Boston Restaurants, Bars Begin Shift to Nonalcoholic Drink Menus

Krista Kranyak knows how to craft a mean cocktail. The only difference with her cocktails, however, is that they're zero-proof. At Beyond Proof in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood, guests can order its signature zero-proof drink, Abstinence in Bloom. It features ingredients like rhubarb, ginger, and egg white foam, garnished with edible roses.

Kranayak, owner of Beyond Proof, believes she has the first completely alcohol-free cocktail menu in the Boston area. She's part of a growing trend of restaurants and bars that are going zero-proof.

A 2025 Gallup poll found that only 54% of Americans say they drink, a new low for this close to 90-year-old annual survey. Gallup also found that only half of people ages 18 to 34 drink. This group now drinks the least among the age groups surveyed, according to Gallup research. 

According to the survey group, this finding aligns with new research revealing that any amount of alcohol may negatively affect one's health.

Experts point to external factors fueling the zero-proof trend, including changes in lifestyle after the COVID-19 pandemic and wellness and weight-management concerns related to alcohol consumption.

Industry observers are noting broader market changes that are fueling the zero-proof lifestyle: better-tasting nonalcoholic ingredients, a growing demand for mindful drinking, and the normalization of choosing a nonalcoholic option without sacrificing the social experience.

Somerville's Tall Order is another establishment getting into the zero-proof movement. “I think people are trying to be more thoughtful or intentional about what they're consuming when it comes to alcohol, taking into account how much alcohol there is in something,” said co-owner Daren Swisher in a statement shared with WBUR. 

At Tall Order, the drink menu contains regular, low- and no-ABV options, including nonalcoholic beer, wine, and cocktails.

From a business perspective, expanding nonalcoholic drink options can lift the average check and create a more inclusive guest experience by appealing to a wider clientele, said Tall Order co-owner Joe Cammarata.

John Benevides, the bar director at Coda Restaurant Group, told WBUR the zero-proof trend doesn't show any signs of slowing down. He said that nonalcoholic drinks have “exploded” by approximately 300% so far this year, comprising approximately 5% of all drink orders across the restaurant group's four restaurants in Boston and Cambridge: Baleia, Gufo, SRV, and The Salty Pig.

“There's definitely a swing for people to consume less alcohol, and will try the new products that come out, and [it's] exciting to, you know, use that as a new creative fuel,” he said.