The 10 most popular mocktails right now are a mix of classics that have been around for decades and newer drinks that blew up through social media. I’ve made every one of these at home and served them at actual gatherings. Here’s the honest rundown of the most popular mocktails people keep ordering.
The 10 most popular mocktails right now
1. Shirley Temple
The original non-alcoholic party drink and still the one most people recognize by name. Named after actress Shirley Temple, it has been a staple since the 1930s. Ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, a generous pour of grenadine, and a maraschino cherry. It’s sweet and takes about 30 seconds to make. Kids love it. Adults who ordered it in the 1980s still ask for it by name.
2. Virgin mojito
Fresh mint, lime juice, sugar, and soda water over crushed ice. The virgin mojito is the most ordered mocktail at bars, partly because it looks like it has something in it and partly because the mint-lime combination works without alcohol. The muddling step matters — under-muddled mint tastes like garnish rather than a drink. See the full recipe at the virgin mojito recipe page.
3. Mocktail Aperol Spritz
The Aperol Spritz took over bar menus a few years back and the mocktail version followed quickly. Bitter orange soda (San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa is the closest substitute), sparkling water, and a splash of white grape juice give you the bittersweet citrus profile without the alcohol. A good non-alcoholic version is genuinely hard to distinguish from the original in a crowded room. Full recipe: mocktail Aperol Spritz.
4. Strawberry lemonade mocktail
Fresh strawberry puree plus sparkling lemonade, served over ice. It looks exactly like a drink you’d pay $14 for at a restaurant, and the flavor holds up to that expectation when you use real strawberries. Strawberry syrup has an artificial note that’s hard to hide in something this clean. Full recipe: strawberry lemonade mocktail.
5. Passion fruit mocktail
Passion fruit juice or puree with soda and lime, served in a rocks glass. Passion fruit has a strong enough flavor that it doesn’t need alcohol to taste complex — it’s one of the few mocktails where the non-alcoholic version is genuinely better than a diluted cocktail version, because nothing is watering down the fruit. Full recipe: passion fruit mocktail recipe.
6. Watermelon cooler
Fresh watermelon juice, lime, a pinch of salt, and sparkling water. Watermelon blends into a liquid with almost no effort and the color is naturally vivid, which is why it took over summer social media. The salt isn’t optional — without it, the drink tastes like diluted fruit. Add a tajin rim if you want to push it toward a paloma-style profile.
7. Peach bellini mocktail
Real peach puree and dry sparkling grape juice in a chilled champagne flute. The peach bellini mocktail ranks highly at brunch events because it looks exactly like the real thing and the flavor holds up. Use real peach puree rather than peach nectar, which tastes artificial. This is the one non-drinkers always reach for first when the drinks are set out. Full recipe: peach bellini mocktail recipe.
8. Cucumber mint fizz
Muddled cucumber, fresh mint, lime juice, and tonic water. The cucumber mint fizz is the easiest mocktail to make look expensive — cucumber adds genuine complexity without requiring anything else to prop it up. Cold tonic works better here than sparkling water because the bitterness balances the cucumber. It reads as elegant without being sweet, which is why it works at events where sugary drinks feel out of place.
9. Non-alcoholic jungle juice
Pineapple juice, orange juice, cranberry, lime, and sparkling water in a large punch bowl. The go-to for parties where you want one drink that works for everyone, including kids. It scales up easily, looks festive with ice and fruit floating on top, and nobody ever complains that it’s missing something. Full recipe: jungle juice recipe (non-alcoholic).
10. Banoffee pie mocktail
Banana simple syrup, caramel, cold brew concentrate, and cream. The banoffee pie mocktail is the newcomer on this list — it hit the radar around 2024 because it works as dessert, not just a drink. Rich and sweet enough to replace the dessert course at an event. Full recipe: banoffee pie mocktail recipe.
