Sober · Field Guide

The Best Mocktails to Order at Any Bar

No mocktail menu? No problem. Eight drinks a good bartender can make from what is already behind the bar.

By Drinqly 6 min read
Quick answer

Even with no mocktail menu, almost any bar can make a virgin mojito, a Shirley Temple, a soda with fresh lime, a cranberry and soda, or an espresso tonic from what they already stock. If they carry ginger beer, order a virgin mule. The trick to a good one is asking for something sour, something with texture, and something aromatic, so it drinks like a real cocktail instead of a sad soda.

The hardest part of ordering a non-alcoholic drink at a bar is not the drink. It is the moment you scan the menu, find nothing but soda and cranberry juice, and feel like the odd one out. Here is the fix: you do not need the bar to have a mocktail list. Every one of these is built from ingredients a normal bar already has, and you can order them by name.

What makes a mocktail actually good

A plain soft drink is flat, one-note, and over in two sips. A good mocktail borrows the same structure as a cocktail. Keep three things in mind and you can order or invent one anywhere:

Something sour, something with texture, something aromatic. Get all three and it stops tasting like a soda.

Sour is fresh citrus, lime or grapefruit or lemon. Texture is bubbles or a little spice: soda, tonic, ginger beer, or a dash of bitters. Aromatic is the finishing touch that makes it smell like a drink: mint, a citrus twist, a few berries. That is the whole formula. The list below is really just eight ways to hit those three notes.

Eight to order by name

  1. Virgin Mojito

    Refreshing · herbal

    Muddled mint, lime, a little sugar, and soda. It is the gold standard non-alcoholic order because it is genuinely refreshing and nearly every bar has mint and lime on hand.

    Ask for: "A virgin mojito, please, mint, lime, and soda."

  2. Soda and Fresh Lime

    Clean · low sweetness

    The simplest grown-up option. Soda water over ice with two limes squeezed in and dropped in the glass. Crisp, not sweet, and usually the cheapest thing you can order.

    Ask for: "Soda water, lots of fresh lime, on the rocks."

  3. Shirley Temple

    Sweet · nostalgic

    Ginger ale or lemon-lime soda with a splash of grenadine and a cherry. Universally known, so you never have to explain it. Ask for less grenadine if you want it less sweet.

    Ask for: "A Shirley Temple, easy on the grenadine."

  4. Virgin Mule

    Spicy · satisfying

    A Moscow Mule without the vodka: ginger beer, fresh lime, over ice, ideally in the copper mug. The ginger gives it a real bite, which is what most soft drinks are missing.

    Ask for: "A virgin mule, ginger beer and lime." (Only if they stock ginger beer.)

  5. Virgin Paloma

    Bittersweet · citrus

    A Paloma minus the tequila: grapefruit soda or fresh grapefruit with soda, lime, and a pinch of salt on the rim. Grown-up and a little bitter, the opposite of cloying.

    Ask for: "Grapefruit and soda, fresh lime, salt rim."

  6. Espresso Tonic

    Bittersweet · energizing

    A shot of espresso poured over tonic and ice. Fizzy, bitter, and interesting, and a great pick at a bar with a coffee setup or a brunch spot. It looks and feels like a real cocktail.

    Ask for: "Espresso over tonic and ice, if the machine is on."

  7. Cranberry and Soda

    Tart · light

    Cranberry juice cut with soda water and a lime wedge, so it is tart and fizzy instead of syrupy. Ordering it half cranberry, half soda is the move most people miss.

    Ask for: "Cranberry and soda, half and half, with lime."

  8. Soda with Bitters

    Dry · aromatic

    Soda water with a few dashes of aromatic bitters and a lime twist. It is the bartender's classic for the sober crowd because it drinks dry and complex. One caveat: bitters are alcohol-based, so a dash adds a trace. Avoiding alcohol entirely? Skip it and ask for ginger or citrus instead.

    Ask for: "Soda with a couple dashes of bitters and a lime twist."

How to order one that is not on the menu

Order it the way you would order anything: name it, or describe the flavors. "Something citrusy and not too sweet, with soda and fresh lime" gives a bartender everything they need to build you a good drink on the spot. They make non-alcoholic drinks all the time, and most enjoy the small challenge of improvising one.

The one rule

You never owe anyone an explanation for what is in your glass. "I'm good with a mocktail tonight" is a complete sentence. The right bar makes it easy; a good bartender will not make it a thing.

Remember the ones you loved

The frustrating part of a great mocktail is the same as a great cocktail: a month later you cannot remember which bar made the espresso tonic you keep thinking about. That is exactly what Drinqly is for. Its sober mode treats a mocktail as a first-class drink, so you can log it, rate it, snap a photo, and keep a running list of the non-alcoholic drinks worth ordering again. Next time you are out, you are not starting from a blank menu.

Common questions

What mocktails can I order at a bar with no mocktail menu?
Almost any bar can make a virgin mojito, a Shirley Temple, a soda with fresh lime, a cranberry and soda, or an espresso tonic from what they already stock. If they carry ginger beer, ask for a virgin mule. You do not need a printed list, just order one by name.
What is a good non-alcoholic drink to order at a bar?
One with something sour (fresh lime or grapefruit), something with texture or spice (ginger beer, tonic, or bitters), and something aromatic (mint or a citrus twist). A virgin mojito, a virgin Paloma, or an espresso tonic all hit those notes and feel like a real drink rather than a soft drink.
How do I order a mocktail without making it awkward?
Order it like any drink: name it and be specific about the flavors you want. Good bartenders make non-alcoholic drinks constantly and most are happy to improvise. You never owe anyone an explanation for what is in your glass.
Are mocktails cheaper than cocktails?
Often, but not always. A soda and lime is usually a few dollars, while a built mocktail with fresh juice and several ingredients can be priced close to a cocktail because it takes the same work. If price matters, the simple citrus-and-soda options are cheapest.
Do mocktails with bitters contain alcohol?
Classic bitters are alcohol-based, so a dash adds a trace amount. It is very small, but if you are avoiding alcohol completely, skip the bitters and ask for citrus, ginger, or a flavored syrup instead. A good bartender will not blink.
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