A Columbus Bar Proves Drinks Don't Need Alcohol to Be Interesting

A Columbus bar dedicated to zero-proof drinks is making the case that a cocktail does not need alcohol to be interesting, building an entire menu around spirit-free drinks made with the same craft as any bar program. The space gives the growing sober-curious movement a room of its own.

The trend reflects shifting attitudes toward drinking, as more people cut back without wanting to give up the ritual and social pleasure of a good cocktail. Meeting that demand takes real skill — balancing acidity, bitterness, and depth without alcohol's structure.

Bartenders in the space treat the constraint as a creative challenge rather than a compromise. The result, they argue, is a drink you order because you want it, not merely because you are abstaining.