Long Island bars lure patrons with alcohol-free cocktails
From left Chai Noon Spritz, the Karen Walker and Dr. Duke 2.0 mocktails at The Linwood Restaurant & Cocktails on Main Street in Bay Shore. Credit: Jeff Bachner
Americans may be drinking less alcohol, but Long Islanders still want something to toast with.
Alcohol-free cocktails are increasingly giving them something to cheer about, local bar and restaurant owners say.
Hospitality venues deepened their focus on alcohol-free beverages about four years ago when staff noticed shifts in when and how Long Islanders drink, owners said. Many operators said total alcohol sales are holding steady, but they're seeing momentum build for alcohol-free cocktails. Sales of these mixed drinks and alcohol-free beer have grown about 30% since before the pandemic at the four Long Island venues owned by Drew Dvorkin, the restaurateur said. In Northport, about 5 to 10% of all cocktails served at Birdie Bar are now alcohol-free, according to general manager Kyle Porter.
Nationwide, people have been cutting back on alcohol consumption while prioritizing health and wellness, market research shows. Last year, the total volume of alcohol sold in the U.S. fell, according to IWSR, a market research firm that focuses on drinks. Although a relatively small and niche segment of the market, nonalcoholic beverages made to look and taste like beer, wine and liquor have surged, IWSR said.
Last year, sales of alcohol-free spirits — liquors with all but trace amounts of alcohol removed — increased 38%, IWSR said. About a quarter of patrons at American bars and restaurants have tried alcohol-free drinks, and liquor-free cocktails are the most frequently ordered, according to research published last month by NielsenIQ, a market research firm.
Long Island bar and restaurant owners say they're seeing the alcohol-free spirit catch on. Thirty years ago, there were just a few nonalcoholic beers from niche groups, said Dvorkin, 51, of Islip. Thanks to growing demand, there are now dozens, including options from big names like Corona. Manufacturers have managed to make convincing alcohol-free wines and spirits for cocktails, he said.
"People are drinking differently," said Dvorkin, noting that he sees customers rotate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic beers and cocktails, and choosing drinks with lower alcohol contents. "Instead of having one to two choices between nonalcoholic beer and drinks, we probably have six to eight choices — and they all sell."
Patrons at The Bell & Anchor and The Beacon in Sag Harbor have moved away from ordering bottles of wine and Champagne, said co-owner David Loewenberg, who streamlined the bottle menu a few years ago. They've grown more inclined to order glasses of wine, cocktails, and now, alcohol-free mixed drinks, he said.
"People are drinking less, and that’s not a bad thing as long as you know, as a restaurant, we can adjust for it, and make sure that people are comfortable," Loewenberg said. "We have to be fluid."
Customers are getting accustomed to paying the same amount for an alcohol-free and alcoholic cocktail, operators said. Both versions often cost the same to make since alcohol-free spirits are just as expensive — or more costly — to manufacture than traditional liquors, they said. Prices range from about $6 for jaljeera, lemon juice with mint and spices, at Akbar in Garden City to $12 for Dr. Duke, a grenadine, chai and Coca-Cola mix, at The Linwood in Bay Shore, according to online menus.
Several cultural shifts may be contributing to less alcohol consumption, NielsenIQ reported. Americans are more focused on health and wellness, and interested in avoiding food and beverages that aren't nutritious. The widespread use of GLP-1 weight loss medications, which can reduce alcohol cravings, may be another factor, NielsenIQ noted. The firm's report also suggested concerns about inflation and cannabis usage could be influencing consumer habits.
Many people drank more when quarantined during the pandemic, and then started paying attention to their consumption habits, said Cheryl Stanley, senior lecturer of food and beverage management at Cornell University.
"During COVID, you didn't have to drive anywhere; you were stuck at home; and you weren't seeing the bills, the restaurant checks," Stanley said. Consumers reflected, shifted their habits, and now "hospitality operations really need to dial in their beverage program, and make sure it fits," she said.
