Asbury Park bars and restaurants are revolutionizing the concept of social drinking for sober individuals. Not everyone drinks alcohol, whether due to personal preference or health reasons, and a growing demand for beverage options free from alcohol has presented an opportunity for local spots to embrace inclusivity, creativity, and wellness in their drink menus. From artisanal mocktails crafted with locally sourced ingredients to innovative alcohol-free menus, Asbury Park bars and restaurants are not only catering to those abstaining from alcohol but also to patrons seeking flavorful alternatives to traditional cocktails. Mocktails and non-alcoholic drink options allow patrons to enjoy a night out with friends without having to feel excluded or compromising sobriety or personal health and wellness goals. Read on to learn about where to get the best mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Asbury Park Distilling Co. | 527 Lake Avenue
Asbury Park Distilling Co. is Asbury Park’s first and only distillery. Its production facility and tasting room is located right next door to the Asbury Festhalle + Biergarten and faces Wesley Lake. While there is no dedicated non-alcoholic menu, most of the cocktail options can be made into a N/A mocktail by request. JSG highly recommends the No. 67 as a mocktail, which is a tart and refreshing mix of coconut, chai, and passionfruit.
Read More: How to Spend a Solo Day in Asbury Park
Georgies | 812 5th Avenue
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Georgies is a low-key LGBTQ hangout featuring food, cocktails, karaoke, drag brunches, and DJ’d music. The bar has been serving Asbury Park and the LGBTQ community since 1999. Georgies recently launched an extensive mocktail menu. From virgin bellinis and margaritas to lemonade and limeade fizzes, Georgies enhances the sober experience and provides fun beverage options for customers who are refraining from drinking alcohol.
Iron Whale | 1200 Ocean Avenue
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The Iron Whale — a boardwalk eatery featuring coastal cuisine and cocktails — caters to non-drinkers. Iron Whale’s “High + Dry” menu features drinks that are 0.0% ABV (non-alcoholic) and low ABV. The bartenders make use of CleanCo gin, Ritual zero-proof tequila, and Ritual zero-proof rum alternatives for the non-alcoholic cocktails.
Laylow | 603 Mattison Avenue (beneath REYLA)
Laylow is an intimate social cocktail lounge in Asbury Park designed for experimentation and collaboration. Laylow’s drink menu features specialty cocktails, mocktail options, and an opportunity to create your own drink. The “Radio Friendly” mocktail is the most popular non-alcoholic beverage and is made with pineapple, ginger, and citrus. Guests can request a custom non-alcoholic creation and the team at Laylow will concoct a delicious drink tailored to your preferences. Laylow is known for its consistent experimentation, cool, underground vibes, themed pop-up parties, and seasonal drops.
The Mainstay | 525 Cookman Avenue
The Mainstay is a new, nautical spot on Cookman Avenue curated by Chef James Avery that features seafood dishes, an extensive raw bar, plus rum, cocktails, and beer. The Mainstay’s drink menu includes two mocktail options as well as Athletic Brewing’s “Run Wild” non-alcoholic IPA and Athletic Brewing’s “Lite” non-alcoholic lager. The “Designated Driver” mocktail is made of Jalisco 55 zero-proof tequila, pink grapefruit, lime, seltzer, and tajin. The Mainstay’s other mocktail option, “Jalapeño-cuke-ade,” is made of Seedlip Garden, cucumber, jalapeño, lime, and Asbury Park Cotton Candy.
Porta | 911 Kingsley Street
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Porta is a vibrant pizzeria that serves pies, pastas, salads, cocktails, and craft beer. The sober crowd doesn’t have to shy away from indulging in a fun drink while eating at Porta. The “Peach Door” peach bellini is made with blood orange, lemon, and topped with Noughty Rosé (a brand of alcohol-free, organic, vegan, and sparkling rosé), and “Blue Eyes” is CBD-infused blue raspberry, lemon, and club soda.
See More: A Guide to Mocktails in Hoboken + Jersey City
Watermark | 800 Ocean Avenue
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Watermark — Asbury Park’s premiere beachfront bar — serves drinks and small dishes in its lounge and on its waterfront deck, providing a gorgeous spot to take in the boardwalk, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Stone Pony Summerstage while sipping on a non-alcoholic bev. Watermark’s innovative mocktail menu features no-alcohol cocktails, zero-proof cocktails created with zero-proof spirit alternatives, and low-alcohol cocktails. The non-alcoholic cocktails include fresh and fun ingredients such as lemon balm, elderflower tea, CBD seltzer, muddled cucumber, SeaArch Coastal Juniper non-alcoholic spirit, and more. Watermark also serves non-alcoholic beers and hops as well as NA wines and teas, tonics, CBD Seltzer, and kombucha.
