A Community That Celebrates Sobriety Too

At The Grazing Table, you can sit back and enjoy great crafted beverages, but one thing will be different with each of them in comparison to your typical cocktail bar or lounge, it will be booze free.

From non-alcoholic wine to Mocktails featuring flavors and creative/seasonal takes on the classics, each drink at The Grazing Table can be enjoyed no matter your age and without any pressure to consume alcohol.

In complete transparency, our dream is to have liquor in our space. We have begun to work with our friends at 468 Winery to bring wine into the space soon, however, when this dream began, we were faced with the reality that we would open without serving spirits of any kind. It turns out that was a good thing.

We began to hear regularly the compliments of having booze free space. A space where everyone could enjoy themselves without pressure. Where drinks were still tasty and a good time could still be had, but there wasn’t a lasting hangover the next day. We realized that what felt at first like a road block, was to many customers, a blessing.

We are beginning to see a shift across the restaurant and service industry in regards to an increase in booze free offerings. Eleven Madison Park, voted one of the best Restaurants in the World, just released a Non-Alcoholic Vermouth in honor of Dry January. Dry January alone is a statement to the continued popularity of sobriety and booze free living. Gone are the days of hearing the word “Mocktail” and being served a Shirley Temple or Cranberry and Soda Water. The fact of the matter is that this doesn’t leave guests feeling seen, but instead leaves them to sip on a beverage that wasn’t truly designed to make them feel valued.

This is why we have worked with local chefs (shout out to Chef Kristen!) to build drinks that showcase the beautiful qualities of flavorful spirit free drinks. Drinks like our Lady Lavender, a floral beverage layered with house made lavender syrup, blackberry soda, and Australian ginger-beer all topped with an edible flower or our Smoked Cider Old Fashioned, an ode to a classic with Michigan made apple cider, maple syrup, orange bitters, apple cider vinegar, Australian ginger-beer, all poured over ice in a smoked glass and topped with a Cellar Door (a Grand Rapids company) cherry and a paprika and ginger sprinkle.

Here is our question. What would it look like to celebrate with those who have chosen sobriety? To celebrate individuals who have made a decision not to, or are un-able to, consume alcohol? What if our menus themselves truly reflected options for all to enjoy.

We get it. It’s easy for us to say, we don’t serve alcohol. Your right. It is easy. But as we grow and partner with wineries and eventually serve liquor in our space, one thing won’t be changing. We want you to know that no matter where you are at, our Non-Alcoholic Wine shelf will be stocked and there will be beautifully crafted, booze free drinks, for you to enjoy. Why? Because you matter. You feeling comfortable to drink or not drink matters.

Let’s be a community that celebrates sobriety too.