Spirit-free cocktails have been big for a while in California, where more people abstain from alcohol, but consume marijuana, said Mia Selvaggio, co-owner of Birdie Bar. After spending time in the state, Selvaggio and Porter launched their Northport venue last spring with alcohol-free elixirs on the menu. They sensed New York would soon develop a taste for beverages that have long been part of the "California sober" lifestyle.
"People will come in just for the mocktails, not even knowing that we have food," said Selvaggio, of Huntington.
Porter said the venue served several dozen of each alcohol-free cocktail every week. He added that going-out culture had grown more relaxed, as evidenced by Birdie Bar catering to a casual dining audience.
"People used to make a big to-do about going out and having drinks, and making a formal night of it," said Porter, of Huntington. "That’s definitely showing itself by people coming in and not ordering cocktails, having a quick bite or a mocktail or a soda."
The Shed, a casual American eatery with four regional locations, formally added spirit-free cocktails to its menu about four years ago. The response was so positive that management did the same at its other establishments: The Farm Italy and Besito, said spokeswoman Melissa Sorice. Pregnant women and their partners were particularly appreciative, she said.
"It came in like rapid fire: reviews, people just calling saying, 'Thank you,' " Sorice said. "They’re not relegated to just sodas and special waters, there is something special created to enhance the dining experience."
Alcohol-free cocktail sales at The Shed and its family of restaurants are up between 0.6 and 1% in 2024, compared to this time last year, Sorice said.
Alcohol-free cocktails have always been in demand at Akbar, an Indian restaurant in Garden City. The venue caters to Sikh, Muslim and Hindi customers who generally gravitate toward nonalcoholic drinks for religious and cultural reasons, said Ritu Ramjee, whose mother owns the restaurant and who spearheads its beverage program. Akbar recently printed its spirit-free drinks on the menu, and Ramjee said she'd been surprised by how many non-Indian customers were drawn to the drinks.
Still, she said customers seemed less likely to re-up their liquor-less refreshments.
"They do spend on mocktails," Ramjee said. "Whereas someone would have like two glasses of wine or two or three cocktails, people don’t double up on mocktails as much."
Americans may be drinking less alcohol, but Long Islanders still want something to toast with.
Alcohol-free cocktails are increasingly giving them something to cheer about, local bar and restaurant owners say.
Hospitality venues deepened their focus on alcohol-free beverages about four years ago when staff noticed shifts in when and how Long Islanders drink, owners said. Many operators said total alcohol sales are holding steady, but they're seeing momentum build for alcohol-free cocktails. Sales of these mixed drinks and alcohol-free beer have grown about 30% since before the pandemic at the four Long Island venues owned by Drew Dvorkin, the restaurateur said. In Northport, about 5 to 10% of all cocktails served at Birdie Bar are now alcohol-free, according to general manager Kyle Porter.
Nationwide, people have been cutting back on alcohol consumption while prioritizing health and wellness, market research shows. Last year, the total volume of alcohol sold in the U.S. fell, according to IWSR, a market research firm that focuses on drinks. Although a relatively small and niche segment of the market, nonalcoholic beverages made to look and taste like beer, wine and liquor have surged, IWSR said.
Last year, sales of alcohol-free spirits — liquors with all but trace amounts of alcohol removed — increased 38%, IWSR said. About a quarter of patrons at American bars and restaurants have tried alcohol-free drinks, and liquor-free cocktails are the most frequently ordered, according to research published last month by NielsenIQ, a market research firm.
Long Island bar and restaurant owners say they're seeing the alcohol-free spirit catch on. Thirty years ago, there were just a few nonalcoholic beers from niche groups, said Dvorkin, 51, of Islip. Thanks to growing demand, there are now dozens, including options from big names like Corona. Manufacturers have managed to make convincing alcohol-free wines and spirits for cocktails, he said.
"People are drinking differently," said Dvorkin, noting that he sees customers rotate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic beers and cocktails, and choosing drinks with lower alcohol contents. "Instead of having one to two choices between nonalcoholic beer and drinks, we probably have six to eight choices — and they all sell."
Menus streamlined
Patrons at The Bell & Anchor and The Beacon in Sag Harbor have moved away from ordering bottles of wine and Champagne, said co-owner David Loewenberg, who streamlined the bottle menu a few years ago. They've grown more inclined to order glasses of wine, cocktails, and now, alcohol-free mixed drinks, he said.
