at Haberdish:
- California Sober: Locally grown hemp & brown rice syrup, lemon oleo, grapefruit, soda (contains CBD).
- Boy’s Club: Cheerwine reduction, baking spices, whiskey barrel-smoked black pepper, orange juice, soda.
Little Mama’s and Mama Ricotta’s
Location: 4521 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
Location: 601 S Kings Dr AA, Charlotte, NC 28204
Both Little Mama’s and Mama Ricotta’s have zero-proof cocktails on their menus, including:
- N/A Petalo Rosso: Seedlip Garden, Blood Orange Pellegrino, turbinado sugar, soda water, topped with an orange slice.
- N/A Espresso Martini: Seedlip Spice, cold brew concentrate, turbinado syrup, garnished with coffee beans.
- N/A Fiamma Rosa: Seedlip Spice, turbinado syrup, lemon juice, Grapefruit Pellegrino, garnished with dried lemon and star anise.
[NOT FOR EVERYONE: Charlotte, you can have your Dry January. Here’s why I don’t participate.]
The Matador
Location: 1215 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Starting Jan. 8, The Matador will offer some nonalcoholic cocktails:
Scratch Margarita: This drink is a spin on Matador’s house margarita. It’s made with Lyre’s Agave Blanco and Lyre’s Orange Sec, plus fresh citrus notes from lime and orange, with a dash of agave.
Pomegranate Mule: This cocktail features Lyre’s nonalcoholic tequila mixed with a rich, fruity + lightly spicy chili-pomegranate syrup, plenty of fresh lime, and house-made ginger-orange syrup — served in the classic copper mug.
Cucumber Paloma: Lyre’s Agave Blanco blends with grapefruit soda for a refreshing drink that has a light sweetness and crisp effervescence. It’s mixed with fresh cucumber and Lyre’s Orange Sec to complement and intensify the citrus notes.
Merchant and Trade
Location: 303 S Church St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Merchant & Trade has several zero-proof cocktails on its menu in January, including:
Signature zero-proof cocktails:
Endless Vacation: Lyre’s Italian Spritz topped with Fever Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer, finished with expressed orange peel. Served over ice. $14
Figment: Lyre’s American Malt shaken with fig grenadine syrup, fresh lemon, and egg white. Served over a large cube. $14
Flowers, Honey, Legal Advice: Seedlip Grove 42 shaken with fresh lemon and wildflower honey, finished with Fever Tree Premium Soda. $13
Zero-Proof versions of house cocktails:
Rosemary’s Baby Zero Proof: Lyre’s Dry London Spirit shaken with Lyre’s Italian Spritz, fresh lemon, grapefruit, and rosemary syrup. Served over ice. $14
S’morning After Zero Proof: Lyre’s American Malt shaken with graham cracker syrup, topped with hot chocolate, and finished with toasted marshmallows. Served hot. $14
Classic cocktails without the alcohol:
- Old Fashioned. $13
- Espresso Martini. $13
- Martini/Dirty Martini. $14
- Margarita. $13
Nonalcoholic Beers:
- Upside Dawn Golden Ale. $8
- Run Wild IPA. $8
Paco’s Tacos & Tequila
Location: 6401 Carnegie Blvd #8a, Charlotte, NC 28211
Paco’s Tacos & Tequila has a few alcohol-free cocktails on its menu:
- Smoke Screen: Cut Above Zero Proof Mezcal, lemon juice, agave nectar.
- Nada Paloma: Cut Above Zero Proof Agave Blanco, grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave nectar and Topo Chico.
- Queen City Fruit Punch: orange juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, desert pear syrup, grenadine, Topo Chico.
Resident Culture
Location: 2101 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Location: 332 W Bland St C, Charlotte, NC 28203
Location: 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Rsident Culture’s nonalcoholic menu offers CBD/THC sparkling waters and NA brews, including:
- Cümulo (CBD/THC Sparkling Water) Tropical Punch 2.5mg: A burst of tropical bliss with pineapple, mango, tangerine and passionfruit.
- Cümulo (CBD/THC Sparkling Water) Pink Lemonade (available in 5mg and the “Storm” 30mg): Zesty lemon meets ripe strawberry for a vibrant pink lemonade.
- Cümulo (CBD/THC Sparkling Water) Mango Lime 10mg: Tropical meets tangy -- sweet mango and zesty lime.
- N.A.R.C. Lime & Sea Salt: An NA take on a Mexican-style lager with lime. Bright, zippy with a pop of zesty lime balanced with sea salt.
- N.A.R.C. IPA: NA West Coast-style IPA hop profile that is dry, crisp and lightly bitter with notes of grapefruit and orange zest.
- N.A.R.C. Hop Water: A hoppy sparkling water with citrus and tropical fruit notes.
