Canada’s Best Sober (or sober-ish) Shops, From Montreal to Winnipeg
Something curious is going on in my refrigerator. There was a time when my shelves were peppered with canned cocktails, artisanal coolers, and the odd crisp ‘pils. These days, however, as I unmask the interior of my SMEG, I am greeted with a similar cacophony of colourful cans and sleek bottles — with one big difference: they’re almost all entirely zero-proof. Who am I? Well, according to LCBO sales reports and the social media zeitgeist, I am one of the increasing numbers of sober curious spenders delving into the spiritless ready-to-drink market.
“Non-alcoholic cocktails can really tap into all of the emotional reasons people enjoy drinking that aren’t related to the alcohol”, explains Dalia Kohen, the holistic chef-turned-creator of zero-proof Canadian cocktail brand, WildFolk, in response to my questions about the seemingly overnight influx of temperance sips. She’s right, of course. Don’t get me wrong: I consider wine a liquid art form, and I am among good company in my lusty pursuits for a martini on a Friday night, but I have to admit that on the majority of occasions when I reach for a drink, what I am actually looking for is an interesting liquid to punctuate other activities. It turns out that pouring a carefully crafted spirit-free Bee’s Knees, like WildFolk’s, is as much of a reward at the end of a busy day than a boozy elixir, only one promises a clear head the next morning, and the other provides a one-way path to woozy escapism.
According to Statistics Canada, 29 percent of Gen Z and Millennials are reducing their alcohol consumption amid a rising culture of “sober curiosity”. With an apparent increased cultural appetite for sober-centric treats, we probed Kohen into describing what actually makes a “good” ready-to-drink zero proof drink so we know what to look out for in stores. The answer, for Wildfolk anyway, comes down to ingredients and process. Encouraging consumers to look out for natural flavour infusions rather than “extracts”, Kohen warns us to steer clear of zero calorie sweeteners that throw off the flavour balance, believing instead that the best flavour comes through sustainably-sourced whole and natural ingredients.
While the LCBO reports a 73% increase in sales of non-alcoholic and de-alcoholized beverages, it is still somewhat of a challenge to purchase craft mocktails and temperance sips (outside of the big brands) at chain liquor stores. Thankfully, this has paved the way for more bespoke offerings at smaller, independent retailers across the country (hurrah!). Here is a list of a few of our favourites:
Halifax: Soberish Mocktail Shoppe
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The Soberish Mocktail Shoppe presents a whole marketplace with a bumper supply of non-alcoholic beverages, as well sort-of-sober alternatives, like THC-infused drinks, plus buzz-enhancing drops and shots, as well as mixers, bitters, and elixirs.
Montreal: Apéro à Zéro
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Montreal’s first alcohol-free shop is brimming with interesting temperance options like zero-proof “Champagne”, dealcoholized wines from Burgundy, non-alcoholic beers packed with unique flavours, and other ingredients and accessories to concoct at-home sober cocktails.
Toronto: SØbr Market
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With locations across Toronto, and in Winnipeg, SØbr Market brings wide choice and good conscience to an ever-expanding category, with eyes to grow even bigger in the near future. As well as having a wide range of zero proof libations, SØbr Market also caters to specific dietary requirements, for example they carry a range of alcohol-free AND gluten-free beer, vegan non-alcs and zero-proof, zero-sugar concoctions. Big win.
Toronto: Bevvy’s
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Opening its doors in Toronto in 2024, Bevvy’s has an abundance of local non-alcoholic beers from city favourites like Bellwoods, Burdock, Henderson and Blood Brothers, as well as other zero proof bangers and adaptogens. Full sized bottles and miniaturized non-alcoholic sparkling wines are a real hit here, and I am pretty sure we spied something called “picklesecco” which is crying out for investigation.
Winnipeg: SØbr Market
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390 Academy Road
Keeping the sober satiated in Winnipeg, the Prairies iteration of SØbr Market is just as jam-packed with options as it’s Toronto counterparts. Here you’ll find old world wines without the buzz, canned mocktails and mocktail creation kits, sparkling hop water, low and no sugar zero proof sips, “functional” “spirits” — zero proof elixirs designed to stimulate the mind, and more.
Calgary: Santé Dry Bottle Shop
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With over 150 non-alcoholic options with a strong Canadian prominence, Santé Dry Bottle Shop’s offerings include a Quebecois “rum”, de-alcoholized Nova Scotian wine, local zero-proof craft beers and Canada crafted ciders and mocktails.
Edmonton: Sip Liquor Market
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While not entirely booze-free, Sip Liquor Market are thoughtful purveyors of local brews, small-batch distillates, sustainable wines, and a very strong selection of non-alcoholic and de-alcoholized drinks. Here you’ll find a large selection of zero-proof wines, sangria, barrel aged liquids, bottled and canned mocktails, non-alcoholic beers, interesting tonic waters, and sodas.
Vancouver: Mocktails
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Vancouver’s first and only exclusively non-alcoholic bottle shop is filled to the brim with a thoughtfully crafted and entirely zero-proof selection of sips, including a spiritless “Kentucky 74 Bourbon”. Delving deeper into the wellness category, Mocktails also sells adaptogens and nootropics, plus a series of vintage glassware to enhance the drinking experience.
