Photo credit: Test Pilot
Mocktails are having a moment and we are here for it. Whether you’re making it a Dry January, steering clear of day drinking, or abstaining from alcohol altogether, you don’t have to miss out on tasty concoctions and local specialty drinks when visiting Santa Barbara cocktail bars and restaurants. We’ve rounded up hot spots that have created thoughtful non-alcoholic drink recipes for their patrons. And if you’re in the market for local souvenirs to create zero-proof drinks at home, we’ve also included a list of makers whose shrubs and mixers make mocktail magic as well as a new local non-alcoholic wine.
A tiki bar at heart, Test Pilot is one of the region’s most respected craft cocktail destinations. So it’s no surprise that their mocktail menu receives equal consideration. Tropical flavors dominate, from the simple fresh young coconut water and the Virgin Buccaneer to the rotating local shrub mocktails and Orgeat Fizz. The same management company, Good Lion Hospitality, is behind Shaker Mill, a buzzy downtown hot spot that also offer Orgeat Fizz and seasonal shrub mocktails.
Loquita’s mocktails lean warm, spiced and citrus-forward, with the same depth as its cocktails. Standouts include Bengala de Granada with Pentire Coastal Spritz, pomegranate, cinnamon, ginger, lime and clove, the creamy Horchata with oat milk and chocolate chai, plus fresh, bright options like strawberry-mint Limonada and tea-driven Citrico del Sol with Earl Grey, orgeat and lemon.
The Lark’s mocktails are fresh and seasonal, blending garden and fruit flavors with a modern twist. Favorites include OM with kombucha, berry and lavender, Secret Garden with basil and cucumber, Cranberry Tart with orange and bay leaf, and rotating Farmer’s Market Shrubs like spiced pear, jalapeño and fig.
Contemporary Mexican eatery Santo Mezcal makes mocktails that pair well with their vibrant cuisine served from breakfast through dinner. The Raspberry Limeade features raspberry syrup, lime and soda, while the Palomita is a refreshing blend of grapefruit juice, honey-lavender syrup and soda. There’s also a non-alcoholic Corona. Dinner-only The Lark is a pillar of the Funk Zone’s culinary scene. The Lark concocts seasonal shrubs in flavors such as blackberry-lemongrass mixed with fresh lemon and ginger beer and lemon-mint with soda water. Down on Santa Barbara’s waterfront, Convivo at the Santa Barbara Inn features a Fizzy Miss Lizzy, Ginger’s Juice and Health Club.
Discover spirit-free sips at Rosewood Miramar Beach‘s Michelin-starred Caruso’s, where non-alcoholic cocktails are crafted with the same care as the classics. Try Teatime, blending Seedlip, lemon and lavender hibiscus tea, or La Mora Messicana, featuring Almave Blanco, Lyre’s Italian orange, lime and blackberry for a bold, balanced pour.
The Manor Bar, also inside Rosewood Miramar Beach, delivers a sophisticated zero-proof lineup inspired by California flavors. Highlights include Powers, a savory blend of spirit-free agave with carrot, lime and saline, and Salem, which layers coastal botanicals with salted cucumber aloe cordial and pickle brine.
When it comes to zero-proof souvenirs, Potek Winery has you covered with wine-like beverages made with premium local grapes and infused with natural aromatics and botanicals. Pick up a bottle (or case) of January Zero Percent Manzanilla Chardonnay or Juniper Grenache, which winemaker Dave Potter describes as, “a chillable, crunchy red made from Santa Ynez Valley Grenache, juniper berries, bay laurel leaves, black tea, sumac, angelica root, smoked sea salt and black peppercorns.” You can buy the wine at Potek’s Haley Street tasting room and bottle shop.
Dusk Bar keeps things refined with a compact mocktail lineup that doesn’t compromise on flavor. Standouts include the citrus-forward Lyerita made with non-alcoholic agave, the tropical No Nada with pink guava and pineapple and a rotating Seasonal Shrub crafted by the bartender.
At Alcazar Tapas Bar, mocktails get the same attention as cocktails. Created for Dry January and all year long, these zero-proof drinks are balanced, considered and anything but secondary. Try the Fennel Fizz with lemon-fennel syrup and soda, or Pure Passion, a bright mix of passionfruit, lime, orange, simple syrup and soda.
Pacific Pickle Works is a Santa Barbara-headquartered company that creates gourmet level Bloody Mary mixers and kits, in addition to a wide range of pickled veggies. Spice up your weekend brunch game at home with virgin Bloody Mary’s using their special seasoned elixir — everything down to the Worcestershire is made from scratch. Add the tomato juice of your choice, a squeeze of fresh lemon and lime and garnish with their picked asparagus, dilly beans and/or carrots. Their goods are available all over, including the Santa Barbara Airport, local grocery stores, Santa Barbara Winery, Seaside Makers and the Santa Barbara Company.
