If you’re practicing for Feb-fast, Dry July, OcSober or just not keen on the drinks, we’ve complied a list of places to keep you going while your mates have the drinks flowing.
Illustration Sophie Blackhall-Cain.
Melbourne
Red Spice Road – 27 McKillop St, Melbourne
If refreshing and fruity is your thing, head over to Red Spice Road for a Lychee Passion (fresh passionfruit, lychee, grape and lemon juice with a kaffir lime syrup), or a Vera’s Choice (cucumber, aloe vera juice, pomegranate molasses, Hepburn Springs) if you’re on a bit of a health kick.
After The Tears – 9b Gordon St, Elsternwick
With cheery names like Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (black elderberry syrup, lemon and “fizzy stuff”), and Very Berry Yum Yum, (mint, strawberry, raspberry), contraire to the name, After The Tears is sure to put a smile on your sober face.
Brisbane
Emporium Hotel Cocktail Bar – 1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley
If you’re feeling like something a little more like a real cocktail, go for a Lychee & Lemongrass Collins (lemon juice, cloudy apple juice, lemongrass syrup, ginger ale mint, lychee). If you’re not feeling it, go for a Rosy Refresher (cranberry juice, grapefruit, rose syrup, peach bitters, cucumber).
Sydney
Manta Restaurant & Bar – 6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo
Boasting not only a vegetarian menu, but a vegan one as well, Mantra have a small but sweet cocktail menu consisting of fizzy, fruity goodness, like the Fizzy Bliss (pineapple and lime juice, pineapple puree, soda water and a dash of grenadine).
Perth
My Place Bar & Restaurant – 70 Pier St, Perth
As well as basic mocktails (think Virgin Mary), they have some extra sweet ones like Tobledelight (chocolate, coffee, vanilla ice cream, hi lo milk, blended over ice) and My Place Mocktini (muddled pieces of fresh lime soaked with green tea, honey syrup, black current syrup and homemade melon syrup topped with lemonade); more like desserts than mocktails, but we are perfectly okay with that.
