The best places in Manchester for alcohol-free drinking

So you’ve found yourself at 20 Stories. The sun is shining (or at least it isn’t raining), you’re surrounded by pals sipping on spritzes and nibbling on truffle fries and the like, and you don’t want the fun to stop, but you just don’t really want to drink. Worry not, there’s a varied alcohol-free spirits list, featuring brands like Caleño and Everleaf, and a vibrant mixed drink menu to match, with a handful of tempting Mediterranean-inspired concoctions. That’s more than enough reason to linger longer on that sun-trap of a roof terrace.

Named after a long-forgotten cocktail (rye, grapefruit and raspberry), the mixological minds at Blinker have come up with a short but perfectly-formed list of low ABV cocktails based around botanical spirits by Three Spirit, which promise mood-altering properties like the ‘livener’ and the ‘nightcap’. The folk at Blinker know all too well how to combine a bunch of flavours into a delicious, well-rounded sip, so this one is a must-try for sober-curious sophisticates.

With an extensive list of ‘teetotal tipples’, alcohol free drinks at Dishoom are no afterthought. So whether you’re having one of their famous breakfast naans and don’t quite fancy getting on the booze yet, or drinking isn’t your thing generally, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Ingredient-wise, all things fragrant and spiced play a big role, as do Indian specialities like sparking Darjeeling green tea, smoky Lapsang and black cardamom. There are sober versions of a mojito and a negroni, but the No-hafta Colada – made with dragon fruit and papaya – really steals the show. There’s also a comprehensive range of refreshing sodas and alcohol-removed beers and wines, if you’re looking to replicate the classic British ‘curry and a lager’ experience.

As a steakhouse known for its elegant dining rooms and indulgent cocktail menu, Hawksmoor might not be your first thought when it comes to alcohol-free options. But you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that their concise but perfectly-formed alcohol-free menu contains a Stivo Spritz, a grown-up take on a Shirley Temple, and even a booze-free sangria. There’s a mango soda and a matcha soda too, so you can enjoy something soft without feeling like you’re ordering from the kids’ menu.

Located in the basement of the much-loved Manchester Buddhist Centre and continuing the tone of balance and wellbeing throughout the building, Hinterland offer an entirely alcohol-free bar experience. Aiming to ‘cut out the awkward small talk around sobriety’, they have loads of interesting alcohol-free beers, wine and spirits, as well as all your usual teas, coffees and soft drinks, while mixed drinks are made with some of the best alternative spirits around. Plus, they have one of the longest low ABV beer and cider lists we’ve seen, taking in the whole spectrum of craft beers including stouts, sours and porters. In the midst of some of the Northern Quarter’s most well-known watering holes, this cosy spot is advertised as ‘for the sober and sober-curious’.

Red Light is the super-cool, LGBTQ+ inclusive cocktail bar in KAMPUS, and while they’re known for their late-night vibe, partying doesn’t have to mean boozing, especially when their non-alcoholic serves are as chic as their alcoholic counterparts. Using a combination of specialist alcohol-free spirits and ingredients made in-house by the Red Light team like seasonal sorbets and acidulated juices to recreate a truly authentic cocktail experience. Do not, under any circumstances, call it a ‘mocktail’.

Widely regarded as one of the best in the city, it’s fitting that Schofield’s have an equally superlative offering when it comes to their non-alcoholic options. Flip straight to the Temperance portion of the menu and browse what they refer to as ‘carefully curated tipples prepared with the same love, care and affection as our cocktails’. There’s a perfected Virgin Mary with all the restorative qualities of the bloody version, alongside incredibly refined options like a Frosty Toddy with honey, ginger and lemon and a Dove with rose, grapefruit and lime. In the sultry surroundings of Sunlight House, you don’t need anything stronger in your drink to relax into an elegant evening.

It’s no secret Sexy Fish don’t do things by halves. The Spinningfields destination (arguably the Spinningfields destination, typifying the over-the-top glitz the mini-neighbourhood is known for) is known for their extravagant interiors, attention-seeking seafood dishes and mountains of wagyu beef. Their alcohol-free offering has been given equal weighting to their booze-led counterparts. Drinkers are invited to first choose from 12 flavours – which range from the likes of cacao to sugar snap pea – then pick their poison: each flavour has a boozy or alcohol-free iteration. If that sounds complicated, it isn’t really. We’re especially sold on the honey and the plum inspired drinks.

Tropical lychee, lemon balm and agave are some of the ingredients which make up Tattu’s tropical-leaning alcohol free cocktail menu. If you’ve experienced the drinks at Tattu before you’ll know they are nothing short of works of art, always highly conceptual served in sculptural glassware. Their alcohol-free menu leans into all things dark and mysterious, with creations like Sweet Skulduggery with kiwi, blueberry and lychee and the Forbidden Forest with orange, passion fruit, and an alternative ginger ale. Certainly intoxicating, but not in the usual sense.