Today is Blue Monday, supposedly the worst day of the year, and those of us who have braved Dry January feel it more than anyone. If you missed the boat on dry January and are curious to give teetotal a try, or perhaps you are one of the elite few with willpower of steel who have made it this far and are keen to keep it up, then look no further. Despite Ireland’s reputation abroad, Dublin’s bar scene has embraced non-alcoholic alternatives in recent years. And, with the introduction of minimum unit pricing potentially impacting people’s drinking habits, many will look to alternative ways to socialise, both at home and when out and about. Having said that, going for drinks is what the Irish do best, so just because you’re giving the booze a skip doesn’t mean you have to miss a good catch up with friends, while keeping your head happy, and being able to have that secret weapon of being able to remember every little thing your friend said.
The Virgin Mary Bar
Ireland’s only alcohol-free bar opened in 2019 in response to growing “sober curiosity”, particularly among millennials. Against the backdrop of Ireland’s heavy drinking culture, it can be difficult feeling like the odd one out when you order a non-alcoholic drink when you’re out with a group of friends, especially if you don’t have the excuse of having to drive home. The Virgin Mary was featured in The Economist last year, where owner Vaughan Yates said that “even pub-crawlers sometimes stop by for respite”. Calling drinks at The Virgin Mary ‘mocktails’ is apparently the worst possible insult – the cocktail list is not simply comprised of non-alcoholic versions of the classics, but rather features some incredibly exciting concoctions such as the Tiki Street, which blends Syrah, hibiscus, pomegranate molasses, allspice, vanilla, lime and black cardamom, and is described as “tart with a smoky finish”. The cocktails average at about €8, and when compared to a standard cocktail list in Dublin bars, you’ll save yourself about €4 per drink. The Virgin Mary also has an extensive non-alcoholic and low-alcohol content range of beers, ciders and wines, including BrewDog’s Punk AF and Wildlife botanicals nude sparkling. Finally, if you want to wake up with a happy head and gut – they are also serving three varieties of King of Kefir.
Saba
If hunger strikes as well as thirst, Thai/Vietnamese haunt Saba serves a small, but tempting selection of mocktails. Their homemade lemonade takes standard lemonade up a notch with lemongrass, ginger, lemon juice and syrup topped with soda water. If you need something cooling after ordering food beyond your spice capabilities, the Apple No-jito might be the answer. With apple juice, sugar syrup, fresh lime juice and mint leaves served over crushed ice and topped with soda water, this mocktail would extinguish any flames. Finally, if you wish to close your eyes and be swept away to a faraway tropical island, a sip of the Blue Moon blends fresh blueberries with peach, fresh ginger and apple juice served over ice with ground cinnamon might just do the trick. Mocktails cost only €5.95, so they’re nearly paying you to have one.
The Porterhouse Central
If you get cajoled into after college drinks but want to stick to your alcohol-free regimen, the Porterhouse Central just outside Trinity’s Nassau St entrance is a good option. They serve four different non-alcoholic and low-alcohol content bottled beers: the Weihenstephaner Alkoholfrei, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Fruh Kolsch NA and the Heineken 00, all only €4.80. The cozy and casual atmosphere is perfect for impromptu after-lecture drinks. Why not sip away while enjoying the perfect bar grub of chicken wings, burgers, fish tacos or nachos, being blissfully aware of how hangover-free you’ll be in the morning?
Bowlane
Bowlane has shot into the limelight with their bottomless brunches in recent months, and for a place to stand out amongst the saturation of bars that line Camden St and Aungier St is no mean feat, so they must be doing something right. Bottomless brunch can be a dangerous affair, so why not keep your bottoms on and stick to their non-alcoholic selection of cocktails? Bowlane serves four different non-alcoholic cocktails: the Not so Bloody Bleedin’ Máire, Cool to be Cooler, Tropical Smash and Lavender Lemonade. I don’t know about you, but the Huevos Rancheros with a Not so Bloody Bleedin’ Máire, which is made with tomato, lemon, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic reduction, basil, salt and pepper sounds like a sure way to quick start your weekend.
Guiness 0.0
This is (obviously) not a bar, however, this list would be incomplete without recommendations of the best bars in Dublin to get a Guiness 0.0, Guiness’s own non-alcoholic stout is surprisingly very similar to the original black stuff. Many bars around Dublin are serving Guinness 0.0, and Guinness have provided a handy map of places that are providing the goods. The Harold House and Annie’s Bar and Hardware are two pubs purported to serve the best Guiness 0.0. The friendly staff and old Irish atmosphere of the Harold House lends itself to the proper surroundings to enjoy a pint in, and Annie’s do a pint, toastie and crisps deal for €8. Sometimes the best things are the simplest ones.
