The Zero Proof Playbook is BevNET’s exclusive interview series with the pioneers and experts who are shaping adult non-alc (ANA) spaces – uncovering the trends and on-the-ground data driving it forward.
Ordering a zero-proof option at a bar or restaurant can mean anything from a soda to a non-alc beer, but how are some of the country’s buzziest bars experimenting with non-alc options? We asked the creators behind the menus of three buzzy bars and restaurants: hotspot Bar Benjamin in Los Angeles, the Tao Group’s Crane Club in New York, and Michelin-starred Esmé in Chicago. They told us how they’re addressing challenging economics, how they’re avoiding some of the biggest traps for NA drinks, and where they see the future of ANA drinks.
How do NA cocktails fit into the rest of your menus?
Chad Austin, beverage director at Bar Benjamin: I think that if you are designing a menu with a theme or a throughline, it’s important to keep that same energy when you get to your NA section. If a non drinker is coming out to your bar they are doing so to be a part of something, don’t exclude them from the group in any way.
Chris Lemperle, bar manager at Crane Club: Our NA program is woven into our core beverage menu. Cocktails with spirit-free counterparts are indicated with a small symbol. NA beer and wine are integrated alongside our regular beer and wine by-the-glass selections.
Stevan Miller, beverage director at Esmé: The NA program is woven into the fabric of our beverage program. Rather than simply creating non-alcoholic versions of classics, we focus on structured, original drinks. Detroit Industry Murals is a perfect example. Built around Michigan apples, we layer in local honey, habanero, appetite-awakening angelica root, and cleansing ginger. It is served in a soda siphon and Spanish Gin & Tonic glass, an experience as dynamic and intentional as any spirit-based cocktail.
What are some of the challenges with crafting good and economic NA drinks?
Austin: The main challenge is getting people to understand why these NA Spirits are sometimes more expensive than the spirits in the full alcoholic cocktails. People have gotten so used to grabbing a diet coke or a coffee for $5 that the idea of spending upwards of $20 on a NA drink can be shocking to some.
Lemperle: Waste has certainly been the biggest challenge. These spirit-free options don’t sell as frequently as their spirited counterparts, and occasionally we have to discard ingredients due to spoilage. Since our NA menu is derived from our core cocktail program, we’ve mitigated this as much as possible by cross-utilizing ingredients and batching in small quantities.
Miller: One of the biggest traps is trying to replicate classic cocktails too literally. While recreations of spirits categories can be fun, the real work is understanding why people are gravitating toward NA drinks and designing from that perspective.
How much are you using in-house ingredients versus outsourcing for NA cocktails?
Lemperle: We make all of our ingredients in-house, and purchase spirit and wine alternatives (Seedlip, Ritual, Proxies, etc.).
Miller: Everything we use is crafted in house. That allows us to invest in quality and technique while keeping the flavors truly our own.
Do NA drinks take a different approach than full-proof cocktails?
Austin: I definitely approach them differently, often with a little more care. It’s easy to get someone to buy multiple rounds of a cocktail but it takes something special to get people to do more than one NA cocktail.
Miller: The foundational techniques remain the same. Balance, seasoning and story. But NA is its own discipline with its own rules. If you do not respect that, the drinks can feel thin or underwhelming. Done right, they have just as much depth and presence as their full-proof counterparts.
How are they being received and what’s the demand level?
Austin: People are excited to see something that isn’t just a flavored lemonade with a fake rum in it. I take more pride in the NA drinks sometimes than I do the cocktails, everyone should feel welcome and wanted.
Lemperle: Our guests seem to really appreciate the wide variety of options available to them. Often, venues have limited NA selections that feel like an afterthought. While NA drinks will likely never overtake alcoholic ones, we’re definitely seeing guests try multiple spirit-free options rather than just ordering standard soft drinks.
Miller: They have become the fastest growing segment of our program, now representing around 20% of sales. Guests are embracing them with genuine excitement.
Are there educational gaps around NA cocktails or spirits? What about interest in adaptogens, THC-infused beverages or similar ingredients?Miller: Education is definitely part of it. Guests often ask, ‘What can this drink do for me?’ We lean into that curiosity by incorporating adaptogens into certain cocktails. For example, the Lion Colada blends ashwagandha root, sage, and lion’s mane mushrooms into something that is both calming and delicious. It is about crafting beverages that are more than just alcohol free. They are purposeful.
Where do you see the future of NA cocktails at your bar and in general?
Austin: I think the category will continue to grow, every bar will have an NA section that isn’t just sodas. The NA spirits category is only going to get better.
Miller: A bar has always been a gathering space for the community. As that community evolves, so must we. If your guests are asking for non-alcoholic options and you are not meeting that need, someone else will.