"People are drinking less, and that’s not a bad thing as long as you know, as a restaurant, we can adjust for it, and make sure that people are comfortable," Loewenberg said. "We have to be fluid."
Customers are getting accustomed to paying the same amount for an alcohol-free and alcoholic cocktail, operators said. Both versions often cost the same to make since alcohol-free spirits are just as expensive — or more costly — to manufacture than traditional liquors, they said. Prices range from about $6 for jaljeera, lemon juice with mint and spices, at Akbar in Garden City to $12 for Dr. Duke, a grenadine, chai and Coca-Cola mix, at The Linwood in Bay Shore, according to online menus.
Several cultural shifts may be contributing to less alcohol consumption, NielsenIQ reported. Americans are more focused on health and wellness, and interested in avoiding food and beverages that aren't nutritious. The widespread use of GLP-1 weight loss medications, which can reduce alcohol cravings, may be another factor, NielsenIQ noted. The firm's report also suggested concerns about inflation and cannabis usage could be influencing consumer habits.
Bartender Peter Diaz mixes a mocktail named the Karen Walker at The Linwood Restaurant & Cocktails on Main Street in Bays Shore, on Oct. 23. Credit: Jeff Bachner
Many people drank more when quarantined during the pandemic, and then started paying attention to their consumption habits, said Cheryl Stanley, senior lecturer of food and beverage management at Cornell University.
"During COVID, you didn't have to drive anywhere; you were stuck at home; and you weren't seeing the bills, the restaurant checks," Stanley said. Consumers reflected, shifted their habits, and now "hospitality operations really need to dial in their beverage program, and make sure it fits," she said.
Spirit-free cocktails have been big for a while in California, where more people abstain from alcohol, but consume marijuana, said Mia Selvaggio, co-owner of Birdie Bar. After spending time in the state, Selvaggio and Porter launched their Northport venue last spring with alcohol-free elixirs on the menu. They sensed New York would soon develop a taste for beverages that have long been part of the "California sober" lifestyle.
"People will come in just for the mocktails, not even knowing that we have food," said Selvaggio, of Huntington.
Porter said the venue served several dozen of each alcohol-free cocktail every week. He added that going-out culture had grown more relaxed, as evidenced by Birdie Bar catering to a casual dining audience.
Bartender Brent Kyrkostas serves alcohol-free cocktails at the Birdie Bar in Northport on Oct. 23. Credit: John Roca
"People used to make a big to-do about going out and having drinks, and making a formal night of it," said Porter, of Huntington. "That’s definitely showing itself by people coming in and not ordering cocktails, having a quick bite or a mocktail or a soda."
No alcohol cocktails
The Shed, a casual American eatery with four regional locations, formally added spirit-free cocktails to its menu about four years ago. The response was so positive that management did the same at its other establishments: The Farm Italy and Besito, said spokeswoman Melissa Sorice. Pregnant women and their partners were particularly appreciative, she said.
"It came in like rapid fire: reviews, people just calling saying, 'Thank you,' " Sorice said. "They’re not relegated to just sodas and special waters, there is something special created to enhance the dining experience."
Alcohol-free cocktail sales at The Shed and its family of restaurants are up between 0.6 and 1% in 2024, compared to this time last year, Sorice said.
Alcohol-free cocktails have always been in demand at Akbar, an Indian restaurant in Garden City. The venue caters to Sikh, Muslim and Hindi customers who generally gravitate toward nonalcoholic drinks for religious and cultural reasons, said Ritu Ramjee, whose mother owns the restaurant and who spearheads its beverage program. Akbar recently printed its spirit-free drinks on the menu, and Ramjee said she'd been surprised by how many non-Indian customers were drawn to the drinks.
Still, she said customers seemed less likely to re-up their liquor-less refreshments.
"They do spend on mocktails," Ramjee said. "Whereas someone would have like two glasses of wine or two or three cocktails, people don’t double up on mocktails as much."
Sarina Trangle covers affordability and cost of living issues and other business topics. She previously worked as an editor and reporter at amNewYork.
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