Turns out Toronto is a great city to be sober in
Ah, to be 20-years-old again, drinking and hitting the floor at Dance Cave until the wee hours of the morning. Back then, in college and working at Starbucks part-time, drinking was part of the whole young-adult-in-the-city deal. But somewhere between now and then, the appeal wore off.
Like many young Canadians, I've recently given up alcohol and noticed a significant shift in how others consume it. Even StatsCan reported a decline in consumption and a rise in alcohol-free alternatives in 2025.
You'd think most people would start drinking heavily after a divorce, but not me. I rebelled against societal expectations: I gave it all up altogether. That puts me among the 41 per cent of Canadians reassessing their relationship with alcohol by cutting back or quitting completely.
While bustling with boozy bars, late-night clubs, bottomless brunches and endless patios, Toronto is still the best city to be sober in.
I think it's a lot easier to be sober in Toronto than in smaller towns. I don't mean to sound elitist when I say that we have more options to do fun things that don't involve sitting and drinking at a restaurant. That, plus tasty mocktails, zero-alcohol beer and boozeless bars are popping up all over the place – and we'll get into it later, reader.
Leanna DaCunha is an event planner in Toronto who, in her spare time, hosts an alcohol-free social club, After the Party. It's a great group to join when you're looking to make like-minded friends in the city.
"I was craving connection, beyond just going for a drink at the bar; I wanted a community of people that I could have real conversations with. And other people are craving the same thing," DaCunha tells blogTO.
Similar to me, DaCunha has been sober for one year and sober-curious for five.
"While Toronto absolutely has a party scene and heavy drinking culture, it's also an amazing city for sobriety or a wellness-focused lifestyle," she says. "There are so many incredible fitness and wellness centres, parks, and restaurants with alcohol-free options."
In any given month, Toronto has an array of festivals, conventions, sports games, art exhibits and concerts to check out when you don't want to stay at home. When I first stopped drinking, I felt so uncomfortable at shows, not having anything in my hand while I stood around waiting for the main act. I mean, I still feel awkward, only this time I'm gripping an overpriced bottle of Flow water instead of a Pilsner.
You can still party without the pour
The words "sober" and "rave" don't usually go in the same sentence, but one woman is shaking things up. Toronto DJ Rachel Molenda created REUNION, a rave-inspired, alcohol-free dance party for women.
What started as a small party for 30 people in 2024 has expanded into back-to-back events for over 500 people in the city and across Canada. It's the proof we need that you can dance your heart out without a drop of liquor.
Then there's Sobar Social Club, Toronto's first mocktail pop-up event series. Renesha Monaco launched the club to "usher in a new era of socializing." Sobar is hosting its third annual Mocktail Competition at Tha Phae Tavern on Richmond St. on Jan. 25, which is a great way for sober-curious folks to indulge in Dry January.
The new happy hour
Sometimes you don't need a special occasion to enjoy a sophisticated sip. When the mood strikes and I need a glass of something that Diet Coke or sparkling water can't fix, I hop over to Sobr Market and load my cart with fizzy NA beverages and zero-proof spirits because, damn it, a gal just wants to feel fancy with a faux espresso martini.
What started as a small pop-up in Winnipeg focused on alcohol alternatives has now expanded into four locations in Toronto, bringing a huge variety – around 500 different products – of NA wines, beers, seltzers and zero-proof spirits like tequila and gin.
Taycia Chaplin, CEO of Sobr Market, tells blogTO that interest in local consumers looking to limit or eliminate alcohol altogether is "definitely spreading."
"We also see a lot of people who cut out alcohol temporarily for something like Dry January, marathon training, or pregnancy, but liked how they felt and decided to just keep going without it," Chaplin says.
Chaplin also explains that even millennial and Gen Z customers who have never tried alcohol before shop at Sobr Market solely for the flavourful options they provide.
Since bevvy's, Toronto's first NA bottle shop, shut down last November, Sobr Market is heaven for people like me looking to sip on something interesting at social gatherings without the worry of hangovers, embarrassing moments (my days of falling flat on my face are over!), or feeling left out.
Bottle shops aside, the NA options at grocery stores, cafes and pretty much anywhere you can grab a drink are aplenty. Personally, I like the options at Dark House on St. Clair and Dufferin, and Sweet Potato in the Junction.
After enjoying my experience at Hekate, New York City's only sober bar, I was excited to learn that Toronto has its own equivalent, ZERO Cocktail Bar in Cabbagetown, where I plan on attending a drag show and trivia night later this month.
See? In Toronto, you can still go out, have fun, be in bed by 10 p.m. and not have a wretched hangover in the morning.
As DaCunha puts it: "Sobriety is only boring if you do boring things with boring people."
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