What to Order at the Pub When You Don’t Drink
Going to the pub without alcohol doesn’t mean you’re stuck with lime and soda water. It’s genuinely a different experience now than it was five years ago. Most decent pubs have worked out that people who don’t drink still want something worth ordering, and they’re putting actual effort into their non-alcoholic menus.
The coffee game is real
Seriously. A lot of pubs have ditched the instant coffee and invested in proper espresso machines. If your local has one, order a flat white or an americano. It’s not fancy, but it’s reliable. Some pubs go further. The Crown and Anchor in Bristol does a cold brew that’s genuinely better than their coffee shop competitors. You’ll pay £3 to £4.50, which is standard, and you’re getting something that took actual skill to make.
The cappuccino is riskier because it depends entirely on whether the person pulling the shot knows what they’re doing. If you’re unsure, stick with black coffee.
Proper soft drinks, not just Coke
This is where things have shifted. Tesco and Waitrose now stock about forty different premium soft drinks, and pubs have noticed. Look for Fever-Tree mixers without the alcohol. Their ginger beer is sharp and proper, not cloying. A ginger beer with a squeeze of lime and ice in a tall glass costs about £4 and feels like you’re actually ordering something.
Appletiser is another decent shout. It’s just pressed apple juice, carbonated. Sounds simple, but it’s miles better than squash and tastes nothing like the orange juice concentrate you remember from school.
Some pubs stock Cawston Press. Their cloudy lemonade is the real thing, not the syrupy supermarket stuff. Again, about £3.50 to £4.
Hot chocolate that isn’t from a packet
If the pub has that espresso machine, they probably have a steam wand. Ask if they do hot chocolate from proper chocolate and milk. It’s comforting, it’s warm, and it takes longer to drink than a soft drink, which is the whole point of being in a pub. Expect to pay £3.50 to £4.50.
Alcohol-free beer that’s actually drinkable
This is the big one. Five years ago, alcohol-free beer was genuinely bad. Now it’s just… beer that happens to have no alcohol. Guinness 0.0 tastes like Guinness. Peroni 0.0 tastes like Peroni. They’re not perfect replicas, but they’re close enough that you’re not making a sacrifice.
Most pubs stock at least one or two. A pint costs £3.50 to £5 depending on the pub and the brand. Seedlip is also everywhere now. It’s a spirit alternative, not beer, but it works in a G&T format with tonic and ice. It’s botanically complex, actually interesting, and doesn’t taste like you’re drinking something designed by a committee.
Smoothies and proper juice
This is hit or miss. Some pubs make fresh smoothies. Some don’t. If they do, they’re usually pretty good because they’re hard to mess up. Orange, mango, strawberry, banana. Around £4. If they don’t make them fresh, skip it and go for something else.
Fresh orange juice, if they squeeze it, is worth ordering. If it’s from concentrate, it’s not worth the premium they charge.
The water thing
Tap water is free. Sparkling water costs about £1.50 to £2. It’s not a thrilling order, but it’s there if you want it. Some pubs do fancy sparkling water now. San Pellegrino, Perrier. Still not exciting, but it’s an option.
Mocktails, sometimes
This is where it gets variable. Some pubs have trained staff who can make a proper virgin mojito or a non-alcoholic daiquiri. Others will just throw random juices together and charge you £6. Ask what they can do. If the bartender hesitates or looks confused, order something else. A good mocktail is worth the wait and the money. A bad one is just expensive juice.
The actual strategy
Don’t go in expecting every pub to have everything. The good news is that most pubs now have at least three or four things that are genuinely worth ordering. Coffee, a decent soft drink, alcohol-free beer, or a simple hot drink. That’s enough.
The pub experience isn’t really about the drink anyway. It’s about being somewhere warm, somewhere social, somewhere you can sit for an hour without feeling rushed. The drink is just what you’re holding while you do that.
Pick something that you actually want to drink. You’ll be there for a while.
Compliance note: This article is published by The Clear Head, a UK lifestyle site for people who don’t drink, are drinking less, or are sober curious. We aim to provide honest, practical information without promoting any particular brand or approach to alcohol.