Friday Club. Magazine
Looking for the best mocktails in Hong Kong? These bars keep your nights out interesting with creative zero-proof and low-alcohol drinks.
A good night out doesn’t have to come with alcohol. You can still enjoy the music, catch up with friends and order something you’ll look forward to. Hong Kong’s bars have no shortage of options, from tea-inspired mocktails to savoury creations and spirit-free classics. Sober, sober-curious or simply cutting back, here’s where to find the best low-alcohol cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks in Hong Kong.
Read More: Sober Curiosity – How Gen Z Is Redefining Drinking Culture
Tell Camellia
Fancy taking your tea order into the evening? Tell Camellia in Central is known for its ‘tea-tails,’ with varieties such as oolong and longjing inspiring the drinks. There’s no shortage of options for the sober crowd either, thanks to mocktails made with premium non-alcoholic spirits. Try the Japanese Garden – a blend of yuzu, cucumber and cold brew sencha. It’s a light, herbal choice for anyone who prefers a less sweet sip on a booze-free night out.
Tell Camellia, Shop 2, LG/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, Hong Kong, 9821 5501, tellcamellia.hk
Avoca
Avoca at Mondrian Hong Kong makes a good case for a night out in Tsim Sha Tsui, even when you’re skipping the booze. The zero-proof drinks get the full cocktail treatment, with eye-catching presentation to match. Try the Berry Noir or Dry Peach Bellini, and order a few Asian-inspired small bites while the DJ supplies the soundtrack. There are low-ABV options too, if you’re looking to cut back on alcohol rather than skip it altogether.
Avoca, 38/F, Mondrian Hong Kong, 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 3550 0338, mondrianhotels.com
The Savory Project
If sweet mocktails aren’t your thing, The Savory Project in Soho is one to seek out. From the award-winning team behind COA, this bar explores savoury, umami-led profiles through unexpected ingredients. Its ‘Temperance’ selection takes the same approach to zero-proof drinks, with herbal, saline and vegetal notes offering a refreshing change from the usual fruity options. Layered complexity keeps each sip interesting, without relying on sweetness.
The Savory Project, 4 Staunton Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2318 1588, thesavoryproject.com
Penicillin
Walk into Penicillin, and its white tiles might have you thinking you’ve walked into a laboratory. Experimentation is everywhere: local produce, house ferments and kitchen offcuts all find their way into the drinks. This Hong Kong bar takes a ‘scrap-less’ approach, making the most of ingredients that might otherwise go to waste. The menu changes occasionally, and includes a few zero-proof options for anyone skipping the alcohol – a chance to explore the bar’s resourceful take on drinks without the booze.
Penicillin, L/G, Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, 9880 7995, penicillinbarhk.com
Blotto
Don’t let the name fool you – at Blotto, getting drunk is entirely optional. This laid-back Kennedy Town bar has a sense of humour that carries through to its zero-proof drinks. Go earthy and tropical with Diwata, get your coffee fix with the espresso-forward Designated Driver, or order a Cancel Tom Collins for the name alone. There are virgin classics too, plus a tiered menu that lets everyone choose how boozy – or booze-free – their night will be. Feeling peckish? Blotto welcomes outside food, so bring your favourite takeaway to enjoy over a round of drinks.
Blotto, 66-68 Catchick Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong, blotto.canva.link
The Opposites
Head to The Opposites on Hollywood Road for a booze-free night with a few surprises. This Soho bar gives its non-alcoholic drinks the same care and attention as its cocktails, with a spirit-free selection that reads more like a food menu. Names such as Beetroot Watermelon Salad, Canto-Braise and Apple Custard Pie invite you to rethink what might arrive in your glass. Take your cue from whichever dish catches your eye – there’s enough imagination here to make a sober night feel like a special occasion.
The Opposites, LG/F, Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2711 0038, theopposites.hk
Honky Tonks Tavern
Honky Tonks Tavern has us sold with its fried chicken, country tavern decor and buzzing nights in Central. Set beside a park, this dive bar makes a great spot for catching up with friends over wings, pizza and fried pickles. Skipping the booze? Its dedicated non-alcoholic menu keeps things interesting. No Way José combines fresh guava and hibiscus, while Frida pairs popcorn tea with 0% aperitivo and 0% prosecco. Order a round and a few plates to share, and you’re sorted for the evening.
Honky Tonks Tavern, G/F, 75 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, honkytonkstavern.com
Gokan
At upscale Japanese lounge Gokan, the zero-proof drinks are given equal billing with the cocktails. Led by star mixologist Shingo Gokan, the bar applies its five-senses philosophy to a non-alcoholic menu organised by colour: blue, red, yellow, white and black. There’s much to pique your curiosity, with passionfruit, mustard and tangerine in ‘Yellow,’ and kokuto, black vinegar, black garlic and black fig in ‘Black.’ Purposeful textures and elegant presentation make these drinks feel just as carefully crafted – a welcome find for groups with different drinking preferences.
Gokan, G/F, 30 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong, 5500 0399, Instagram: @gokan.hk
Born in Korea and raised in Hong Kong, Min Ji has combined her degree in anthropology and creative writing with her passion for going on unsolicited tangents as an editor at Friday Club. In between watching an endless amount of movies, she enjoys trying new cocktails and pastas while occasionally snapping a few pictures.
