It’s a sober-curious world out there. For the uninitiated, sober-curious means you’re open to questioning your relationship with alcohol and finding your comfort level with sobriety. “Maybe you use alcohol as a way to feel less socially anxious or have a drink at night to relax and unwind,” explains Mary Dobson, a Westport-based psychotherapist and CEO of Lift Wellness Group. “But maybe you’ve noticed that drinking doesn’t really address those issues, and you end up feeling more anxious. Sober curiosity is about exploring what works best for you.”
With this rising movement, some of Westport's most beloved and popular restaurants and businesses have added non-alcoholic cocktails, beers, and wines to their menus. Emily Smith, the Director of Operations for Terrain Café, explains that their beverage program has always been rooted in non-alcoholic and espresso drinks—but they’ve expanded as the trend has grown. “Now, the expectation is that the thought and craftsmanship that is present for alcoholic beverages is equally demonstrated in beverages either without spirits or with zero-proof substitutes,” says Emily. Terrain’s most requested mocktail is historically their summertime special, the Watermelon Mint Refresher. “Our non-alcoholic beverages are inspired by the seasons, and harness ingredients that really do the work themselves.”
As Emily points out, the approach to creating non-alcoholic drinks is also more thoughtful than it used to be: no more cloyingly sweet syrupy concoctions. At Full House Hospitality Group restaurants Oko and The Cottage, they begin their mocktail recipe creations with a standout ingredient and build around it. Some of their most popular drinks include the Ginger Revive (made of fresh ginger, lemon juice and yuzu, powdered cayenne and turmeric, and agave syrup) and the All Bark No Bite (turmeric, black pepper, pineapple, maple syrup, garnished with a pineapple spear). “We always strive for a balance of aesthetics and flavor, and we love collaborating with the kitchen to incorporate seasonal ingredients,” Chef Brian Lewis, founder of Full House Hospitality Group, explains. “When creating a new drink, I always ask myself, 'Is this something you’d want to order twice?'” At La Plage (located at the Inn at Longshore, a Delamar hotel property), they also use the same creativity and care put into crafting traditional cocktails when creating mocktail recipes. “We focus on flavor balance, innovation and presentation, fresh fruits, herbs, spices, and non-alcoholic bitters or syrups to create depth and complexity,” shares Hicham Amaaou, Restaurants Director of the Delamar Hotel Collection. Their “Lilac" mocktail is one of their most popular as it “captures the essence of the serene and inviting atmosphere at La Plage/Longshore Inn,” says Hicham. It’s made with pineapple, hibiscus, herbal notes of Seedlip Garden 108 and a sparkling finish.
The acceptance and excitement around sobriety is a big shift for Westport. Mary says when “Dry January” was first launched as a public health initiative back in 2012, the word “sober” was practically a “dirty” one. “Being sober has certainly experienced a rebrand. The philosophy of sober curiosity in 2024 encourages individuals to explore a mindful approach to drinking without defensiveness or shame,” says Mary. “And, with large numbers of our community members becoming sober-curious, peer pressure is an ever-decreasing reason to imbibe.”
It’s not just local restaurants seeing the about-face. Cory Daddario, owner of the Fine Wine Company of Westport says in the past, alcohol-removed products were a “dismal category” but with the high-quality products now available, it’s easy to have both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages available to serve guests in your home. Fine Wine Company of Westport’s most popular non-alcoholic orders include the Seedlip line of non-alcoholic spirits, the Dirty Pelican line of organic mixers, and Beaglepuss’ hopped cider.
To decide if sober curiosity is right for you, Mary suggests making a list focusing on what you’ll gain from adopting a sober-curious approach, “not what you’ll lose.” Instead of thinking, “I won’t be able to drink with my friends,” Mary says to remind yourself that cutting out alcohol can energize you, leaving you open to socializing in more rewarding ways. Not to mention it’s the perfect excuse to visit all the incredible restaurants in Westport— in the name of testing out their mocktail selections, of course.
"Maybe you’ve noticed that drinking doesn’t address those issues, and you end up feeling more anxious. Sober curiosity is about exploring what works best for you.”
"Being sober has certainly experienced a rebrand," says Mary Dobson, a Westport-based psychotherapist and CEO of Lift Wellness Group. "The philosophy of sober curiosity in 2024 encourages individuals to explore a mindful approach to drinking without defensiveness or shame.”