A dozen mocktails worthy of a toast
The term mocktail — a cocktail without booze — dates back more than 100 years. But the modern mocktail trend, with alcohol-free drinks crafted with the same care as traditional cocktails, began about 15 years ago.
Initially, despite this crafting, mocktails suffered from what we might call faux fur coat syndrome. To wit: Should these drinks seek to mimic alcoholic versions as best they could or should they be items of interest in their own right?
Today, that question has been settled squarely in favor of the latter, with mocktails now widely occupying their own menu territory.
Because mocktails lack alcohol, they’re generally easier for the body to process, won’t dehydrate you like alcohol does and typically contain fewer calories than a regular cocktail.
With all that in mind, here are a dozen mocktails from across the Las Vegas Valley that deliver spirited sips without the spirits. To your health! 
Bel-Aire Lounge: The Purple Rain convenes blackberry shrub, mint, agave, lime and Fever-Tree Pink Grapefruit soda (a mixer of the moment) for sweet highs, acidic flourishes and a lively bubbly finish. The drink is as stylish as the sleek Bel-Aire Lounge itself. $9, In Durango 
Borracha Mexican Cantina: Hoist those pinkies skyward for the Pinky’s Up, a tropical mingling of hibiscus syrup, passion fruit juice, pineapple chili shrub (for a jab of acidity) and tonic water. A pineapple garnish completes matters. $12 In Green Valley Ranch 
Esther’s Kitchen: For a Strawberry Fields, zero-proof Amaro Lucano and zero-proof Lyre’s Dry London gin consort with lime and strawberry. Lyre’s is a popular nonalcoholic spirits brand. Bold strawberry notes take the helm, but there’s also a refreshing gently bitter note for balance. $10, 1131 S. Main St. 
Gaetano’s Ristorante: An Amaretto sour is just what you’d expect from this family-owned spot serving Italian standards. Take nutty Amaretti liqueur from Lyre’s and shake with house sweet-and-sour mix. Simple; classic. $10, 10271 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 111, Henderson 
Golden Tiki: This Chinatown bar is famed for its fantastically boozy (and intricate) cocktails, but the Tiki can make a mean mocktail, too. Consider a Duder Boy-Swizzle mingling cold-brew coffee, coconut and cream, and Fever-Tree soda. A wide orange peel garnish winds like a serpent. $9, 3939 Spring Mountain Road 
Good Pie: It’s a muddle at first (lime, lemon, orange) for The Jewel on Main, with lime juice, peach juice and simple syrup joining the fun. Fever-Tree Pink Grapefruit soda tops things off. $8, 1212 S. Main St. 
Honey Salt: Blood orange juice, soda, fresh basil and orange take up in The Sicilian Punch. The bracing flavor pairs nicely with a mezze plate of hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki, marinated olives, artichokes and grilled pita. $8, 1031 S. Rampart Blvd. 
Sin City Saints Booze-Free Bottle Shop: Eryn Korby, a longtime Vegas hospitality professional, recently opened this downtown shop. Korby said she’s loving the canned Margarita and Kentucky Mule from Free Spirits, an alcohol-free producer. Another pick: a canned Dark & Stormy Tempest, designed to taste like a rum dark and stormy, from Lowtail Libations, a woman-owned Vegas company. $6.99 each, or $22.99 for a four-pack, 1300 S. Main St., Suite 140 
Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar: The Faux-Jito gives a streamlined, mojito-inspired silhouette with lemon-lime soda, spurts of lime juice and mint. A Sicilian Peach is built around Fever-Tree Sicilian Lemonade (made from Sicilian lemons), with coconut cream, peach and jalapeño. Both $8, In Town Square
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.
