Mocktails have been rising in popularity in recent years as Millennial and Gen Z alcohol consumption declines. There are several reasons for this: a decline in the number of people going out to drink; a lower interest in drinking alcohol in general; and a rise in people wanting a healthier lifestyle. Americans spent $161.31 billion on nonalcoholic beverages in 2023, which represents an increase from $149.62 billion in 2022, according to Fortune Business Insights. This increase has restaurants starting to make mocktails a part of their standard menu offerings. Pittsburgh has many local spots whipping up some delicious mocktails.
Franklin Inn
The Franklin Inn has been serving zero-proof spirits and alcohol-free brews for well over 25 years, “way before it became trendy,” according to John Cibula, co-owner of the Franklin with his wife Wendy Cibula. Cibula believes that the sophistication and formulations of zero-proof spirits have gotten much better over time. “Now, customers can enjoy many of our regular featured cocktails by simply switching the alcoholic spirit for a zero-proof tequila, mezcal, gin, whiskey, or rum. We even have a zero-proof orange liqueur substitute to create a great mockarita,” said Wendy Cibula. Guests can enjoy the Franklin Inn’s core offerings year-round without a special mocktail menu. These include many flavors of their famous margaritas, old fashioneds, and palomas. Customers can also get a nonalcoholic beer or virgin drink if they don’t enjoy zero-proof spirits. The Franklin Inn has specials that change frequently, and this includes the mocktail menu as well. They’re currently offering a “Fall Tequila Old Fashioned”, which is made with Ritual Tequila or Monday Whiskey, maple syrup, cinnamon, bing cherries soaked in agave, and orange peel. Wendy Cibula believes the demand for mocktails comes from customers becoming more health-conscious. “We are happy to serve guests who, for various reasons, want to abstain from alcohol. The people who order our mocktails have told us that they appreciate being able to have something special and delicious to drink without feeling left out when dining with family and friends. We are grateful that we can meet their needs and provide them with such an experience,” she said.
Della Terra
Della Terra’s mocktail options are few, but they’re always rotating and changing with the seasons. Currently, the two offered mocktails are citrus-forward and will offer some brightness to your meal. The first seasonal mocktail is called “Miracle Cure,” and it’s made with honey, ginger, lemon, and seltzer. Their second mocktail offering is the “Crodino Spritz,” and it’s crafted with a nonalcoholic aperitivo, soda, and orange. Della Terra also serves a nonalcoholic Peroni, which is an Italian Pilsner. The restaurant is sure to have more festive nonalcoholic options as the season continues.
Kaya
Kaya’s mocktail menu is bursting with fresh, tropical flavors. The restaurant started expanding their mocktail menu in 2018. Their mocktail menu mainly consists of nonalcoholic takes on classic cocktails made with nonalcoholic liquors, such as Seedlip and Ritual Zero Proof Tequila. They currently have several unique nonalcoholic options for their guests, including Kaya Juice (a blend of guava, mango, pineapple, and cranberry juices), the No-jito, and the Mint Peach PaNOma, among several others. Kaya’s beverage manager is always coming up with seasonal cocktails as well, according to Kaya’s General Manager, Kaylie Erhart. “We have to have something for everyone. General nonalcoholics are so boring. Let’s have fun!” she said.
Alta Via
Mocktails have been a prominent part of Alta Via’s menu since they opened in 2019. They have options for everyone, from nonalcoholic beers to zero-proof cocktails to mocktails made with fruit juice and soda. Their zero-proof cocktails are reserved for those aged 21 and over and include “Champagne Problems” made with Pathfinder Amaro, Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters, champagne acid, and soda; “Jungle Bird” made with Lyre’s Amaretti, Giffard Aperitif, pineapple, and lime; and a “No-groni” made with Ritual Tequila, Giffard Aperitif, and Pathfinder Amaro. Their mocktails made without zero-proof spirits include a house-made black cherry lemonade and “Rose-colored Glasses” made with grapefruit, rosemary, and Fever-Tree ginger beer.
EYV
EYV always leans towards the untraditional when it comes to their menu, and their mocktail menu is no different. EYV’s mocktails are fruit-forward, with options like “Beets Me,” a refreshing Mojito-style mocktail with the addition of red beet juice and vanilla bean; “A-Tonic Cuke,” a refreshing ginger and cucumber highball with a nice hit of citrus; and “Bloodvardier,” made with fresh blood orange and grapefruit juices with the addition of quinine to add some complexity to the drink. “We like to emphasize the changing of the seasons heavily at the restaurant. The offerings change as often as we are able to get our hands on new and interesting seasonal produce,” said Head Bartender Daniel Dougherty. EYV has experimented with nonalcoholic liquors in their mocktails, but they’ve leaned away from that more recently. “We have opted to focus more on what fresh ingredients we can use to add that level of complexity that mocktail consumers are looking for,” said Dougherty. Many people come to EYV specifically for their highly curated mocktail menu, according to Dougherty. He said mocktails have become a huge part of EYV’s identity since they opened in 2022, and they’re proud they can cater to everyone’s needs. “Offering a wider selection of mocktails has been a great decision for us at the restaurant. It is important for many reasons, but the most important to us is inclusivity. We want to be able to curate something special for any and all of our customers, and a more robust menu also allows those customers to explore a few different options that will span their entire dining experience if they wish.”
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