The Volstead, Philly’s First Zero-Proof Bar, Is Opening in Manayunk

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Across the nation, zero-proof bars have been popping up, aiming to supply people in restoration, these figuring out as sober curious, or people who merely don’t drink an area the place they will socialize and unwind — simply with out the booze. There’s Sans Bar in Austin, Awake in Denver, and Listen Bar, the stylish New York City dry bar turned digital world neighborhood.

While eateries and bars in Philly have turn into extra aware of nondrinkers by carving out menu house for nonalcoholic choices that aren’t your fundamental Shirley Temple, town has been behind within the sober-bar pattern.

But that’s all altering this weekend — Philly’s first zero-proof bar opens tomorrow, bringing with it all of the revelry with out the hangover.

Located in Manayunk, The Volstead by Unity is a restaurant-and-bar combo, serving 100-percent vegan fare and nonalcoholic drinks. The dinner menu — which you’ll attempt Tuesday via Sunday — boasts dishes like fennel “saus’ge” meatballs, candy potato gnocchi, sriracha-marinated tempeh steak with smashed cauliflower, and chocolate flourless cake made with almond flour, darkish chocolate, espresso beans and maple syrup. On Saturdays and Sundays, brunch choices embrace migas (with a cashew scramble), avo toast, oat pancakes and a veggie-forward quiche.

And simply because The Volstead is a dry bar doesn’t imply the drinks are missing in taste or complexity. You’ll get to sip on favorites like Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, margaritas and mojitos — made out of zero-proof spirits like Ritual, Seedlip and Lyre’s — dealcoholized wine by Surely and Ariel, 5 forms of booze-free beer from Athletic Brewing Company and rotating tapped kombucha from native biz Baba’s Brew.

The Volstead is the brainchild of Robert and Arielle Ashford, founders of Manayunk-based Unity Yoga, Unity Recovery and Unity Taqueria (aka Unity Taco). In restoration themselves, the husband-and-wife crew have made it their mission to create areas that help the livelihood of those that are sober. A zero-proof bar, they are saying, appeared like a pure addition to their evolving enterprise. “People in recovery don’t want to spend their time in meetings in church basements or at bowling nights,” Robert says. “Socializing for those who don’t drink should be fun, sexy and, most importantly, inclusive.”

Arielle provides that they see The Volstead as a neighborhood house the place somebody can proceed pursuing their wellness exterior of the yoga studio. “It’s what we talk about when we say taking your authentic self off the mat,” she says. “They shouldn’t have to hide parts of themselves when they’re out in the world.”

Customers aren’t the one ones benefiting from the vegan, NA spot. Like Unity’s different ideas, The Volstead is dedicated to equitable hiring practices, which incorporates staffing people who’re in restoration, are returned residents and/or dwell with psychological well being points — and paying them a livable wage.

As Philly’s first booze-free bar, The Volstead can be a significant participant in serving to town’s hospitality business evolve. But it additionally may assist progress the realm’s strategy to alcohol, normalizing the choice to not drink, irrespective of the rationale. “The Volstead challenges a belief so ingrained in society: that you need to drink alcohol in order to be in community and have a good time. You don’t,” Robert says. “Instead of simply adding nonalcoholic drinks to the menu, we’re pushing the narrative forward by showing that zero-proof doesn’t have to be a subset of your offerings; it can be the whole show.”

The Volstead is situated at 4371 Main Street in Manayunk. Reservations are beneficial and might be made right here.