Where Not to Drink in Boston
Staying sober or doing dry January? Three local businesses capitalizing on the shift away from boozy nights out.
Dray owner Pat Dooling. / Photo by Elisabeth Hadjis
Dray
What It’s Good For: Gift- and party-ready nonalcoholic beer, wine, spirits, and accoutrements—in other words, all the trappings of a hip, modern liquor store, minus the liquor. And you can feel good about shopping here: A portion of profits benefit local substance-abuse-recovery causes.
What to Try: Ghia apéritifs and canned spritzes (we love the sumac-and-chili variety); ready-to-drink bottled mocktails such as St. Agrestis’s popular “Phony Negroni;” nonalcoholic beers and wines that are actually good (!); artisanal bitters and syrups. Plus, watch for occasional tastings at each of Dray’s locations.
18 Union Park St., South End, Boston; 5 Columbia St., Central Square, Cambridge; draydrinks.com.
Remedy Place
What It’s Good For: Billing itself as “the world’s first social wellness club,” this small chain expanded to Boston last year, blending self-care with social connection. Take the Contrast Suite, for instance: Parties of up to six can relax in a space with an ice bath, sauna, and showers to “transition between bold extremes and leave feeling energized.” (There are plenty of private treatments available, too.)
What to Try: An AI-powered massage—about as personalized as bodywork can get; breathwork followed by a dip in an ice bath; acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine practices.
370 Summer St, Seaport, Boston, remedyplace.com.
Havana Club
What It’s Good For: An 18-plus, alcohol-free evening of bachata and salsa dancing and lessons, held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays. (Other nights are 21-plus, with alcohol available.)
What to Try: Beginner? No partner? Not to worry! Everyone’s welcome: Sign up for a lesson at the beginning of the evening and then stick around for the fun after. The music leans mostly bachata on Mondays and Sundays, with more of an even bachata/salsa split on Tuesdays.
288 Green St, Central Square, Cambridge, havanaclubsalsa.com.
This article was originally published as part of a package in the print edition of the May 2025 issue with the headline: “Does Boston Still Drink?”
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