Top bars and restaurants in Glasgow for Dry January

The Blythswood Square Hotel is a luxurious five-star place, boasting beautiful Georgian architecture and oozing indulgence. As well as being a fabulous getaway spot to relax, it is also the perfect venue if you fancy spending a classy winter’s night out with friends. The extravagant hotel’s famous bar and restaurant ‘BoandBirdy’ specialises in perfecting the best cocktails in Glasgow and has an impressive 40-page cocktail menu, as well as a generous choice of mocktails to choose from. The mocktail menu is titled for “Party Poppers, Designated Drivers and Temperance Delights” and offers temptations such as ‘The New Orleans Mint Fizz’ made from Peychaud’s bitters, lime, mint, sugar, and soda water. A ‘Raspberry and Elderflower Fizz’ is another popular option available packed with raspberry syrup, elderflower cordial, lemon, and soda water.

If you love a beer but are partaking in Dry January, then look no further than BrewDog’s Glasgow Kelvingrove bar. Located in the west end of the city close to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the BrewDog bar is a famous haunt for both drinkers and non-drinkers alike. As well as serving delicious craft beer, the bar also offers an extensive range of alcohol-free beer alternatives to provide all drinkers with the delicious taste of BrewDog beverages. The ‘Punk AF’ is a fruity beer that mixes tropical fruity notes with grass and pine flavours. Why not sample ‘Nanny State’, which is squeezed with speciality malts and North American hops to provide a tasty refreshing drink.

Want to sweeten your day? Go to Gaga for some beautifully presented and deeply moreish beverages. The cocktail and wine list here is large, but it is equalled by the enticing range of zero-alcohol drinks. The Topp Spritz contains lime, soda, mint and passionfruit (it’s a tropical explosion of loveliness), and there’s also a Crodino “aperitivo” and the matchless Kopi Cham. The latter is made using condensed milk, espresso, black tea and ginger; it’s creamy, spicy and surprising because maybe you didn’t think tea and coffee could work together. Well Gaga will prove you wrong and tantalise your taste buds with this Malaysian delicacy. Order some Southeast Asian sharing plates too, in this Partick venue that fits the bill for brunch, lunch and dinner.

The guys at Missoula know how to have a good time, offering Glaswegians an all-day pizza and burger menu as well as an extensive range of cocktails and mocktails to choose from. Missoula has recognised the growing need to accommodate fun, tasty mocktails within the nightlife scene and has created a ‘Don’t Mock with Me’ menu to ensure party goers have a tasty equivalent to a standard coke. Fancy a ‘Peaches and Cream Soda’? This cocktail is created using The London Essence Co. White Peach and Jasmine Soda with vanilla syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The ‘Betty Boobtini’ is another popular option within the mocktail market as it’s a strawberry purée shaken with coconut syrup, cranberry juice, lime and apple juice topped with cream and a raspberry. If you opt for the ‘Betty Boobtini’, then as well as enjoying a delicious refreshing mocktail you will also be supporting the Breast Cancer charity Coppafeel as 25p will be donated to this important cause.

All Bar One is a classy bar located on St Vincent Street in the heart of Glasgow and is the perfect venue to catch-up with friends or family. As well as offering cosy, relaxing décor, the city centre bar also provides a wide food and drink menu selection for diners to choose from. A generous selection of the drinks menu is dedicated to mocktails, allowing non-drinkers similar tasty options. Transport yourself to a sunnier destination with a ‘Virgin Pineapple Daquari’, which is made with pineapple juice, sugar syrup and lime or why not sip on a ‘Virgin Pornstar Martini’, which is a fruit blend with passionfruit, vanilla syrup garnished with half a passionfruit and served with a shot of lemonade.

Much of the appeal of modern cocktails lies in the creative aesthetic. If it’s a visual masterpiece you’re after, pull up a pew at Finnieston Fez. Its signature lattes are nothing short of epic, piled high with the likes of whipped cream, pistachio paste, baklava, popcorn and almond. And dairy-free diners needn’t worry, as any of the beverages can be made vegan. There’s also a huge range of loose-leaf teas, containing ingredients such as rose water and saffron. And there are Moroccan-inspired cocktails to boot. The bijou venue doesn’t take bookings, but does fill up fast, especially at weekends, so be prepared to go for a wander and come back in hope of a table, if you arrive during the peak period. Finnieston Fez is open till 6pm, so just enough time to squeeze in an after-work drink and bite.

Proving you can be tee-total and still enjoy a night at the pub, The Duke’s Umbrella has a list of delicious mocktails at the ready. We love the Cucumb-here Often? made with apple juice, fresh cucumber, elderflower cordial, lemon juice and soda water; the Berry Cooler with cranberry juice, orange and clove syrup, lime juice and lemonade; and the Spiced Spritzer containing lemongrass and kaffir lime syrup, fresh ginger, lime juice, apple juice and soda water. They’re all carefully crafted by the team of mixologists behind the bar and come presented in vessels befitting the vintage vibes here. You can bring your dog too, as the place just loves four-legged punters.

Got something to celebrate, but want to do it without the alcohol? Book a table at this fine dining venue for a fancy night out. You’ll have to buzz to get in, which makes it feel even more exclusive. Glaschu shares a building with The Western, a private members club, but has the upper level for great views across the vibrant Royal Exchange Square. Ask for a window seat when you book and watch the world go by, as you sip on a Glasgow Kiss (chilli, basil, ginger syrup, pineapple juice and ginger ale). This is just one of the venue’s mocktails and has a kick, but isn’t overpowering and sets you up perfectly for a tasting menu, or some a la carte dishes.

Sailing Sober is the section you’ll be looking for here and it shows the restaurant’s commitment to non-drinkers, that the team’s made an entire list of alcohol-free mocktail options. In addition to takes on the classics, like a Virgin Bellini and a Cos-No, the talented bar staff have formulated a bunch of themed signature serves, such as the Pure Shores (Feragaia alcohol-free spirit, lime juice, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine) and the Fifer (ginger, raspberry, pineapple juice, Feragaia alcohol-free spirit, raspberry syrup and lime juice). And you can get a Guinness Zero, too! While the food is fabulous, you don’t have to dine; there’s a marble bar like the kind you’d find on an old-world cruise ship. So hop on a stool and let the bartender know what you’re in the mood for (they’ll endeavour to rustle up an alcohol-free version of whatever you’re craving).

Loks is a family-run bar and kitchen in the Southside of Glasgow. This cosy bar is relaxed with a great restaurant, patio garden and all day dining. The drinks menu is vast with a dedicated No / Low Alcohol section that includes Peroni Libera 0.0%, Corona Cero 0.0%, Erdinger 0.5%, Kopparberg 0.5% Strawberry & Lime, and Kopparberg 0.5% Pear. There’s also a brilliant selection of soft drinks with all the favourite fizzy drinks available (including Irn Bru) as well as ginger beer, San Pellegrino and more.