The best non-alcoholic cocktails in Brooklyn

Brooklyn has quietly become one of the best places in New York to go out without drinking. There's a zero-proof cocktail bar and kitchen in Park Slope, an all-day cafe and bar in Greenpoint where every drink is non-alcoholic, and a dry bottle shop with two locations for stocking up. This page covers the non-alcoholic bars in Brooklyn on our map and a few bottles to keep at home. For Manhattan, see the best non-alcoholic cocktails in New York.

Sober bars are the easiest nights out when you're not drinking: you can order anything on the menu without asking what's in it, and the drinks are the point rather than an add-on. Menus and hours change, so check each place's own site or social pages before you go.

Where to go

Mockingbird

Park Slope's first zero-proof cocktail bar and kitchen, at 213 7th Ave. A bar and kitchen together makes it an easy choice for dinner and drinks with a group, including friends who drink: nobody has to go anywhere else to eat. If you want a proper sit-down non-alcoholic cocktail in Brooklyn, start here. Mockingbird

Soft Bar + Cafe

An all-day Greenpoint cafe and bar at 200 Banker St, where every drink is non-alcoholic. All-day means it works for a morning coffee, an afternoon catch-up or an evening drink, and you never need to check whether a drink is the "safe" one. They post updates on Instagram, which is the best place to check what's on before you go.

Minus Moonshine (Greenpoint)

A dry bottle shop at 257 Driggs Ave stocking non-alcoholic beer, wine, spirits and potions. It's the place to go when you want to browse the whole category in one room and walk out with a mixed bag for the week. Minus Moonshine

Minus Moonshine (Prospect Heights)

The original Minus Moonshine dry bottle shop, at 433 Sterling Pl near Washington Ave. Same idea as the Greenpoint shop, and handy if you live on the Prospect Park side of the borough. Minus Moonshine

Making the most of a sober night out

If you're planning an evening around Brooklyn's sober bars, pair them: dinner and cocktails at Mockingbird, or a daytime visit to Soft Bar followed by a stop at Minus Moonshine in Greenpoint on the way home. When you go to a regular bar, ask for the zero-proof list by name, and tell the bartender whether you like bitter, sour or sweet drinks. It usually gets you a better drink than asking for "a mocktail."

Stock up at home

A few bottles from our catalogue made in Brooklyn:

St. Agrestis Phony Negroni: the ready-made Negroni from the Brooklyn amaro makers. Pour it over a big cube with an orange twist.
Brooklyn Original: Brooklyn Brewery's classic amber, alcohol-free, with caramel malt and citrus hops.
Other Half Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA: peach candy, ripe grapefruit and mango from a Brooklyn IPA brewery.
Q Mixers Ginger Beer: spicy, not too sweet, and fizzy enough to hold up in a zero-proof mule.

Want to make a Negroni from scratch? Our non-alcoholic Negroni guide has the bottles and the recipe.

Questions

Are there non-alcoholic bars in Brooklyn?

Yes. Mockingbird in Park Slope is a zero-proof cocktail bar and kitchen, and Soft Bar + Cafe in Greenpoint is an all-day cafe and bar where every drink is non-alcoholic.

Where are the best mocktails in Brooklyn?

For a full zero-proof cocktail menu, Mockingbird is the place to start. Soft Bar + Cafe is the pick for a relaxed daytime drink. Both are fully alcohol-free, so you can order anything.

Where can I buy non-alcoholic drinks in Brooklyn?

Minus Moonshine has two dry bottle shops, one in Greenpoint on Driggs Ave and the original in Prospect Heights on Sterling Pl. Both stock non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits.

Is a sober bar a good place to take friends who drink?

Yes. The drinks are made to be interesting rather than to replace something, and a kitchen like Mockingbird's makes it an easy evening for everyone. Most people don't notice what's missing.