Bright nights: inside Hong Kong’s changing relationship with alcohol
The bassline is low, the sun is still high, and the room hums with the peculiar alchemy of caffeine and that breathless pause before the beat drops. At a Social Club Series “coffee rave”, part of Hong Kong’s growing soft-clubbing scene, alcohol is nowhere in sight. Instead, perhaps a piccolo latte; on other days, it might be a slice of pizza, a cup of tea or a scoop of gelato. Nobody orders a round of shots—and nobody seems to miss them.
It’s part of a wider shift sweeping Asia-Pacific. According to Canada- and India-based market intelligence firm Precedence Research, the region’s non-alcoholic drinks sector is already worth more than US$480 billion and is projected to double by 2034. California-headquartered Grand View Research forecasts that ready-to-drink mocktails in Asia-Pacific will grow by 6.5 per cent a year through 2030. Meanwhile, global market analyst Euromonitor International notes that East Asian consumers, especially younger ones, are cutting back for health, clarity and the simple pleasure of waking up without regret.
That’s the backdrop for a subtle but potent transformation in Hong Kong: parties where the espresso machine takes centre stage, cocktail bars with no spirits at all, and fine-dining rooms where a sparkling tea cork pops with the gravitas of Champagne. This isn’t about teetotal purity—it’s about reimagining nightlife so the flavour and connection remain, but the hangover doesn’t.
Social Club Series started a movement of alcohol-free parties in Hong Kong (Photo: Sunwerks)
Coffee-fuelled clubbing
Daylight, a looping beat, cups clinking instead of glasses. Social Club Series didn’t spring from a manifesto so much as a dare to try something different. “We saw this trend rising in America [and] Canada and have been thinking it could work in Hong Kong,” says co-founder Isaac Woo. “It started with an Instagram DM. We’d been obsessed with this Toronto-based DJ, DCR Milda. When we saw he was coming to the city, we just shot our shot and asked if he’d play a set for us and our friends. Our friend who owns Islet Coffee Lab [a coffee shop-art gallery hybrid in Central and Quarry Bay] offered her space, and just like that, we pulled it off in a week. We invited everyone we knew and even some people we didn’t, and it just turned into this little magical coffee rave. Then we posted the video—and the DMs started rolling in, like, ‘When’s the next one?’ So … we kept going.”
The caffeine-first angle was organic. “It wasn’t some big master plan. We just wanted to throw a great daytime party that felt fresh, energising and welcoming,” Woo says. “Coffee made sense for a daytime vibe, but we were genuinely surprised—in the best way—by how many people chose coffee over alcohol and still had the best time, laughing, connecting and dancing to the music.”
Social Club Series curates playlists, but also atmosphere. “We’re always on the hunt for hidden gems, turning everyday places into something unexpected and surprising when you add great music and a good crowd,” he says. “We do not just pick random places; we make sure we pair the right music with a theme that goes well with the restaurant’s style. What really matters to us is working with partners who get it. Those who care deeply about the community and push to create something special.”
The result is a different kind of floor craft. “There’s something refreshing about a crowd that’s running on caffeine and good vibes instead of alcohol,” Woo adds. “People felt more present—more tuned into the music, the energy and the people around them… staying sober makes you listen to the music and the flow that [the] DJ has put effort into. We saw pure, joyful movement—nothing forced, nothing performative… it felt real. With the right music, people and energy, you don’t need alcohol to party.”
And the format is elastic by design. “We’re always open to new formats, venues and themes that keep things fresh and exciting for the community,” he says. “Coffee has been a fun and surprisingly powerful vibe, but we’re also curious about other non-alcoholic experiences. Maybe matcha, tea or something totally unexpected. A lot of our community is pretty wellness-conscious … as long as the energy’s right and the experience is meaningful, we’re down to try new things.”
Mostly Harmless aims to present non-alcoholic drinks that are just as good as the alcoholic ones (Photo David Thomas Holmberg)
The zero-proof bar
In Sai Ying Pun, Mostly Harmless looks like a classic cocktail bar, only the theatre happens without spirits. Owner Ezra Star frames the shift plainly: “We have, since inception, focused very highly on producing non-alcoholic drinks and have always wanted an excuse to push the limits of this category as we do with all of the drinks that we make. I do not drink, and I am very interested in how far we could go to make drinks that not only showcase non-alcoholic drinks but also push the limits of what can be done with cocktails in general. There was also a licensing issue related to the building going under construction, but as the bar has never been about serving drinks, just serving people, the shift made sense.”
