10 great places to drink in Columbus while pregnant

I adore a perfectly made cocktail. I admire the art and science that go into a good drink, and I love ditching the desk to try all the great cocktails that Columbus has to offer, even while knocked up. Because a great drink doesn’t need booze. In fact, I’d argue that it takes more talent to make an outstanding mocktail than it does a drink to get you drunk.

I’m well into my sixth month of this adventure called first-time pregnancy, and by now I’ve picked a few favorites around town to feed my cravings for a well-made drink without the addition of caffeine or booze. Of course it doesn’t hurt that most of my go-to spots have some ah-mazing food to pair perfectly with my preggatinis.

A heads up to my preggo and booze-free friends: If you ask for a drink without caffeine or alcohol and are met with an eyeroll, give up and just go with the always-serviceable soda water with a splash of cran. BUT, if your request is met with a nod of understanding and the gleam of a bartender ready to flex her creative muscle, then saddle up, partner, because you’re about to enter flavor country.

(Warning: Terrible puns and poorly constructed portmanteau words ahead.)

10. Land-Grant Brewing Company

The new brewery on the block came out with a strong beer list (so I’m told) and an incredibly cozy spot to hang out, watch football and sip suds. In addition to a huge lineup of great and interesting beers, they’ve got their own root beer on tap, which is fantastic. Sometimes they offer root beer floats made with Jeni’s ice cream, so Land-Grant is pretty much a preggo lady’s Franklinton dream come true.

9. Rusty Bucket, Lane Avenue

The Rusty Bucket on Lane was one of the first spots I tried to pathetically order a drink while pregnant well before we told anyone I was knocked up. Fortunately, my awkward request for a drink without caffeine or booze coupled with a mumbled apology was met with immediate understanding from our bartender Will, whose wife was days away from delivering their second. He came back with a gorgeous drink featuring freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices, Luxardo cherries, a splash of ginger ale and a host of other ingredients that made for a refreshing, delicious drink. Will and I decided to simply call it “The Preggatini,” but those were the early, weak days of my pregnancy-word portmanteau game.

8. Arepazo Tapas Bar Bar Grille

Arepazo’s freshly squeezed fruit juices allow me to pretend I’m drinking healthy (vitamins! minerals! calcium!) with my literal piles of appetizers. As someone whose indecision is at an all-time high while pregged up, the menu of tapas featuring all sorts of cheese, meat, seafood and more offers the perfect variety. The drink menu is filled with impressive cocktails riddled with booze that look and smell delicious as well, if you’re into that sort of thing.

7. Rambling House Soda Pop

If you haven’t been to this semi-new gem in Clintonville, I urge you to go there. Immediately. The Rambling House is an unassuming, sweet little spot that features live music Thursday through Sunday as well as some truly amazing sodas. Both the root beer and the ginger ale/ginger beer are caffeine free, if you’re into putting yourself through that torture, which I am. The space is incredibly comfortable, features plenty of seats with backs, and fantastic music abounds, which can be especially relieving if you’re tired of trying to force slurred conversation with your drunk friends.

6. Grandview Grind

Absolutely zero eyerolls here when ordering caffeine-free drinks. If you’re looking for something sweet, the decaf vanilla latte fits the bill perfectly for a better price than some of the bigger guys around. Plus they normally feature sweets from local bakeries that offer a great snack with your proffee drinks. (Groan. Sorry.)

5. Harvest Kitchen + Bar

The cocktail list at the new Harvest is impressive and fun, so I was especially happy when the bartender lit up after I requested a drink. He quickly asked what I loved (everything) and what I hated (nothing) and whipped up a bright, fun drink filled with freshly squeezed juices, locally made ginger ale and plenty of other mystery ingredients that made for a lovely drink. Of course it doesn’t hurt that they have an absolutely fantastic menu, which includes, among their many delicious pizzas, some tasty hush puppies.

4. Katalina’s Cafe Corner

Katalina’s has a huge host of pregnancy-friendly drinks including a refreshing watermelon mint lemonade. With locally roasted decaf coffees, a long list of root beers and other sodas, and early hours to go with pregsomnia, Katalina’s is a perfect place to spend a non-drunk brunch. The Huevos Rancheros and Nutella Pancake Balls are A. MAZ. ING.

3. Whole Foods Market, Upper Arlington

I’m absolutely in love with the Belvoir Fruit Farms Organic Elderflower Lemonade and its Rose counterpart, which are available in Columbus only at Whole Foods as far as I can find. Both drinks feature a soft, sweet flavor with bubbles, and they look great in a champagne glass if you can manage to make it home with a bottle. The Social, Whole Foods’ in-store pub and restaurant, offers plenty of great craft beers for your drinking buddies, and you can sip away happily on your amazing lemonade while “healthfully” pigging out on the organic buffet.

2. 101 Beer Kitchen

Is there anything 101 Beer Kitchen can’t do? Seriously, this place is perfect for all levels of imbibers from zero to drunk. They’ve got root beer on tap, are plenty happy to make booze-free Bloody Marys with cheese, meat and other delicious garnishes and will be creative if you ask. The food is perfect during both brunch and dinner, but I rarely can order past the tater tots and mac and cheese. Something about growing a human makes you crave the food of a kindergartener, but at 101 Beer Kitchen it’s prepared perfectly for adults.

1. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing

I adore everything about Wolf’s Ridge. If I were having a baby shower, it would be here. In fact if I could come up with a workable excuse to drink and dine at Wolf’s Ridge daily, I would. I’ve been to Wolf’s Ridge with child multiple times, and every time I’ve been amazed at the busy bartenders’ willingness to come up with something creative either based upon their cocktail menu or from thin air. The French Press decaf coffee is a delight, and I’m sure they’ve got a whole host of options in addition to their coffee and mocktails that I haven’t had the opportunity to try yet. Plus, the food. Oh Lord, the food. As someone who woke up at 4 a.m. this morning in a cold sweat due to a nightmare that we were out of cream cheese, I take my food very seriously–and so does Wolf’s Ridge. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you and your gorgeous interior and tasty drinks again soon, Wolf’s Ridge.

What have I missed? I know there are plenty of great prink spots in Columbus that I haven’t been to yet, and I’ve got 18 more weeks of this fun left in me to go adventuring around town…not that I’m counting or anything.

(Note: Some folks will point out that certain levels of both caffeine and alcohol are totally acceptable during pregnancy. I would agree wholeheartedly, but my expert-level residual Catholic guilt won’t allow me to indulge. Wah, wah.)