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New York’s non-alcoholic bar scene just got its first proper moment in the spotlight. The inaugural NYC’s Best Bars for NA Awards 2025 have officially dropped, naming the city’s bars that take alcohol-free drinking seriously—no sad mocktails, no afterthought menus and no side-eye from the bartender.
The awards are presented by Bright Nights Social (formerly Third Place Bar) and Boisson, two names deeply embedded in New York’s zero-proof ecosystem. Together, they created the first citywide awards dedicated entirely to non-alcoholic bar programs, with winners announced today to kick off Dry January.
To qualify, bars must be permanent, public-facing venues in one of New York City’s five boroughs, identify primarily as bars (not restaurants) and offer a meaningful adult NA program that goes beyond juice and soda. Nominations were open throughout December and bars could self-nominate or be nominated by guests.
Final decisions (not a ranking but a general list) were made by an awards committee led by hospitality and NA industry professionals, including Sam Bail (Bright Nights Social), Alex Highsmith (Spirited Away) and Vibe Cabrera (Vibe Imbibe). Judges evaluated nominees on variety, creativity, quality, menu clarity and overall bar experience—plus one decisive question: would they recommend this bar to people who normally do drink alcohol?
On the Lower East Side, Bar Contra surprised judges with a deeply experimental NA menu built around seasonal produce, house ferments, clarified juices, toasted spices and the occasional curveball ingredient. Newcomer Oddball, which was barely weeks old at the time of judging, stood out for its punchy, in-house-made NA drinks and cozy, slightly sci-fi bar vibe. In Downtown Brooklyn, Sunken Harbor Club proved that tiki excess and non-alcoholic beverages aren’t mutually exclusive.
Over in Greenwich Village, Bar Moga offers a narrative-driven, booze-free menu inspired by Japanese cocktail tradition. And in Brooklyn, Clinton Hill’s new Golden Ratio earned praise for giving every cocktail on its menu a true non-alcoholic counterpart—thoughtfully matched, not simply de-boozed—while quietly running a near-zero-waste program. Portrait Bar charmed judges with its intimate, maximalist setting and a short but confident NA list, including a standout non-alcoholic Ramos Gin Fizz. Rounding out the list, Superbueno, already a heavyweight on most global “best bar” lists, showed that elite cocktail bars can take NA drinks just as seriously, with drinks like a zero-proof mole negroni and a michelada.
The awards also spotlighted other standout categories. A broader shortlist highlighted bars with strong NA options citywide, including Sugar Monk, Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea, Dante, Pearl’s Social & Billy Club, Dynaco, Saint Eve’s, Pitts and more. Meanwhile, fully alcohol-free venues, dubbed “The Sobers,” were given their own shoutout, including Hekate, Soft Bar, Mockingbird and No More Cafe.
The ultimate takeaway? Ordering a great non-alcoholic drink in the city no longer means settling. These bars prove you can skip the booze without skipping the night out.