Sacramento’s first alcohol-free bar to open midtown location after successful pop-up run
An oasis for sober and sober-curious drinkers is getting a permanent home in midtown Sacramento.
The Teetotalist Social Club will open as a brick-and-mortar nonalcoholic bar at 1700 I St., Suite 130 this summer, owners Amanda Brincat and Kathryn Altman announced in an email to subscribers Thursday afternoon.
Founded as a catering business in 2022, The Teetotalist has operated pop-up bars over the past two Dry Januarys, first in a downtown office building and then in Propagate Plants & Gatherings this year.
The 2024 pop-up served nonalcoholic beverages along with shareable bites from Notre Ferme, a catering company run by sober chef Allyson Harvie, formerly the chef de cuisine at The Kitchen. Customer support was strong enough that The Teetotalist has kept its residency into February.
The permanent bar will neighbor Propagate in what used to be a Bella Bridesmaids shop. Renovations are underway to transform it into a “vibey cocktail lounge” with comfy seating and a long bar counter, according to the email.
Nonalcoholic bars have emerged in larger cities such as Los Angeles and New York, and Sacramento bars have notably increased their mocktail offerings over the past couple years. But no area bar has dedicated themselves exclusively to zero-ABV drinks, aside from specialty producers such as KC Kombucha in Oak Park.
The Teetotalist has sold nonalcoholic beer and wine at its pop-ups, along with mocktails made from NA spirits such as Cut Above. Prices are comparable to boozy drinks on a night out, as the cost of making each beverage is similar.
The Teetotalist will fundraise for special programs through a series of “hard hat tours,” which will give diehard fans a peek behind the construction zone before the bar opens.
