Do you still think not drinking dooms you to Shirley Temples? Then go to Good News Bar in San Diego and order a Deborah Downer. “It has an activated charcoal float on top,” event coordinator and creative cultivator Chloe King explains. “So it’s a greenish style cocktail and then it has like black lava lamp style effects. Visually they’re beautiful.” Add a house-made black sesame syrup and avocado for silky mouthfeel, and you have a very well thought out alcohol-free cocktail.
King brings her many years of bartending to San Diego’s first nonalcoholic bar. I visited recently during my Sober Travel Handbook promo tour, and was impressed by the bar’s atmosphere, menu and friendliness.
The Vibe
Before my visit, I got advance reports from my sister who lives near Good News. She’d been checking out the place on dog walks and said it looked like a real bar. San Diego entrepreneur Ality Richardson opened Good News last summer in the Hillcrest neighborhood.
I suspect many people who walk in are confused by the wall of bottles behind the bar, plus all the faux liquor and wine in the bottle shop. It’s a lot like a regular bar—just cleaner, more spacious, well-lit, with nobody getting in fights. Even the music is the perfect volume, so you can hear the songs and still talk to people without having to yell.
Chloe wanted to help shape a more sophisticated space for nondrinkers than a coffee shop. “I take pride in our menu,” she said. When she goes out, “I don’t want something that’s just like a ten-dollar apple juice or whatever. I want that shared experience with my friend, and cheers, and not feeling like I can’t participate.”
What do you drink at Good News?
The sophisticated vibe is obvious in Good News’ menu. By day, it offers coffees, teas, functional cocktails and freshly baked pastries. At night, Good News switches to free-spirited cocktails, apéritifs, dealcoholized wines, non-alcoholic beers and cider. The menu is clearly marked whether a drink is truly alcohol-free or non-alcoholic (less than 0.5% ABV, the legal definition).
Chloe still works shifts in a traditional bar as well. Many times she’s had a customer whisper to her, asking for something that looks like a cocktail but isn’t. “It’s none of my business why you’re asking for it,” she said. “But at the same time, I don’t want them to feel shameful that like I’m getting an NA or anything like that, just for them to participate with their friends and then being questioned on it. So I’m just like, ‘I’ve got you, let’s get it.’ And I try to create something that we have in bars, normal bars, for them to feel elevated and on the same page as their friends without excluding them.”
Chloe’s complex creations include ingredients like sassafras, macadamia nut and house-made almond orgeat. When I visited, one of my sisters ordered the Knock Knock, which combines coconut with licorice.
Good News’ most popular drink is Goosebumpz, which includes kava, kiwi and sassafras. “It has a beet foam on top. It looks wild. But I think aesthetically everyone’s into the drinks that look crazy and that are a little foo-fooish.”
Chloe designs drinks based on looks as well as taste. “We’re in the day and age where everything needs to be social media-approved.” Beautiful drinks, ready to post.
Good News events
Good News offers events like bingo, movie trivia, and local vendor fairs. The last Friday of every month is Mac Miller night, when the whole soundtrack is dedicated to the late artist. The bar takes its name from one of Miller’s songs. He openly struggled with mental health and substance use and died of an overdose at the age of 26 in 2018.
It’s important to the Good News staff that people connect with other people who enjoy their sobriety. “I feel like that’s something we do here not only with just our events, but to show people we can have fun. We can create an environment that’s safe. It’s a place for you to mingle and meet people that are on the same journey as you.”
People 18 and up are welcome, with a predominant age range of 18-40.
Shopping at Good News
I didn’t get to meet Ality while visiting, but I perused her clothing line. In one corner of Good News, you can check out a little boutique of gender-free clothing by Ality Designs. Ality combines outdoor wear with low-key luxury.
The bottle shop is pretty spectacular, too: a wall of spirit alternatives, dealcoholized wines and chilled ready to drink elixirs. I saw some favorites plus brands that were new to me.
If you’re visiting San Diego, don’t miss this chic sober bar!
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1. What is Good News Bar in San Diego?
Good News Bar is San Diego’s first nonalcoholic sober bar, located in the Hillcrest neighborhood. It serves alcohol-free cocktails, dealcoholized wines, nonalcoholic beers, and kava-based drinks in a traditional bar setting.
2. Where is Good News Bar located?
Good News Bar is located in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, California.
3. What is a sober bar?
A sober bar is a social space where people gather to enjoy nonalcoholic drinks in a bar-style environment. These venues offer alcohol-free cocktails, NA beer and wine, and community events without serving traditional alcohol.
4. What are the most popular drinks at Good News Bar?
Two of the most popular drinks are Deborah Downer, known for its dramatic charcoal float, and Goosebumpz, a kava-based drink with kiwi, sassafras, and beet foam.
5. Does Good News Bar serve kava?
Yes. Some menu items contain kava, a plant-based beverage known for its calming effects. Kava is optional, and the menu clearly labels which drinks are alcohol-free versus nonalcoholic (under 0.5% ABV).
6. Is Good News Bar completely alcohol-free?
Yes. Good News Bar does not serve traditional alcohol. It offers alcohol-free cocktails and beverages, including dealcoholized wines and nonalcoholic beers.
7. What events does Good News Bar host?
The bar hosts events such as bingo, movie trivia, vendor fairs, and themed music nights, including a monthly Mac Miller tribute night.
8. Is Good News Bar only for people in recovery?
No. While it’s a welcoming space for people in recovery, Good News Bar is open to anyone who wants to socialize without alcohol.
9. What age group visits Good News Bar?
The bar welcomes guests 18 and older, with many visitors between 18 and 40.
10. Can you buy nonalcoholic spirits at Good News Bar?
Yes. In addition to drinks at the bar, Good News features a bottle shop offering spirit alternatives, dealcoholized wines, and ready-to-drink alcohol-free options.
