When I first stopped drinking almost two years ago, I didn’t realize how limited the options were for people like me: those who want their fair share of fun drinks once in a while, without the alcohol. I personally found several soft drinks that satisfied the urge. Kombucha (specifically GT's Synergy Guava Goddess flavor), Churchill and cappuccino became my go-to drinks whenever I went out to hang out with friends.
A lot of people ask me why I waste money on sugary mocktails when the non-alcoholic options I listed above (and many more) exist at all restaurants. I believe those people completely miss the best part of mocktails: similar to cocktails, they never get boring. When I open a bottle of Guava Goddess kombucha, the taste is standard. My Churchill’s taste depends on the lemon and salt ratio, but it’s always familiar. Cappuccinos do have a stronger excitement element as each cafe adds their unique commentary to their coffee (best one I’ve ever had was at a random coffee shop in Berlin, though Red Emma’s oat milk cappuccino has a special place in my heart), but they’re still not like mocktails.
I like to open the “Mocktails” (or “N/A Drinks” as many places tend to group them with other soft drinks) section and check the recipes, imagining what they will end up tasting like. Not knowing what the drink will be like makes the whole experience more invigorating: Will I end up liking fig jam paired with lemon, ginger syrup, ginger ale? I wonder what this bar’s maraschino cherries taste like...
It might be comforting to know what you will taste when you take a sip from a fresh can of Coca Cola, but mocktails are where you get to explore what suits your palate and leave your comfort zone to try new flavors and combinations, which I’ve always found entertaining! In this article, I will share the best mocktails I’ve had in Baltimore so far. I hope that you’ll make your way to these places and give them a try!
No. 3: N/A Vampire Killer, Nepenthe Brewing Co.
The first time I had this drink was the Sunday right before school started, when I had to drag my boyfriend with me to Hampden so that I could get a new SIM card (thank you Metro for permanently deleting my number because my autopay didn’t go through!). As I checked what this drink consisted of, I was mostly intrigued by almond orgeat (as you will see with my No. 1 choice, I’m a sucker for almond flavored drinks).
The almond-orange flavors were combined with house maraschino syrup, lemon, rose powder and toasted green cardamom, all brought together in alcohol-free gin and topped with a maraschino cherry (delicious). The foamy finish, and the perfect combination of fruity flavors with warm, nutty seasonings made this drink a delight. I’m almost grateful that Metro deleted my phone number as, otherwise, I’m not sure if I would pass by Nepenthe and decide to go in to have a drink.
No. 2: Café Varo, Southpaw
My high school friend came to visit me and suggested going out during her last night, so we randomly chose a small cocktail bar. There, I loved this drink so much that I got it twice! Surprisingly, cocktail bars never make coffee-based mocktails, which has always been upsetting to me as I love coffee.
I stopped drinking before I ever had an espresso martini, and since the idea of coffee-mocktails has always intrigued me, I’ve always wanted to try one, which was made possible by Café Varo. Non-alcoholic vodka is combined with cold brew and non-alcoholic mezcal, then topped with cinnamon. Such a simple yet delicious mocktail that I wish more places tried out.
No. 1: A Date to Remember, Ammoora
I had the pleasure of having this drink during my pre-Valentine’s Day dinner with my boyfriend. It was love at first sight and a perfect concoction of almond, orange and date flavors, the latter of which earned the drink its meaningful name. It was a Valentine’s Day special, which breaks my heart as I would go back to Ammoora just to have this mocktail once again. I hope they will bring it back next year.
Other than the smooth, creamy taste, the presentation was also beautiful: the rim of the glass was covered with almond particles and topped with a red, decorative flower, fitting the ambiance of the place and Valentine theme perfectly.
