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    where to drink now

    15 Houston restaurants and bars shaking up tasty Dry January mocktails

    Brianna McClane
    Jan 2, 2025 | 11:47 am

    January marks a month of renewal for many Houstonians, and for those embracing Dry January, the city’s bars and restaurants are offering mocktails that rival their alcoholic counterparts. These carefully crafted beverages invite patrons to enjoy the social buzz of a bar or complement a meal with a thoughtful pairing — sans the alcohol. Here’s a roundup of Houston’s top spots to sip on zero-proof creativity.

    Amrina
    The Woodlands restaurant is known for its dedication to detail, and that extends to its Dry January mocktails. Try the mango lemonade infused with cinnamon syrup and Richards Rainwater or the shinkaji mule featuring Fever Tree Ginger Beer, lime juice, and spiced syrup.

    Andiron Grille & Patio
    At the newly reimagined Andiron Grille & Patio, patrons will discover mocktails like the “sinless negroni” ($12) a booze-free riff on the classic cocktail, and the “easy rider," a decadent drink ($12) of Ritual Whiskey Alternative, passion fruit, mango, vanilla, and ginger beer.

    Axelrad
    This vibrant beer garden joins the Dry January movement with $7 mocktails such as the “cran you BE anymore merry?” with cranberry, lime juice, and a housemade syrup of apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar. For a warm beverage, the “not toddy” combines that same luscious syrup with fresh lemon juice.

    Duck N Bao
    With 14 alcohol-free cocktails priced at just $6 each, Duck N Bao provides variety and value. Selections include the cucumber lime martini, a refreshing combination of cane simple syrup, lime juice, and smashed cucumber, and the “love at first sight” with pomegranate syrup, sweet and sour, Sprite, and a lemon garnish.

    Monkey’s Tail
    This funky spot brings its signature creativity to mocktails that match its laid-back vibe. Try the picka-pina ($7), with fresh pineapple, chamoy, tajin, and dill pickle brine, or the penichill’n ($9), which combines Lyre's Highland Malt, salted honey, and smoky tea for a complex flavor profile.

    Hungry’s
    Kickstart January’s wellness journey with Hungry’s $6 non-alcoholic spritzes. Choose between the ginger turmeric tonic, known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, or the green juice spritz, packed with fresh-pressed spinach, celery, and green apple.

    Jethro’s
    This retro-inspired lounge ensures Dry January doesn’t mean missing out on delicious drinks. Standouts include the summer breeze, made with zero-proof rum, peach, and lemon juice, and the perfect tea, with zero-proof gin and raspberry tea. Pair either drink with one of the bar's signature smash burgers.

    Le Jardinier
    Fresh off earning a Michelin star, Le Jardinier in the Museum District is delivering indulgent mocktails such as the le jardin, a crisp cucumber and lime concoction, and the “yellow boots,” a tropical mix of spiced pineapple tisane and coconut cordial.

    Lyric Market
    It’s hard for Texans to give up margaritas for an entire month, but thankfully, Lyric Market has the “mock-arita.” Also available are the “lemon kiss,” a spin on the lemon drop martini, and the “mock fashioned,” a zero-proof take on the classic Old Fashioned.

    Plume
    Luxuriate in Plume’s intimate atmosphere while sipping on the “after glow” ($10), a chai-infused cold brew, or the “naked in paradise” ($10) with citrus and coconut cream. The sweet “raspberry dreams” ($10) and the earthy “matcha Palmer” ($10) round out the mocktail menu.

    Superica
    This Heights spot has Tex-Mex-inspired alcohol-free drinks like “ginger no-jito” and the “matador, no bull,” with Lyre’s agave spirit, pineapple juice, and jalapeño. The “vampire weeknight,” a non-alcoholic horchata and rum, promises a decadent, cinnamon sip.

    Tavola
    The “pawloma” at this posh Post Oak Italian restaurant mixes zero-proof Mezcal with fresh grapefruit, agave, club soda, and bitters for a tart treat. Or select the “no mint spritz,” a blend of butterfly pea flower and mint syrup in a gin-free spritz

    Traveler’s Cart
    A more casual spin-off of Traveler’s Table, this globally-inspired eatery offers the “prickly by nature” with Ritual tequila alternative and prickly pear syrup, and the “free-spirited Cuban,” a passion fruit mango mojito.

