The Best Places for a Non-Alcoholic Hangs and Tipples
As Dry January comes to an end, we asked our readers for their favourite drinks they've been sipping over the month as well as tips for sober places to hang out in the Southside.
by Jack Howse & Devon McCole
One thing that unites both sober people and people who have been particpating in dry January is the notion that there is a distinct lack of places to hang out without alcohol being around. Through these cold January nights when you feel you should drag yourself outside instead of hibernating inside it can be hard to think of a place to hang out where there is no alcohol flowing.
Research by Drinkaware has shown that the amount of people drinking weekly has dramatically decreased in recent years, particularly with young people with only 35% of Scottish 16-24 year olds having had a drink in the past week.
And with Govanhill being such a melting pot of cultures – in which there are many where sobriety is encouraged – the area is crying out for more evening sober hangouts than most. So we asked our readers for their favourite sober hangout spots – as well as their favourite non-alcoholic tipples for if they do end up in a bar.
Sober Spots to Hang
Our neighbours Bee’s Knees Cafe have always been a favourite amongst our readers. Serving a range of loose-leaf teas and other drinks, the cafe is also known for its vibrant arts scene where you can enjoy gigs in the cosy space – an event usually associated with getting a beer spilled down your back in a packed-out bar.
Another tea shop has recently opened on Alison Street. If I Should Die Tonight has a variety of different teas that can be brewed there or taken home with you–and their coffee is just a couple of quid! Find them just opposite Category Is and Kurdish in a little shop underneath a ghost sign.
While Bee’s Knees is sometimes open in the evening for an event, if you are after somewhere that is open later in the evenings regularly you can’t go wrong at Mi Chaii. Serving a delicious range of hot fresh chais – including the pinkest one ever seen – you can also tuck into some delicious South Asian food including a karachi kebab for less than a fiver, much to envy of anyone rolling out of the Victoria Road pubs.
Ranjit’s Kitchen is also another local favourite, with residents recommending their local mint tea, perfect for digesting their Pakistani grub. And if you’re after a sweet late night hangout spot, head to What the Fudge just across the street from Mi Chaii, and tuck into a decadent milkshake with ice cream.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks at Your Local
Victoria Road is at the heart of Govanhill and is home to the Victoria Bar, which first opened in 1875. The old pub serves traditional pub food and beverages, including some alcohol-free favourites that are easily recognised and just as refreshing as their alcoholic counterparts. Like Heineken (0.0%) or Guinness (0.0%) but for the more adventurous they also serve fruity and guilt free Cherries & Berries Old Mout cider.
For the more adventurous, Bar Vini and Zinfandel offer mocktails and other drinks for those with a sweeter tooth. Zinfandel do alcohol free versions of all the usual cocktails, including their take on a sex on the beach cocktail – the cuddle on the beach. At Bar Vini they serve Tè Freddo, an earl grey iced tea with lemon, brown sugar and mint. They also serve Crodino, an alcohol free aperitivo (think aperol spritz!).
But if the cocktail and wine bars aren’t for you and you’re looking for a local pub with a wider selection of alcohol free beer and lager, The Rose Reilly and The Bell Jar don’t disappoint. Both boozers serve alcohol-free Erdinger (which we heard was one of the favourites in both pubs).
Fans of Radlers will be buzzing to know that the low alcohol version of the renowned Joker IPA and Alien Form are available behind the Bell Jar bar. At the Rose Reilly they serve Lucky Saint, Brulo IPA and Budvar Lime - all of which have, you guessed it, little to no alcohol. Just be sure to ask behind the bar for the alcohol content of your drink when sipping your way through the Southside.