CINCINNATI -- For many folks, summertime is about events and outings that revolve around alcohol. Whether it's a beer at a backyard barbecue, #roseallday on a rooftop patio, mimosas for brunch or poolside beverages, it can be hard to avoid drinking during the summer months.
Whether you don't drink or simply want to take a break from imbibing, here are nine places you can get a delicious mocktail or other non-alcoholic beverage.
MadTree Brewing: MadTree is known for its beer, but it also has one of the best non-alcoholic options in the city: a house-made honey ginger soda. It's a little sweet (but not too much so) and has a nice ginger kick. It’s a great way to socialize with a special drink in your hand that isn't a PsycHOPathy or Lift. 3301 Madison Road, Oakley.
B&A Street Kitchen: Brunch usually means mimosas or bloody marys, but not at B&A Street Kitchen. The restaurant, which serves Tex-Mex and Southern specialties, offers nitro coffee, iced coffee that has been infused with nitrogen. The nitrogen gives it a creamy head and mellow flavor that allows you to easily skip cream or sugar, and it looks a little like a Guinness in the glass, as the head cascades down the sides. It's really delicious in hot summer weather and packs an extra punch of caffeine, too. 1500 Race St., Over-the-Rhine.
Lachey's:You don't normally think of a sports bar as having an extensive cocktail list, much less non-alcoholic options beyond Coke or Pepsi, but Lachey's defies the stereotypes. Besides the usual sodas, Lachey's serves Boylan's Grape Soda, Sprecher's Root Beer and Gosling's Ginger Beer, as well as "mocktails" such as the Cherry Bliss: dry cherry soda, ginger vanilla syrup and fresh lime. 56 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine.
Commonwealth Bistro: Kentucky is known for its bourbon, and Commonwealth Bistro is known for using Kentucky ingredients in its dishes, from Barren County blue cheese to Owensboro black barbecue sauce. Another famous Kentucky ingredient? Ale-8-One. Commonwealth uses this Kentucky born-and-bred, ginger-ale-like spicy soda in cocktails, but you also can order one on its own as a non-alcoholic beverage. 621 Main St., Covington.
Overlook Lodge: Overlook is known for its creative cocktails and inventive shots, but it also has a menu for those who don't want to imbibe, including fresh house-made mint lemonade and the Frostbite, which is limeade and grape soda. 6083 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge.
Mita's: Imagine this: You go to an upscale restaurant with your friends, and while they peruse the wine list, you realize your only option is boring club soda. Mita's has the added benefit of a few familiar Latin favorites, Jarritos and yerba mate tea. It also has tea from Churchill's and coffee from Deeper Root's, so you can have something refreshing during dinner and something different during dessert. 501 Race St., Downtown.
The Grand Finale:This is the great granddaddy of Cincinnati brunches. But what if you want a drink other than coffee to pair with multi-grain blueberry pancakes or eggs Benedict? For $2.95, grab one of the Grand Finale’s bottomless "eye openers," including a mimosa made with non-alcoholic Champagne, the Bloody Shame made with spicy vegetable juice, or the pineapple colada (sans rum). 3 E. Sharon Road, Glendale.
Jungle Jim's:One of the best parts of Jungle Jim's, whether in Eastgate or Fairfield, is its extensive selection of glass bottle sodas. Whether you want a cane-sugar Mexican Coke, a soda from your childhood (Bubble Up, Dad's root beer) or regional favorites you can't get anywhere else (Moxie from Massachusetts, orange, grape or peach Nehi), this is the place to get them. Even friends who might prefer alcoholic beverages will want to try some of these interesting sodas as mixers! 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield; 4450 Eastgate South Drive, Eastgate.
Rooted Juicery: Rooted Juicery focuses on plant-based foods: Think zucchini noodles with cabbage, mango and Thai sauce; a power burger wrap with a raw vegetable patty and cashew "cheese"; and dairy-free desserts. It also has an extensive list of juices that are great with a meal, mixed with some soda water for a refreshing patio beverage at home, or simply on their own before or after a workout. Whether you want your greens in liquid form, prefer to stick with fruit juice or opt for a smoothie, there are tons of choices here with zero alcohol. 3010 Madison Road, Oakley; 6844 Wooster Pike, Mariemont; inside the Alliance Integrative Medicine Institute, 6400 E. Galbraith Road, Sycamore Township.