Restaurant Constance
Location: 2200 Thrift Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208
Restaurant Constance has a nonalcoholic menu that features house-made cocktails made with locally sourced ingredients featuring spirit-free alternatives, plus nonalcoholic wines and beers. Cocktails include:
- One Sweet World: Autumn sangria, cinnamon, apple, citrus, zero-proof Pinot Noir.
- Back on 74: Ritual Tequila alternative, persimmon, grapefruit, fennel.
- Moonlight Mile: Yuzu, blackberry, lemongrass.
- Life in Plastic: Ritual Gin alternative, cranberry, lime.
- West L.A. Fadeaway: Tamarind tea, cardamom, fresh tamarind, bitter lekker, sparkling water.
- Dear Rosemary: Cherry, strawberry, beet, kombucha, rosemary ice.
- Running on Empty: Ritual Rum alternative, espresso, oat milk.
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Roots Cafe
Location: 2135 Southend Dr #109, Charlotte, NC 28203
Roots Cafe has a couple of morning spirit-free drinks to kick off the day:
- Chai New Fashioned: mayan chai, lemon, vanilla, angostura, soda.
- Green Orchard: spiced green apple, honey, lemon, soda, shimmer.
In the evening, during the cafe’s after-hours on Thursday and Friday between 5-10 p.m., you can order a custom nonalcoholic cocktail. Choose a flavor profile:
- Spicy, fruity, tropical.
- Coffee, bitter, citrus, ginger.
- Ginger, grapefruit, bitter.
- Pumpkin, zesty, ginger, fresh.
- Rose, fruity, floral, creamy.
- Apple, fresh, bubbly, spiced.
- Chai, citrus, spiced, cinnamon.
Spindle Bar
Location: 1115 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28206
Spindle Bar will serve up a few alcohol-free cocktails in January, including:
- Flower Child: Elderflower, Grapefruit, Verjus.
- Ring Toss: peach, Fresh Orange Juice, Lime, House-Made Ginger Beer.
- Maleficent Fairy: Passion Fruit, Thai Chilis.
- Margarita.
Superica
Location: 101 W Worthington Ave #100, Charlotte, NC 28203
Location: 4223 Providence Rd Suite D, Charlotte, NC 28211
Superica has a lineup of nonalcoholic beverage that the restaurant will be serving all month long:
Ginger no-jito: Lyre’s white cane spirit, spicy ginger syrup, fresh mint, lime.
All flower, no power: N/A Hibiscus Margarita, with Lyre’s agave spirit, Lyre’s orange sec, fresh lime, hibiscus-morita syrup.
Matador, no bull: Lyre’s agave spirit, pineapple juice, fresh lime, cilantro, jalapeño, served up.
No-mosa classic or fresca: Lyre’s sparkling with agua fresca or fresh OJ (brunch only).
Vampire weeknight: Lyre’s dark cane spirit with horchata.
Chela-nada: N/A beer over ice with fresh lime juice & salt.
Michela-nada: N/A beer over ice with bloody mary mix & chile salt.
Supperland
Location: 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205
Supperland has a few alcohol free cocktails this month:
- Spirit-Free G&T: Lyre’s n/a dry london “gin,” housemade tonic, & seasonal garnishes, served in a gin balloon (contains quinine).
- Spirit-Free Italian Spritz: Lyre’s n/a Italian spritz liqueur, freixenet n/a sparkling wine, soda water, acid phosphate, & orange slices.
- Spirit-Free At The Beach: Dr zero zero n/a “amaro,” pineapple juice, ginger syrup, muddled lime wedges, served on crushed ice.
Twin Peaks
Location: 992 Cabelas Dr, Fort Mill, SC 29708
Location: 8601 Concord Mills Boulevard, Concord, NC 28027
All month long for Dry January, Twin Peaks restaurant is serving alcohol-free Heineken 0.0. Prices vary between $3.50–$6.
Vaulted Oak Brewing
Location: 3726 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28205
Vaulted Oak Brewing has several nonalcoholic drink options, including:
- Blood Orange Lemonade Sparkles (a housemade soda made with real blood orange and lemon puree).
- Lenny Boy Strawberry Limeade Kombucha.
- Secco Alcohol-free Semi-sparkling Wine.
- Alcohol-free Rosè Brut.
Nonalcoholic beers are also on the menu, including:
- Untitled Art NA Italian Style Pils.
- Untitled Art NA Juicy IPA.
- Untitled Art NA Chocolate Dark Brew.
- Untitled Art and NA American Gold.
Wooden Robot
Location: 1440 S Tryon St UNIT 110, Charlotte, NC 28203 (The Brewery)
Location: 416 E 36th St STE 100, Charlotte, NC 28205 (The Chamber)
In celebration of Dry January, every Friday this month, Wooden Robot is hosting New Year, New Groove with DJs at The Brewery in South End location. In addition to mocktails, THC CBD drinks are on the menu:
- “Hightail” made with Calmezzi THC CBD Elixir.
- THC CBD Cooler Can by Five Flowers.
This story was originally published January 1, 2025 at 12:00 AM.
