Alcohol is playing a smaller role in American life than it has in generations. Just 54 percent of U.S. adult now report drinking at all, the lowest level since Gallup began tracking the question in 1939. The shift is driven largely by Millennials and Gen Z, who tend to drink less often and in smaller amounts.

Dry January, a common New Year's tradition, offers a chance to take a break from alcohol without opting out of social life. And Austin is a great place to try it, thanks to the popularity of CBD drinks, functional add-ins, and simple-but-tasty alternatives becoming standard at new hangout spots.

Below, we’ve rounded up primarily dry destinations, group outings where activities matter more than what’s in the glass, and restaurants making room for mocktails, showing how Austin’s social scene is adapting for people who want the experience, not just the drink.

Dry by Design: Austin places that are primarily dry

Daybreaker
Stardust Garage, 10601 N. Lamar Blvd.
Morning and daytime events company Daybreaker marks Dry January with an alcohol-free dance party on January 31, part of its nationwide push toward movement, music, and community programming. The gatherings lean into the natural high of dancing — pairing bass-heavy DJ sets with heat, sweat, and shared energy — without alcohol or late-night bar culture. Organizers point to the science behind it: movement and heat boost endorphins and dopamine, while dancing together increases oxytocin, creating connection without the hangover. Tickets for yoga and dance are available.

Sans Bar
1203 E. Sixth St.
Sans Bar, which bills itself as the first nonalcoholic bar in North America, leans fully into Dry January with a monthlong slate of programming built around alcohol-free socializing. The lineup includes a Dry January Kickoff on January 2 at 8 pm, featuring TÖST. Up next are:

• January 9: Speed Friending & Game Night
• January 16: Open Mic Night and a Faster Than Light book signing
• January 30: Winter Gothic Ball spotlighting Kin Euphorics

Sans Bar drinks are crafted with NA spirits, teas, bitters, and fresh citrus, and the bar is also open most Friday nights from 6 pm to midnight, even outside special events.

Dear Dry Drinkery
Dear Dry Drinkery closed its brick-and-mortar shop last year but now operates as a pop-up non-alcoholic bar for company events, private gatherings, and special occasions, bringing curated zero-proof cocktails directly to workplaces and events.

Group fun with a side of mocktails

Holey Moley Golf Club
807 E. Fourth St.
Holey Moley pairs mini golf, karaoke, and arcade-style activities with Dry January-friendly drinks. Through January 31, the venue is hosting Winter Down Under, an Australian-inspired surf-themed pop-up, alongside new permanent additions like augmented darts and retro arcade games. Mocktails include Pink Lightning, No-Jito, and the frozen Mock O’Colada.

Pins Mechanical Co.
4323 S. Congress Ave.
Pins Mechanical Co., the new hip bowling alley on South Congress, has a long list of alcoholic drinks, but it also makes room for guests looking for lower- or zero-proof options alongside duckpin bowling and arcade games. Its Low & No menu includes zero-proof cocktails like Extra Credit, built with Lyre’s Aperitif Rosso and Italian Spritz with honey mango and rose water, and Gym Class Zero, mixing Lyre’s Dry London Spirit with desert pear, lime, and tonic. Low-proof options like Field Trip (Aperol, pomegranate, rose water, soda) and Teacher’s Pet (ginger and elderflower liqueurs with blood orange and ginger beer) offer a middle ground.

Restaurants making room for mocktails

Parley
1628 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Parley, which opened in December, treats non-alcoholic drinks as composed cocktails rather than placeholders. Options like Penichillin’ lean bright and warming with pear, honey, ginger, and lemon, while The Beetrooter layers beet, carrot, apple, orange, and cinnamon for something earthy and structured. The drinks feel closer to aperitifs than juices, making them easy to linger over.

The Roosevelt Room
307 W. Fifth St.
Zero-proof drinks here follow the same technical approach as the cocktail menu. The floral Glitter & Marigold blends orange flower water, pistachio, vanilla, and cream; Castaway leans tropical with mint, cucumber, coconut, and ginger beer; and a layered NA’Groni delivers bitterness via verjus rouge (unripe wine grape juice), gentian tea (made from the gentian root), and zero-proof gin.

