Ready to sip and savor some booze-free libations? Santa Cruz County’s vibrant food and beverage scene has refreshed its drink menus to include a medley of mocktails to indulge and delight in! Whether you’re living the non-alcoholic lifestyle or simply sober-curious, there is a tempting selection of mocktails to be discovered around Santa Cruz that will please any palate, a testament to the county’s dedication to inclusivity as well as to culinary creativity. From downtown’s zero-proof delights to flavorful, fruit-forward refreshers found beachside and more sans-spirit sips around town, each of these local spots offers an experience that’s anything but watered-down!
Front & Cooper
Housed within the lively Abbott Square Market in Downtown Santa Cruz, Front & Cooper is a go-to destination for inventive drinks, including delightful spirit-free selections! Celebrated for its creative approach to mixology, this vivacious bar serves up non-alcoholic concoctions crafted to be as visually stunning as they are delicious. Mainstay mocktails on the menu include the Lost in Paradise, a tropical elixir that mingles together passionfruit, ginger beer, lemon, and salt, and the Me Voy Pa’l Pueblo, a marvelously creamy creation blending pomegranate, coconut, and lime! Other mocktails rotate on the menu seasonally, so be sure to check out what other innovative creations are available. Grab your refreshment of choice & settle into a spot on their spacious outdoor patio, where the community comes together to listen to local music, compete in trivia nights, and enjoy good food and drinks. Whatever you choose to sip on for the evening, Front & Cooper offers a sophisticated and satisfying alternative for those seeking a booze-free experience in a vibrant, social setting!
Location: 725 Front Street, Santa Cruz
Roxa Hammock Cafe
Tucked just around the corner from bustling Abbott Square Market is the mesmerizing and otherworldly Roxa Hammock Cafe. The nation’s first hammock cafe, Roxa is an ethereal place to unwind, decompress, and hang around. Pore over the selection in their alchemical elixir bar, where teas and tonics thrive; each signature elixir has been carefully crafted for optimal effect, whether that be to loosen your tongue with their “Truth Serum” or to encourage deep conversation with their “Artistic Vessel.” There are also health tonics aimed at increasing longevity, such as their “Elixir of Immortality” and feeding your gut’s microbiome with a Dandelion Cappuccino. Consult with one of the expert staff members if it’s too difficult to choose and they’ll help guide your alchemical journey! Drink in hand, it’s time to lounge in one of their cozy hammocks, and you’ll feel relaxed and rejuvenated in no time. Everything on Roxa Hammock Cafe’s menu is zero-proof, so it’s truly a sober paradise in the heart of downtown!
Location: 110 Cooper Street, Suite 100g, Santa Cruz
Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen
Renowned local distillery Venus Spirits has mastered the art of drink-making, and its no-proof beverages are no exception! At both their Westside and Aptos Beachside locations, there are mocktails to savor while you take in the restaurant’s industrial-meets-coastal-cool vibes. Their classic Rose By Any Other Name is a must-try, which playfully combines butterfly pea flower, elderflower, rosewater, and seltzer, topped with an orange and a dried rose. Another fan favorite is the Suckerpunsch, which is like sunshine in a glass: this alcohol-free creation features a fusion of passionfruit, lemon, orange, cinnamon, and seltzer that will practically whisk you away on a tropical retreat! Thoughtfully designed to deliver the same depth of flavor and refinement as their cocktails, each sip is a testament to the care and creativity Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen puts into each item on its menu. Cheers to that!
Locations: Westside – 200 High Road, Santa Cruz; Beachside – 131 Esplanade, Aptos
After Hours
Nestled inside coffee hotspot 11th Hour downtown, After Hours has created a full craft cocktail bar within the expansive, community-driven space. Known for its welcoming atmosphere and inventive drink menu that impresses both the eye and the palate, After Hours is well worth a visit, especially for the non-alcoholic and sober curious crowd. There are several elevated, zero-proof elixirs to try on their rotating menu at any given time. Their must-try classics both feature Wilderton Earthen, a non-alcoholic botanical spirit with spicy notes of white peppercorn, pine-smoked tea, and cardamom. Sip on a Cold Brew Martini, an homage to their coffeehouse location, featuring 11th Hour’s coffee mixed with Wilderton Earthen and Demerara, or delight in a Chai Old-Fashioned, which blends Wilderton Earthen, chai syrup, and demerara, creating a warming and complex flavor profile you have to taste for yourself! They host trivia nights on Thursday, and there are fan-favorite foods available under the same roof, like Chubb’s Chicken and Full Steam Dumpling. After Hours is truly a community-centered setting where everyone can gather, relax, and enjoy expertly crafted drinks, no matter the proof.
Location: 1001 Center Street, Suite #1, Santa Cruz
Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery
Located along the picturesque and historic Santa Cruz Wharf, Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery brings the flavors of the tropics to California with their expansive sober selection! Step into this immersive, tiki-style escape and take a seat in the rotating bar or on the string-lit patio, both of which offer spectacular views of the blue waters of the Monterey Bay. Using fresh juices, exotic syrups, and vibrant garnishes, such as pineapple and orchids, each of their mocktails are meticulously prepared to transport your taste buds to a lush paradise! Opt for a classic, fruit-forward refresher, like the POG Spritzer or the Pineapple Surf, or try something different, like the Freaky Tiki, which combines guava and lemon juices with hibiscus-ginger syrup, ginger beer, tiki bitters, and more to please the palate. For something akin to dessert, taste the Mahamellow, a creamy coconut milk beverage infused with lime, vanilla, and cinnamon, all topped with a toasted marshmallow! An oasis on the wharf, Makai’s bar is slinging an assortment of spirit-free sips to enjoy while soaking in the seaside of Santa Cruz.
Location: 49A Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz
Whether you’re fully embracing a non-alcoholic lifestyle, exploring sober-curious options, or simply looking for a fresh and flavorful drink to sip for the evening, Santa Cruz County offers an enticing array of mocktails that cater to every taste! From downtown’s assortment of zero-proof elixirs to the fruit-forward flavors found closer to the beach and other spirit-free options around the county, these local spots guarantee an experience that’s full of flavor and far from ordinary.