Amy Lam

Amy Lam

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

a bartender mixes a cocktail a bartender mixes a cocktail
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Holy Ghost Bar Manager Sid Chi, seen here pouring Lyre’s Dry London NA Spirit, mixes a delicious mocktail.

Can’t Miss Mocktails in Portland

Bars and restaurants are embracing the artistry of non-alcoholic drinks for those seeking alternatives to boozy libations in Portland.

4 min read
Amy Lam

Amy Lam

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

Mocktails, zero-proof, booze-free or non-alcoholic drinks — call them what you like — are abundant on menus across Portland. Beyond craft breweries and artisanal coffee shops, a thriving community embraces the artistry of mocktails. This wave of creativity offers an alternative to those seeking more options for traditional libations and reflects a broader cultural shift towards mindful and inclusive drinking experiences.

Innovators in the Mocktail Scene

In Portland, several James Beard Award-winning chefs and their creative bartending partners are redefining the boundaries of flavor and sophistication, proving that a night out can be just as memorable without a drop of alcohol.

Gregory Gourdet, who won the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest, has spoken about his sobriety and desire to create a space for non-drinkers in the bar world. Sousòl, the bar at Gourdet’s restaurant Kann, presents a zero-proof selection of unique Caribbean flavors.

Le Pigeon icon Gabriel Rucker, who has been sober since 2013, includes a non-alcoholic menu at his restaurant Canard with mocktails and zero-proof IPAs. Canard bartender Cliff Seminerio, who also pours at Bar Casa Vale, is the founder of Worry Not!, hosting pop-up events centering on non-alcoholic dining experiences.

Sober restaurateur and bartender Eric Nelson co-owns, along with James Beard Award-winning chef Akkapong Earl Ninsom, several wildly popular Portland Thai restaurants, including Eem, which highlights “Clear Headed” cocktails on its menu.

two bartenders make drinks while customers sit at the bar looking at menus
Thai eatery Eem on North Williams Avenue was named 2019 Restaurant of the Year by The Oregonian.

Credit: Aaron Lee

Just an hour out of Portland, Wilderton produces botanical, non-alcoholic spirits in Hood River. The first zero-proof distillery in America, Wilderton redefines what cocktails can be with their innovative spirits. Leftover lime juice and soda water are the zero-proof cocktails of the past; using spirits from distilleries like Wilderton is essential for adding the bitters that give mixed drinks depth to pair with their sweetness and acidity. You can try Wilderton spirits at hip spots like Bar Casa Vale and Raven’s Manor.

Heck, from the founder of buzzy non-alcoholic pop-up Suckerpunch, launched in 2024, bringing more local beverages to fans of zero-proof drinks in Portland with a non-alcoholic IPA containing notes of pine and citrus and a crisp, light Golden brew.

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Where to Find Non-Alcoholic Drinks in Portland

Either/Or

Hip North Williams Avenue coffee shop and bar Either/Or offers various rotating coffee mocktails, including a crowd-favorite, the Salty Russian. This non-alcoholic take on a White Russian is made with alcohol-free Kahlúa and coffee-based vinegar that emulates vodka. Shaken with vanilla cream and garnished with a chocolate coffee salt rim, it’s also available as the non-dairy Salty Philly. Their evening bar menu offers mocktail hits like DB Cooper with house-made tonic and botanical bitters. Nearby, get dinner at XLB for delightfully plump Chinese dumplings, then use your mocktail caffeine boost to catch an evening show at the Portland Playhouse.

Holy Ghost

This Creston-Kenilworth bar is a beloved neighborhood haunt; Holy Ghost features a fun, alcohol-free menu infused with zero-proof tequilas, gin, and bitters created by bar manager Sid Chi. The mocktails are complex and flavorful and never feel like an afterthought. Must-tries are the smokey chipotle Target Practice made with zero-proof gin and pineapple or the Last Summer Whisper with creamy coconut-y non-alcoholic tequila and rich, purple ube syrup.

two cocktails sitting on a bar with a plant and ceramic cat in the background
The Target Practice and Last Summer Whisper are two of the refreshing mocktails available at Holy Ghost.

The Sports Bra

For sports fans, The Sports Bra is a must-visit, if not for its amazing menu, for the fact that it’s the nation’s first sports bar to exclusively show women’s sports. Chef and owner Jenny Nguyen created a menu based on traditional sports bar fare with nods to her Vietnamese upbringing. Packed with vegan and gluten-free dining options, the drinks menu is equally inclusive, with great zero-proof drinks. Try the Point, Set, Match, a sweet, tangy, aromatic drink featuring The Pathfinder Hemp and Root, a fermented and distilled hemp-based spirit.

A woman in a plaid button-down and red t-shirt sits at a bar in front of a wall of women's sports memorabilia.
Jenny Nguyen owns The Sports Bra, the nation’s first women’s sports bar.

Credit: Amy Lam

Kann and Sousòl

2024 James Beard Award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet named his acclaimed restaurant Kann (meaning “cane” in Haitian Creole) as a tribute to his favorite childhood snack: freshly harvested sugar cane. The zero-proof cocktail menu at Kann’s marries classic Haitian flavors like tamarind and passionfruit with creative ingredients like salted strawberry sugar, botanicals and house-made cordials and syrups. Try the Kowolsol with coconut milk, soursop and mint: refreshingly fruity with creamy, custardy undertones.

If you want to skip dinner (or can’t get notoriously scarce reservations), head downstairs from Kann to Sousòl for small plates and even more mocktail options. Gourdet curated a menu of zero-proof drinks to include non-drinkers like himself. Whether hankering for sweet and fresh or earthy and spicy, let the menu guide your order with its helpful taste directions.

5 To Try

More Alcohol-Optional Portland

Skip the booze without skipping the fun in Portland.

  • Ground Kontrol

    In addition to a full complement of vintage video games and pinball machines, this two-floor adult arcade features a beer and wine bar, live music and DJs on weekends, and a steady stream of joystick-related events.

  • Avalon Theatre & Electric Castle’s Wunderland

    Family-owned and -operated since the 1960s, this arcade and theater offers family-friendly fun with second-run movies, a wide variety of redemption games and more.

  • QuarterWorld

    Opened in 2016, QuarterWorld is the largest arcade bar in Portland. Split into adult- and kid-friendly sides, the old theater houses 34 machines and 64 arcade games, along with flavorful eats like bao buns, pizza and banh mi sandwiches.

  • Mox Boarding House

    Mox Boarding House is a board game store, restaurant and bar, offering fine food and drink alongside your favorite games (and many more waiting to be discovered). Private rooms are available to rent.

  • Hopscotch Portland

    Immersive art experience Hopscotch features 14 large-scale art installations in its 23,000 square foot gallery, many of which are illuminated. You can interact with the art, create the art and even become the art.