Where to unwind without booze in Central Oregon this Dry January

Published 10:30 am Wednesday, January 1, 2025

It’s Dry January, the time of year when drinkers refrain from imbibing after the indulgences of the holidays. From entirely alcohol-free bars and food truck pods to restaurants devoting time and attention to a robust mocktail program, here’s a guide to kicking off your booze-free celebrations in Central Oregon.

The Dez Lounge

By day, Palate on Colorado Avenue in Bend is a coffee bar, but by night it’s a buzzing alcohol-free lounge. Corrine Coxey, owner of Salud Live Kitchen, designed The Dez Lounge as a space to develop meaningful connections unaltered by alcohol.

Mocktails are no longer relegated to the bottom of the drink menu but take center stage. One of the creatively mixed drinks on the menu is the Blue Guava Kava Colada ($16) with Myth coconut non-alcoholic spirit, coconut cream and spirulina.

Coxey teamed up with herbalist Madeline Wettig of Pine Willow Wildcraft to craft syrups and bitters from local herbs for medicinal elixirs, such as the Pine Drop Pondo Soda ($12) which tastes like the forest.

Desserts from Foxtail’s The Den and charcuterie boards accompany the specialty non-alcoholic menu offerings. The lounge recently switched to its winter hours and unveils a winter menu this week with new specials such as the Gingerberry Winter Punch.

5 p.m.-close Thursday-Saturday; 643 NW Colorado Ave., Bend; thedezbend.com

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Hosmer Bar

Nestled inside the Waypoint Hotel lobby on Third Street is zero-proof forward Hosmer Bar. Mocktails may be sipped as listed on the menu or with the addition of nonalcoholic or alcoholic spirits. There’s also wine and beer sans booze by Fre Wines and Crux Fermentation Project.

The bar recently introduced happy hour from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with deals like a non-alcoholic ginger hot toddy ($5).

Booze-free drinks pair nicely with smash burgers served by MidCity Smashburger food truck parked outside of the same hotel and run by the same owner, Mike Aldridge.

4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Waypoint Hotel lobby, 1415 NE Third St., Bend; hosmerbar.com

JIA

The mocktail menu at JIA Asian Street Kitchen in Brookswood Meadow Plaza is anything but boring. Bartender Tou Meechukhan designed a series of colorful, alcohol-free beverages that cost $10 or less.

The Tiki Panda ($10) with pomegranate and pineapple is served in a panda or tiki glass and then set on fire. The Ube Lavender Sparkler ($8), made with a lavender and ube shrub and sparking water, has a buttery and nutty flavor. Recently added to the mocktail menu is a passionfruit mango iced tea with whipped cream and diced mango ($8).

11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m., 4:30-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 19570 Amber Meadow Drive #100, Bend; jiastreetkitchen.com

Redmond Food Park

Redmond Food Park offers a gathering space sans alcohol with food trucks serving a variety of cuisines, such as Indian, Mexican, and Mediterranean along with food offerings such as Philly cheesesteaks, boba, coffee and ice cream.

It was important to owner Hoss Talebi to remove the alcohol component, providing a safe space for teenagers and families to convene. As the former owner of a hot dog truck in Portland, he’s familiar with the challenges of running a mobile restaurant and has made an effort to offer amenities to the food trucks parked in the lot, according to The Bulletin’s archives.

Open daily, food truck hours vary; 122 SW Fifth St., Redmond; redmondfoodpark.com

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