Codependent
301 W. Fifth St.
Codependent’s mocktails skew fresh, bright, and lightly textured. Well Manoered Monk combines NA tequila with cucumber, mint, pineapple, and sparkling water, while Tell Me Something Good blends prickly pear, coconut water, verjus, and tonic for a lightly sweet finish. Many cocktails on the menu can also be made alcohol-free by request.

Kinda Tropical
5301 E. Seventh St.
Kinda Tropical offers one of the deeper mocktail lists in town, spanning herbal, citrusy, and aperitivo-style drinks. Rosemary Bee’s Knees pairs NA gin with rosemary syrup and lemon for a savory edge, while the Hibiscus Ginger Mock-a-rita balances tart hibiscus tea with ginger and lime. Italian NA spritzes like Crodino, served over ice with seltzer, add a bitter option.

The sesame salad at Kinda Tropical on East Seventh Street. Courtesy of Kinda Tropical Instagram

Armadillo Den
10106 Menchaca Rd.
Armadillo Den’s award-winning draft mocktail program is designed for easy patio drinking and served on tap. The Frescadillo Paloma mixes pink and white grapefruit with lime and sea salt, Ford’s Ranch Water layers Thai basil sparkling water with cucumber and lemon, and Blackberry Smash leans fruit-forward without tasting sugary.

The Peached Tortilla
5520 Burnet Rd.; 12800 W. Parmer Ln., Cedar Park
Mocktails here reflect the restaurant’s global, playful approach to flavor. Drinks range from Blue Euphoria, a blueberry-lavender lemonade, to Rasp-putin, which combines raspberry syrup, lemon juice, and ginger beer for a sharper finish. Citrus-forward spritzes round out the Cedar Park menu.

Juliet Italian Kitchen
1500 Barton Springs Rd.; 10401 Anderson Mill Rd.
Juliet offers a broad mocktail lineup built around shrubs, spritzes, and NA aperitifs. The Resolution Refresher blends Ritual Rum N/A with lime, mint, and sparkling water, while New Year, New Me! uses a house-made blueberry basil shrub for a slightly savory profile. These drinks are designed to hold up alongside rich pasta dishes. The Barton Springs location also is partnering with Secret Disco Society to offer a Dry January fitness session every Saturday this month.

Parkside
301 E. Sixth St.
Parkside’s mocktails lean tea-based and lightly sweet. Rockford Peaches combines passionfruit peach tea with lemon and honey, while Plum Luck layers butterfly pea flower and lemongrass with lavender plum shrub for a floral, gently tart finish.

Intero
2612 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Intero’s non-alcoholic offerings take cues from Italian aperitivo culture. Options include a Carrot Ginger Spritz with vegetal sweetness and spice, a Phony Negroni for bitterness, and alcohol-removed sparkling wines for something drier and restrained.

Jupiter Supper Club
1211 E. Fifth St.
Jupiter Supper Club treats mocktails as part of the show. The Melon Daisy blends botanical NA spirits with cantaloupe and spearmint; Kalamansi Coco layers coconut, pandan, pineapple, and citrus; and Baklava pushes into dessert territory with walnut milk punch and spice. The venue offers vegan entree options and weekend entertainment.

Cape Bottle Room
500 San Marcos St.
Cape Bottle Room, which samples South African wines, focuses on non-alcoholic wine and aperitif alternatives rather than cocktails. De-alcoholized South African sparkling and still wines are meant to be sipped slowly, offering structure without sweetness. Walk-ins are welcome, but groups of six or more should call ahead.

Juniper
2400 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Juniper’s botanical mocktails mirror the flavors of its gin-forward cocktail menu. Fumo di Fragola combines strawberry, hop water, citrus, and charcoal for a lightly smoky note, while Coastal Spritz leans savory with NA aperitivo, tonic, and bay leaf.

Verdad True Modern Mexican
2701 Perseverance, in The Grove
Verdad’s non-alcoholic drinks emphasize bold, tart flavors. Prickly Pink Soda pairs prickly pear with sparkling grapefruit, while Tamarind Ginger Ale balances sweet-tart depth with warming spice.