Luckily there are so many places that serve up some serious mocktails that you won’t even miss the booze part…well maybe not for long.
Zouk
With a massive bar, a huge terrace area (and of course the brilliant restaurant) it would be criminal for Zouk to not offer a wide range of classic cocktails and imaginative mocktails. Well, fear not – they do – and they provide all of the classics but without the booze. Cosmopolitans and Strawberry Daiquiris anyone?
Zouk Tea Bar & Grill, 5, The Quadrangle, Chester Street, M1 5QS
0161 233 1090
zoukteabar.co.uk
Hawksmoor
A firm Finest favourite, nothing beats tucking into a big juicy steak over at Hawksmoor, complete with plenty of drinks on the side. Luckily for you non-drinkers, their cocktail menu is just as imaginative as their food menu and so you’ll find plenty of alcohol free mocktails available including the brilliant Garden Highball with Ceder’s Wild (a non-alcoholic gin), cucumber and tonic. Classic and brilliant.
Hawksmoor, 184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB
0161 836 6980
thehawksmoor.com
Science & Industry
A quick look at the Science & Industry menu will uncover very little in the way of mocktails. However, this bar in the NQ (which is upstairs of Cane & Grain) is quite possibly the best cocktail bar in the city – so if you’re not drinking, all you need to do is tell the fantastic staff and they’ll rustle up something imaginative and delicious faster than you can say ‘Dry January’.
Science & Industry, 49 -51 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1NA
0161 839 7033
caneandgrain.co.uk/science-industry/
Cloud 23
Not indulging in alcohol shouldn’t stop you from indulging in some of the best views in Manchester, and so you’ll be happy to learn that Cloud 23 have a rather impressive ‘Blue Sky Drinking’ mocktail menu. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also presented amazingly well. A particular favourite is the ‘Bee on Time’ mocktail, a refreshing mix of lemon sherbert, apple juice and sage.
Cloud 23, Beetham Tower, 303 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ
0161 870 1670
cloud23bar.com
Scene
Not just famed for their unreal Indian Street food, Scene do some decent virgin cocktails too to sip on while you tuck into a fiery Phall. There’re a few brilliant ones to choose from, and speaking from experience I can wholeheartedly recommend both the Strawberry Dream (Strawberry Puree, Cranberry Juice topped over Ice with Apple Juice) and the Blue Banana (Apple and Pineapple Juice, Banana Syrup, Coconut Syrup, Lime Juice and Blue Curacao).
Scene Indian Street Kitchen, 4 New Ct St, Manchester M3 3AN
0161 839 3929
www.scenedining.com/
Harvey Nichols
So, you’ve found yourself in the Second Floor Bar and Brasserie after a couple of hours shopping and you want to treat yourself to a nice relaxing meal and some drinks. Well, this is the perfect place to be because not only is the food phenomenal but they also take their drinks very seriously up here – and that includes mocktails. They like to stick to the classics and do them well in here so I’d suggest their Virgin Mojito – and I can assure you – you’ll struggle to notice that it doesn’t have booze in it.
Harvey Nichols Second Floor Bar and Brasserie, 21 New Cathedral Street, Manchester M1 1AD
0161 828 8898
www.harveynichols.com/restaurant/manchester-dining/
Revolución de Cuba
A Mojito goes a long way at Revolución de Cuba but it doesn’t have to have the rum in it to make it amazing (although it helps). Apple and Rosemary mojitos are a good place to start but you can also try a ‘Shy May Tai’ – a mix of Sweet Almond balanced with lime, pineapple and garnished with some lovely perfumed orange.
Revolución de Cuba, 11 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR, UK
0161 826 8266
www.revoluciondecuba.com/bar/manchester/
The Alchemist
Masters of Mixology, Curators of Cocktails, Stirrers of Spirits – there’s loads of ways to describe the gang over at The Alchemist, but ‘Makers of Mocktails’ probably isn’t the one you’d think of. Well, they do have them, tucked away in their scientific-looking menu – and there’s some great ones to choose from. A personal favourite is the Spiced Maple Sour, a delicious mix of Seedlip spice, vanilla, citrus and tonic that is then topped with a maple foam.
The Alchemist, various locations
thealchemist.uk.com
Indian Tiffin Rooms
For an Indian Street Food restaurant, I’ve always been surprisingly impressed with the imaginative cocktail menu at the Tiffin Rooms and luckily for you – this extends into their Mocktail menu too. There might not be as many on offer as other places, but they’ve clearly gone for quality over quantity this time. Their T’n’T Cooler with watermelon and pomegranate is a winner.
Indian Tiffin Room, 2 First St, Manchester M15 4RL
0161 228 1000
www.indiantiffinroom.com/restaurants/manchester/
The Botanist
The Botanist always display a very impressive range of drinks for all palates and tastes, from more gin than Queen Victoria’s kitchen cupboards, to an always extravagant range of bottled beers from all over the world. Looking for something non-alcoholic though? Their ‘All the greens’ full of kiwi, mint and pipet garnish is both refreshing and a bit of a boost to keep you going on a night out.
The Botanist, 78 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2FW
0161 833 1878
thebotanist.uk.com
