Why alcohol-free menus stopped being an afterthought
There are several reasons and none of them is a passing fashion. More and more people drive, more and more cut down on alcohol for health reasons, and in any larger group there is always someone who simply is not drinking that evening. For years those people got a choice between water and cola, which is a way of telling them they are second-class guests.
One thing changed that: the arrival of proper alcohol-free bases. Alcohol-free vermouths, 0 per cent prosecco and syrups with real character made it possible to build drinks that have structure, bitterness and length, not only sweetness. They are the reason the category stopped being a compromise.
What separates a good mocktail from juice with syrup
Four things that tell you a venue takes this part of the menu seriously:
- A base, not just juice. An alcohol-free vermouth or 0 per cent prosecco gives you what juice cannot: bitterness, acidity and a dry finish.
- Fresh citrus. Exactly as in the drinks with alcohol. Lime or lemon keep the sweetness in check.
- The same technique. Shaking, stirring in the glass, the same ice and the same glassware. A shortened procedure always shows up in the taste.
- A dry finish. If the drink ends sweet and coats the palate, it is a dessert, not a cocktail.
Our alcohol-free menu is built on Martini Floreale and Martini Vibrante, on 0 per cent prosecco and on Monin syrups, by the same hands and at the same pace as the rest.
Floreale Hugo, the most popular choice
Hugo has had a spectacular run in Poland in recent years and it is the most searched drink in this category. The classic version stands on prosecco, elderflower syrup, mint and sparkling water.
Our version is entirely alcohol-free: Martini Floreale, elderflower, lime, mint and 0 per cent prosecco. Floral, light and refreshing, with a bitter edge from the Floreale base that sets it apart from the sweet versions served in beer gardens in summer. It is the best entry point for anyone who has never ordered an alcohol-free cocktail.
Vibrante Spritz, the version without alcohol
Spritz is a format, not a recipe: something bitter, something sparkling, plenty of ice and a slice of citrus. Vibrante Spritz delivers it on Martini Vibrante and 0 per cent prosecco.
Vibrante has a pronounced bitter-citrus profile with a spiced note, so the drink lands surprisingly close to a classic spritz. We serve it in the same glass and with the same amount of ice, because in this category the look of the drink is half the experience. Nobody at the table will realise it is the 0 per cent version until you tell them yourself.
Free Star Martini, for those who like it fruity
The alcohol-free version of the most ordered cocktail in the world. Passion fruit, vanilla and 0 per cent prosecco, in a cocktail glass, with the same fruity, sparkling profile as the original.
This is the drink that works best for toasts, because it looks exactly like the Pornstar Martini standing next to it. At a hen party or a birthday nobody has to hold a glass of juice to signal that they are not drinking.
Free Sour and Cucumber Free Collins, the low sugar versions
Two for those who do not like sweet drinks.
Free Sour is Monin Pure Apple, agave, lime, egg white and ginger. Sour, with a thick foam from the egg white and a sharp ginger finish. The sour format works very well without alcohol, because in that drink the balance of acid and sugar matters more than the base anyway.
Cucumber Free Collins stands on Monin Pure Cucumber, with ginger, sugar, lemon and soda. Cucumbery, dry and long, served in a tall glass with plenty of ice. The most refreshing drink in this part of the menu.
Both are described on the menu as low sugar, and that is not a marketing trick but genuinely less sugar than in the other drinks.
Zero Tiki is Still Fun
The sixth alcohol-free drink sits on the tiki menu, not in the alcohol-free section. Zero Tiki is Still Fun is passion fruit, ginger, coconut and lime, at 34 PLN. It is built exactly like the other drinks in Tiki Prelude, only without the rum base. We write more about that menu in the text on tiki drinks.
What to order the first time
- You have never had a 0 per cent cocktail: Floreale Hugo
- You like it bitter and sparkling: Vibrante Spritz
- For a toast, so that it looks like the full version: Free Star Martini
- You do not like sweet drinks: Cucumber Free Collins
- You want something sour with foam: Free Sour
- Fruity and exotic: Zero Tiki is Still Fun
Practical details
- Cocktail Room: Thu and Sun 21:00-2:00, Fri and Sat 21:30-4:00
- Address: ul. Zaruskiego 5, 300 metres from Krupówki
- Alcohol-free menu: five drinks plus an alcohol-free tiki drink
- During the day you can also order alcohol-free cocktails in Aperitif Bar, open from 9:00
- Bookings: +48 530 331 531
Are there alcohol-free drinks in Cocktail Room?
What is the difference between a mocktail and juice with syrup?
What is Hugo and can it be made without alcohol?
Does an alcohol-free spritz taste like the real thing?
How much do alcohol-free cocktails cost?
Are alcohol-free cocktails sweet?
Can I order an alcohol-free drink that is not on the menu?
Can I get alcohol-free cocktails during the day as well?
See how it looks with us
Full information about the zone, the menu and opening hours.
Cocktail RoomPornstar Martini, Negroni and Paloma: the classics you order most oftenA guide to the most ordered cocktails on the Cocktail Room menu. What they are made of, how they taste and which one to pick at the start of the evening.
Cocktail RoomTiki in the Tatras: rum drinks from the Tiki Prelude menuWhat tiki cocktails are, how to read them on a menu and what you will find in Tiki Prelude. Six rum drinks, including one on śliwowica łącka.