Better-For-You Beverages

Diet fads may come and go, but healthful habits tend to always be on trend—and they became particularly relevant during the pandemic. “I believe that the last couple of years and the frailty of the unknown has made people much more aware and mindful of what they’re putting in their bodies,” says Leah Carricato, senior operations manager for Captivate Hospitality Group, which owns the Solstice restaurant concept in Newtown, Pennsylvania and Irvine, California. “Being more health-conscious is really an overarching cultural shift in thought process that has also extended to cocktails.”

Seth Corr, beverage director for Greens, a vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco, agrees, noting that while the early days of lockdown resulted in a lot of indulgence, this shifted over time. “There was a trend of drinking more early on in 2020, and once people realized the effects of drinking more frequently they adapted to creating cocktails that didn’t make them feel as bad the next day,” he says. “I do think this trend was coming about before the pandemic, and Covid-19 brought it to the forefront.”

But healthful drinking doesn’t have to be dull, as Michelle Morgan, owner of the vegetable-forward restaurant TLK in New York City, points out. “Hopefully more people are learning how easy it is to take the healthier options,” she says. “It’s possible to have fun in a healthier way with the right decisions, opting for ingredients that are good or better for your body without compromising flavor.”

Perhaps the biggest trend in drinking over the last several years that also happens to be more healthful is the movement away from overly sweet and sugary drinks. “We’ve seen the overall consumer market becoming more health-conscious when it comes to cocktails with less sugar and cocktails that are naturally flavored, which is why we produce our own house-made syrups for our cocktails at Avli on The Park,” says Blake Leonette, bar manager at the Chicago restaurant. “We also like using natural ingredients, such as loose leaf hibiscus tea, to create powerful and naturally flavored cocktails that are still health-conscious. The natural sweetness of hibiscus tea is a wonderful replacement for high-sugar drinks—it creates a sweet, yet slightly earthy and cranberry taste perfect for crushable summer cocktails.” His Spill The Tea ($16) blends Tito’s vodka, Skinos Mastiha liqueur, chilled loose-leaf hibiscus tea, and lemon juice.

Polina Jourbina, beverage manager at The Mermaid Inn Oyster Bar in New York City, also notes that guests are frequently seeking drinks with little or no sugar added. “A classic Moscow Mule would usually be with ginger beer, but I prefer to make mine with ginger syrup,” she says. “Instead of almost a full serving of ginger beer, mine has less than an ounce of ginger syrup. The flavor isn’t skimmed, but the sugar and calories are—plus ginger has tons of benefits to the immune system.” Her Moscow Mule ($16) features Tito’s vodka, 1883 Maison Routin Ginger syrup, lime juice, club soda, and Angostura bitters. “Zero sugar and zero calorie sodas are becoming more frequently used in cocktails—it’s an easy alternative to keep the same flavor as a traditional soda mixer but without the sugar,” TLK’s Morgan says. “We use different flavors of Sanzo soda water to add bubbles and flavor without sugar or calories to make refreshing cocktails.” Created for TLK by consulting bartender Channing Centeno, the Passion Flower ($17) features Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Aperol aperitif, St-Germain liqueur, passion fruit purée, house-made ginger syrup, and Sanzo Mango sparkling water.