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So you spent December over-indulging on booze and now your body's screaming for a break. Well, the days where an orange juice or a Coke were the only options for Dry January are long gone: London now has the most creative selection of non-alcoholic options you can imagine. Here are nine bars worth a try.
Dandelyan
This award-winning cocktail bar at the Mondrian is serving up the Dandelyan Sour-less combining apple, mint, lime, 'dandelion capillaire' syrup and an optional egg white. It's modelled on one of their most popular cocktails – sans alcohol – so you won't appear out of place with one of these in your hand. Alternatively, you could always try to get three of your five-a-day with the Huckleberry Sling with blueberry, fennel, grapefruit and elderflower tonic.
Company Below
Hiding under Greek Street meatball restaurant Balls & Company is this pocket-sized speakeasy-style basement bar. Upstairs may be all about the balls, but downstairs is where the magic is at. Although they're masters at a boozy cocktail, they have put a lot of effort into their alcohol-free offerings. There's the Asian-inspired Smoked Pistachio, which combines smoked tea, coconut milk, lychee, lime and pistachio syrup. Or you can try the Garden Spritzer, a nod to the English summer garden with its fusion of cucumber, basil, strawberry, lemon and soda.
Redemption's Coco-tina
Redemption
The aptly named Redemption is London’s first non-alcoholic cocktail bar, located in Notting Hill and a brand new venue on Old Street. You won't feel like you're missing out with their Coco-tini, a coconut water and berry infused ‘martini’ shaken over ice with a squeeze of lime, with your choice of blueberry or cranberry. As their motto goes: 'Spoil yourself without spoiling yourself'.
La Bodega Negra
Walking through what looks like a sex shop on Old Compton Street, you'll find an underground tequila cellar offering an extensive menu of delicious booze-rich cocktails. However, mixologists at La Bodega Negra also boast a fantastic selection of alcohol-free alternatives from the Passion Fruit Ting with passion fruit, Ting, cranberry juice, lime and grenadine to the Red Berry Ice Tea with red berry tea, hibiscus, lime and agave.
Grain Store, King's Cross
Grain Store
Bruno Loubet's Grain Store restaurant in King's Cross offers booze-free options that follow the same vegetable-focussed ethos as his food. The Roman Redhead balances red grape juice, beetroot and 'verjus' (the juice of unripened grapes), while the French Blonde is a stunning mix of grape juice, elderflower cordial, lemongrass and verjus.
Dishoom's Lassi
Dishoom
'Bombay café' Dishoom is well known for its exciting food. With apparently endless queues of hungry Londoners willing to wait for a table, they now have four branches with a recent opening on Kingly Street. They've also got a couple of good virgin cocktails going on, like the yoghurt-based Mango and Fennel Lassi or a Bombay Colada, a classic pineapple and coconut-cream concoction with a twist of coriander, chai syrup and lime juice.
Boundary
The new rooftop space at Boundary in Shoreditch includes a weather-proof pergola, allowing the bar and dining area to remain open every day and all year, whatever the weather. A garden-style design centres around a wild herb theme and features a heated orangery, filled with a variety of Citrus trees including Lemon, Clementine, and Calamondin, as well as Mimosa trees. In keeping with the horticultural theme, those seeking to be virtuous can choose from a selection of non-alcoholic cocktail options including a Blackberry Bellini with blackberries, cranberry juice, and lemonade and a zingy Apple and Ginger Mule, a mix of apple juice, mint and ginger beer.
Gnome's Juice at Studio Bar K West
Studio Bar at K West Hotel & Spa
With a history of guests such as Bob Marley, The Kinks and Roxy Music, West London's K West Hotel has a reputation for housing rock 'n' roll royalty. You can get through Dry January at their Studio Bar with its moody atmosphere, whilst sipping on their Gnome’s Juice – a concoction of muddled strawberries, cranberry juice and mellow strawberry puree.
Pollen Street Social’s Tea ‘n’ Tea
Pollen Street Social
Served in a coffee pot and garnished with mint sprigs and viola flowers, the cocktail is an invigorating yet sweet blend of coconut noir tea, lemon juice and the restaurant’s own honey syrup. As if the drink itself were not delicious enough, ‘Tea ‘n’ Tea’ is accompanied by a buttery coconut shortbread biscuit in a further nod to teatime customs and to ensure that while guests may not be indulging on alcohol, this tipple remains a total treat.
Can't hack the detox? Check out these happy hours in London.