For a while, it seemed like mocktails might be a passing trend in Boston’s bar scene, something for bars and restaurants to promote as a small concession for those who don’t drink. But nonalcoholic beverages are here to stay.
More and more people have turned away from drinking in recent years — consumption among U.S. adults dropped to 54% in 2025, an all-time low since Gallup began the survey in 1939 — and the hospitality industry has stepped up to the bar. From delicious zero-proof spirits that mimic the real thing to nonalcoholic beers and wines, there is something creative for everyone to drink without it feeling (or tasting) like a consolation prize.
Here are some of Boston’s best places for winning alcohol-free libations.
Long Bar & Terrace
The swanky Long Bar & Terrace, on the 17th floor of Raffles Boston in Back Bay, offers stunning views in a stylish setting. Sip on a spin of the hotel’s signature drink, the Singapore Sling, which was invented at the original hotel in 1915. The zero-proof version uses Seedlip Garden (a distilled botanical nonalcoholic spirit), cherry and pineapple.
Another option, Spilling Tea, blends Lyre’s London Spirit (a nonalcoholic gin alternative) with tea, lime and tonic for a Boston-themed twist on the classic cocktail.
If you want a snack with your drink, there’s a raw bar selection alongside cheese and charcuterie boards, perfect for sharing on the terrace.
The Fed
Located in the former Federal Reserve Bank, Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Langham, Boston is a local landmark. Everywhere you look, there are nods to its banking roots, including the financial institution’s original seal, terrazzo floors and ornate décor.
The Fed, a beautiful restaurant and bar with a 1920s look, offers creative beverage options. Try the Zero Proof Fortune, made with blood orange cordial, lime and hopped soda (it has hoppy notes sans alcohol), or the Tropical Temperance, featuring non-alcoholic bitters, pineapple, lime and molasses.
There are playful bank references on its food menus as well. Sections called Cold Cash, Share the Wealth, Common Currency and Fortune Feast have everything from raw oysters to quail egg sliders to enjoy with your drinks.
OAK Long Bar & Kitchen
The bartenders at OAK Long Bar & Kitchen at Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Fairmont Copley Plaza in Back Bay take their jobs seriously. The sumptuous setting at the historic property demands no less, so whether your drink comes with or without alcohol, it’s guaranteed to be well-made and delicious.
Try the spirit-free Honey Badger, made with lemon, grapefruit, honey and ginger beer, or the Raspberry Fields, created with Lyre’s Italian spritz, raspberry, basil, agave and lemon. You can also tell the staff the flavors you like, and it will concoct something just for you.
Pair your choice with bites like tuna tartare, crab croquettes and foie gras cannoli from the dinner menu, then settle into the luxurious surroundings.
Beyond Proof
Breaking ground as Boston’s first zero-proof cocktail bar, Beyond Proof is the creation of Krista Kranyak, who ran the popular Ten Tables restaurant in the same Jamaica Plain address for years. After closing that establishment, she reimagined the concept and the space.
At the cozy spot, which feels like a boutique bistro, you’ll see patrons chitchatting at the bar with carefully constructed concoctions in front of them. The Smoked Old Fashioned, with NKD 0% bourbon, orange and bitters, is a crowd-pleaser, especially when the smoke is added at the end right in front of you. Still Ember, made with coconut, zero percent mezcal, lime, date and sea salt, is another knockout. Additionally, there are nonalcoholic wines and beer.
Peruse the menu of Mediterranean fare, with dishes like mezze plates, fattoush salad and Persian lamb and apricot stew.