    Turner’s Cut and Prime 131
    Both Prime 131 and Turner’s Cut have four signature zero-proof cocktails at the ready for Dry January observers. Opt for the spiced pear, with spicy ginger beer balancing out the sweetness of pear syrup and honey, or the kosnopolitan, a virgin twist on the beloved cosmo. Mocktails are $12 at Turner’s Cut and $10 at Prime 131.

    \u200bLove at First Sight Cocktail at Duck N Bao

    Jenn Duncan

    The love at first sight mocktail is available at Duck N Bao, one of the many Houston restaurants offering Dry January alternatives.

    cocktailsdry januarynews-you-can-eatwhere to drink
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    TxMo Best New Restaurants

    4 Houston spots make Texas Monthly's best new restaurants of 2026 list

    Eric Sandler
    Mar 2, 2026 | 9:00 am
    Agnes and Sherman food spread
    Photo by Vivian Leba
    Agnes and Sherman is Texas Monthly's Restaurant of the Year.

    Texas Monthly has revealed its 10 best new restaurants for 2026. Published Monday, March 2, the list is open to restaurants that opened between December 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025.

    Notably, it’s the first edition of the list written by Paula Forbes, who succeeded veteran writer Pat Sharpe last year. She writes that that 2025 was “a lackluster one for Texas restaurants. . . Restaurant experiences that feel truly worth it, that have the power to wow, are hard to come by. But they’re out there,” she continues.

    Forbes found those “worth it” experiences at restaurants in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Paris, a small town in far northeast Texas near the Oklahoma border. Once again, Houston led the way with four spots. They are:

    • Agnes and Sherman, an Asian American diner in the Heights
    • Zaranda, a California-inspired Mexican restaurant in downtown
    • Di An Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown
    • Latuli, chef Bryan Caswell’s eclectic neighborhood restaurant in Memorial

    Forbes hails Agnes and Sherman as her Restaurant of the Year, writing that it deserves a promotion to four-star status after the three-star review she wrote in October. She praises a number of chef Nick Wong’s dishes, including a French dip sandwich, shrimp cocktail, and crab rangoon. “Wong respects the cuisines he riffs on but is not afraid to contort them. The combinations are irresistible,” she writes.

    Zaranda, James Beard Award winner Hugo Ortega’s ode to both the state of California and Baja California, earned its spot for its eponymous dish of seafood cooked in a wire basket, among other items. Forbes hails Di An Pho’s 70-year old chef Hung Van Tran for opening a restaurant that only serves his definitive versions of both beef and chicken pho. She writes that Latuli serves some of Caswell’s signature dishes from across his career, including “a crab-packed crab cake (served with spicy sorghum mustard), a pecan-smoked pork chop, and Shiner-steamed mussels.”

    Dallas restaurants take three spots on the list. At Rainbowcat, James Beard finalist Misti Norris is riffing on comfort fare such as chicken tenders, a McMuffin made with porchetta and braised greens, and a dessert inspired by Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Michelin-starred Mamani earns its spot for expertly-crafted French and Italian fare and a lengthy wine list. Sushi Kozy, led by Uchi Dallas alum Paul Ko, restored Forbes’ faith in omakase dining.

    Austin’s sole representative is Fish Shop, which serves West Coast-inspired seafood such as a Dungeness crab cocktail and halibut crudo alongside Gulf Coast-style fare such as well-sourced oysters.

    San Antonio’s Petit Coquin is Forbes’ “favorite” of the three French restaurants on the list thank to its “streamlined prix fixe menu and laissez-faire atmosphere,” she writes. Diners are encouraged to try dishes such as country pâté, steak au poivre, and rice pudding.

    BonFire, a French restaurant in Paris, TX, also has Houston ties. Chef Patten Sommers spent the early part of his career in the Bayou City, working at restaurants such as Triniti, Ciao Bello, and Brenner’s on the Bayou.

    The full list, in the order it's presented in the article, is as follows:

    1. Agnes and Sherman, an Asian American diner in Houston
    2. BonFire, a French restaurant in Paris
    3. Zaranda, a Mexican restaurant in Houston
    4. Fish Shop, a seafood restaurant in Austin
    5. Rainbowcat, a comfort food restaurant in Dallas
    6. Mamani, a French and Italian fine dining restaurant in Dallas
    7. Di An Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant in Houston
    8. Petit Coquin, a French restaurant in San Antonio
    9. Latuli, a modern American restaurant in Houston
    10. Sushi Kozy, a Japanese restaurant in Dallas

    Agnes and Sherman food spread
    Photo by Vivian Leba

    Agnes and Sherman is Texas Monthly's Restaurant of the Year.

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