Now, technique fills the space where alcohol used to be. “We make all of our own bases and drink elements from scratch and don’t rely on commercial non-alcoholic spirits, as we have found very few that live up to our standards,” Star says. “As we made this transition, we discovered that there is very little available to give the experience we were looking to offer … so we were forced to create new techniques and search for different options from what a normal, or even highly acclaimed, cocktail bar might use. We choose to look at tannin, texture and body to produce unique ingredients from natural sources, all from local Hong Kong farms, to make one-of-a-kind drinks and flavour bases.”
One of those creations is the tomato “Martini”, an alcohol-free reimagining of the classic, reverse-engineering the flavours of agave spirit and tomato vermouth. The “agave” is made with ginger, Thai chilli, black cardamom, osmanthus tea and smoked plum, finished with potato starch for texture; the “vermouth” comes from tomato water, lacto-fermented for umami and spiced for depth.
The reaction has been telling. “Many guests feel alienated by traditional bars and are happy to have a home where the drinks are complex, unique and delicious,” she says. There was, of course, pushback. “People have said, ‘If you don’t serve alcohol, you’re not a real bar,’” but the experience won over anyone willing to try it. The crowd is mixed: “non-drinkers, people who are out with non-drinkers and looking for somewhere unique, and just curious cocktail enthusiasts”.
Star is frank about the pace of change. “Hong Kong is not fully ready, but the change is happening quickly.” Helping that change along is Sazerac Sunday’s Zero, a monthly takeover series, where Mostly Harmless invites other bars from around the city to serve their own non-alcoholic creations for one night. The aim is to showcase how diverse and inventive zero-proof cocktails can be, while also nudging more venues to invest in their alcohol-free programmes. “One of the reasons we started [it] was to bring awareness to the non-alcoholic cocktails available across Hong Kong by showcasing our friends … so when we went to visit them, the non-alcoholic drinks would be just as good as the alcoholic ones.”
Saicho sparkling tea offers non-alcohol-imbibing drinkers ceremony without caveat (Photo: Paolo de Venuto)
The champagne of tea
Across white-tablecloth dining rooms, Saicho offers non-alcohol-imbibing drinkers ceremony without caveat. Co-founder Natalie Chiu traces the origin to a dinner gone lopsided. “I have an alcohol intolerance, and one evening at a beautiful fine-dining restaurant, Charlie [Winkworth-Smith, co-founder of Saicho] was offered a stunning wine pairing experience … Meanwhile, I was left with a glass of water,” she says. “I wanted a drink with complexity, provenance and elegance that could elevate the meal in the same way wine does.
“We began exploring tea, particularly single-origin teas, and discovered their incredible depth. From there, we experimented with cold-brewing and carbonation. We realised we could create something truly special that brings tea to the heart of the dining experience.”
So how does it work? “Tea is an incredibly nuanced ingredient. When it’s cold-brewed and lightly carbonated, its aromatic complexity is amplified,” Chiu explains. “The gentle bubbles add texture, while the tea’s structure—its tannins and subtle bitterness—gives it the backbone to stand up to a wide range of dishes.”
It’s clear that Chiu is not alone in her desire for alternatives. “It’s been deeply meaningful for me to see Saicho embraced in Hong Kong,” she says. “We’ve been fortunate to work with some of the city’s most respected restaurants, including Noi [an Italian omakase restaurant spearheaded by chef Paulo Airaudo] and Feuille [a French restaurant with a nature-inspired tasting menu], to create bespoke pairing menus … Saicho is also available in many of Hong Kong’s leading five-star hotels.” And like wine, “it works beautifully as an aperitif … or throughout a tasting menu… The ritual of opening a bottle and pouring it into stemware naturally lends itself to celebration.
“There’s a clear shift happening,” Chiu says. “People still want drinks that feel indulgent, thoughtful and refined. The luxury non-alcoholic space is growing because it answers that need … With options like Saicho, they can enjoy something just as crafted, celebratory and food-friendly. It’s about inclusion—without compromise.
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