What makes the most popular mocktails actually work
Looking at this list of most popular mocktails, something stands out. The drinks that work tend to do one thing clearly: the Virgin Mojito is mint and lime, the passion fruit mocktail is passion fruit, the watermelon cooler is watermelon. The ones that fail usually try to compensate for missing alcohol by adding more ingredients. It makes things worse, not more interesting.
The other thing: almost all of them solve a specific social problem. Jungle juice works for crowds. Peach bellini works for brunch. Shirley Temple works when you need something that looks festive without any effort. Mocktails that feel like a consolation prize tend to be the ones designed around absence — what they’re missing — rather than around flavor.
How to make the most popular mocktails at home
Temperature matters more in mocktails than in cocktails. Alcohol masks a lot — flat soda, warm citrus, a room-temperature glass. Without it, those things are obvious. Cold glass, cold soda, more ice than seems necessary.
For batch setups, keep the carbonated element separate until people are actually drinking. Premixing sparkling water into a pitcher an hour before serving means flat drinks by the time guests arrive. Set up the base (juice, syrup, fruit) in the pitcher and add sparkling per glass.
Use fresh citrus. Bottled lime juice has a slightly metallic undertone that alcohol covers up. A bag of limes for eight guests costs maybe $3 and makes every most popular mocktail on this list taste noticeably better.
More mocktail recipes
For the full library of most popular mocktails and more, the mocktail recipes guide covers everything from sparkling fruit drinks to bar-style mocktails organized by type. If you’re building a drinks menu for an event, the non-alcoholic jungle juice is the easiest batch option and the one that disappears fastest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular mocktail?
The virgin mojito is consistently the most ordered mocktail at bars and events. The combination of fresh mint, lime, and sparkling soda is familiar, looks like a proper drink, and works for almost every occasion. The Shirley Temple is the most recognized by name, especially with older guests.
What mocktails are trending in 2026?
The most popular mocktail trends in 2026 include the mocktail Aperol Spritz, passion fruit mocktail, and dessert-style drinks like the banoffee pie mocktail. Watermelon coolers and cucumber mint fizz drinks have also surged in searches driven by summer social media content.
What is the easiest mocktail to make?
The Shirley Temple is the easiest — just ginger ale, grenadine, and a cherry. If you want something slightly more interesting with almost the same effort, the strawberry lemonade mocktail uses sparkling lemonade and fresh strawberry puree and takes about four minutes.
What is a good mocktail for a party?
Non-alcoholic jungle juice is the best option for large groups because it works for everyone including kids, scales easily, and looks impressive in a punch bowl. For smaller gatherings, setting up a mojito or passion fruit mocktail station where guests can build their own drinks works well.
What makes a mocktail taste like a real drink?
The three things that make the biggest difference are fresh citrus juice instead of bottled, proper temperature (cold glass, very cold soda), and a strong single flavor as the base rather than trying to replicate specific spirits. Mocktails that stand on their own as drinks outperform ones that try to mimic specific alcoholic cocktails.
What is a mocktail?
A mocktail is a non-alcoholic drink made to look and taste like a cocktail without containing any alcohol. The term combines “mock” (imitation) and “cocktail.” Most mocktails use juice, soda, syrups, and fresh ingredients in place of spirits. They are designed to be enjoyed by anyone regardless of whether they drink alcohol.
What non-alcoholic drinks are most popular at bars?
Based on recent bar menu surveys, the virgin mojito, mocktail Aperol Spritz, and sparkling citrus drinks are the most frequently ordered non-alcoholic options. Shrub-based drinks and non-alcoholic spirit cocktails (using brands like Seedlip or Lyre’s) are growing quickly on upscale bar menus.
Can you make popular mocktails ahead of time?
Most mocktails can be partially prepped ahead — base syrups, fresh juice, and fruit can be prepared hours in advance. The carbonated element (sparkling water, tonic, soda) should always be added at the last moment. Pre-mixing carbonated mocktails results in flat drinks by the time they are served.
