Free Spirits: 12 Newcastle Bars for Mocktails & Low-Alcohol Drinks
Our guide to some of the best places to get alcohol-free drinks and mocktails in the city.
We’re halfway through what for many people is Dry January: a month after the Christmas and New Year festivities to eschew booze for a while and give our livers a rest after December’s excesses.
Of course, some people are permanently alcohol-free, and for those that aren’t, moderation is always a good thing. Luckily, more and more alcohol-free spirits are emerging all the time so it's even easier to avoid alcohol without missing out on great-tasting drinks.
So, in the spirit of Dry January and beyond, here's where to head in Newcastle for delicious alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks that your liver will thank you for.
Twenty Twenty, Bigg Market
The vibey Bigg Market pizza joint is already winning respect for its vegan-friendly menu this Veganuary and has also upped its mocktail game for Dry January, so if you like the sound of a Summer Fruits Nojito, an Apple & Ginger Collins or a Soft Pornstar, get down to Twenty Twenty. There’s even a happy hour which is actually lots of hours – midday till 7pm and 9pm till close Monday to Thursday, midday till 7pm Friday and all day Sunday!
The Alchemist, Eldon Square
There’s surely no bar in Newcastle that’s as OTT and theatrical as The Alchemist. It's a mad scientist’s laboratory of remarkable potions and unlikely concoctions and you'll be pleased to hear that this extends to its mocktail menu too. There’s ten mocktails available, either spins on mocktail classics or their own special creations, such as the CBD Spritz, which adds a CBD gummy to a tasty-looking spritz and the Virgin Pornstar which throws caviar into its low-alcohol mix!
Chart House, Quayside
With its remarkable building and first-class menus, Chart House is already an alluring proposition but you’ll be pleased to hear that its well-curated drinks menu has some inviting options for the abstemious too: alongside soft drinks and low-alcohol beers (from BrewDog and Erdinger) there is also a trio of tasty looking mocktails: the Mi-Tango, the Autumn Purple and the Citrus All Sorts, which looks delicious.
WC, Bigg Market
WC has made quite a splash (geddit?!) simply by being housed in a former Victorian public toilet beneath the Bigg Market. Its drinks menus have added to the appeal, especially the remarkably lengthy cocktail lists. Non-drinkers are well-looked after here too: there’s a more interesting soft drinks offer than you’d expect, and most of their cocktails can be served alcohol free if you ask the bartender.
Las Iguanas, Grey Street
The Newcastle branch of Las Iguanas has been serving up the best of Latin American food and drinks for a while now and their permanent two-for-one cocktails offer is a big part of the appeal. They’re no slouch when it comes to mocktails either – there are seven to choose from, with the All Bull No Horns and Apple Mojo-Less looking especially tasty.
Barluga, Grey Street
Another popular Grey Street destination is Barluga, a stylish bar and restaurant located in a converted bank. Alongside a small but tempting selection of mocktails (including a boozeless Passionfruit Martini and Apple Mojito), they also offer alcohol-free lager, beer, cider and G&Ts.
The Botanist, Monument
From its none-more-central location slap bang at the Monument, The Botanist is a fun and lively kind of place with an enviable drinks and cocktail menu but if you want to have fun without alcohol, there’s plenty on offer for you too. There’s a four-strong mocktail list – the Mind Mojito, the Botanist Lemonade, the Blackberry Rhubarb Cooler and the Forest Spritz.
Lola Jeans, Market Street
Full of character and flavour (which extends to the food and the décor), Lola Jeans is one of the city’s most popular bars and with a creative low-and-no mocktail menu, nobody needs to feel left out. For example, there’s the Botanist (pink grapefruit, thyme and Fentimans pink grapefruit tonic) or the Roku (cracked pink peppercorns, fresh mint & Fentimans Yuzu tonic) - plus some low-alcohol beer and interesting soft drinks.
Tiger Hornsby, Quayside
Tiger Hornsby take their cocktails very seriously, with a seasonal cocktail menu that’s constantly being revised and adapted. And many of these drinks are available in alcohol-free versions if you ask, so you can enjoy spins on the Moviestar Martini, Geordie Pink Fizz and the Very Berry, which is extremely tempting.
All Bar One, Quayside
A nationwide institution with more than 50 branches, All Bar One is a perennially popular destination for a girls’ night out and with a £7 per cocktail offer running from Sunday to Wednesday, the extensive mocktail menu is even more appealing. There are alcohol free spins on Martinis, Spritzes, Mojitos and more and they all look very refreshing indeed.
MOJO, The Gate
A fairly recent arrival on the Newcastle bar scene, MOJO is a riot of music, booze, food and bar games in the depths of The Gate, with a lengthy cocktail list that includes a fine selection of mocktails. From the Prohibition Manhattan to the Phoney Negroni, MOJO has got you covered when it comes to swerving alcohol.
Victors, The Quayside
Offering a varied and tempting American-Asian menu in an excellent location, Victors is another Quayside destination with an impressive cocktail list featuring a few enticing no-alcohol options. How does a Tanqueray Zero-d, a Mimosa AF and Morning Pornstar sound right now?
So there you are – lots of options for a night out having fun and drinking some fine beverages in Newcastle without the dreaded hangover the next day. It’s all a lot more tasty and exciting than endless lime and sodas!
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