![]() Meanwhile, many bars and restaurants across San Francisco have begun adding mocktails to their menus, from Nari to Trick Dog (although selections are currently limited due to the pandemic), and at the beginning of last year, Bizzy’s Dry Bar opened: the first all-alcohol-free bar in Oakland (which appears to be closed permanently, according to Yelp and Google). And this growth in the low and no-alcohol beverage industry is only expected to continue. ![]() booze sales have dropped over the past few years, especially among young adults, while the popularity of low-ABV drinks like hard seltzers has skyrocketed. “Sure, there's still people that want really strong drinks, but across the masses, there was this general trend for lower alcohol in the last four or five years.” And I’m not getting messed up all the time,’” explained James. “First of all, with the whole spritz movement, people were drinking lower alcohol beverages and they were like, ‘Oh, this actually really works for me because I can drink longer. And they’re not just for people in recovery. The fridge at Ocean Beach Cafe is fully stocked with all sorts of non-alcoholic craft IPAs, sparkling wines, and bottled mocktails. But the truth is, low- and non-alcoholic products have come a long way in the past few years. Now, when you hear the term “non-alcoholic beverage,” you’re probably thinking of O’Doul’s. The interior of Ocean Beach Cafe near Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California on Jan. Diners could choose from a healthy, vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu of coffee, breakfast burritos and kale salad, along with huli huli chicken and mac salad (nods to James’ connection to Hawaii) - and of course, a fridge full of non-alcoholic drinks. On a quiet residential corner just one block from Ocean Beach, curious neighbors peered into the new joint to discover James’ friendly face, beachy seafoam walls and a large blue surfboard mounted on the wall. ![]() Ocean Beach Cafe, its exterior decorated in the colors of the Native American Medicine Wheel, opened to the public last week. With the help of a loan from crowdfunding platform Kiva, he managed to raise the money - and soon, the keys to the cafe were his. “I didn't have the money for that, but I was like, I’ve got so much energy and I would love to do it,” he said. connected after finding out they were both from Hawaii. James and the owner of Kawika’s Beach Deli - the former business at 734 La Playa St. “And I was like, sure, how much? And he threw out a number and I was like, all right, let's talk.” And the guy was like, do you want to buy the place?” recalled James. “I walked in here like four months ago, in late September. He stumbled upon the chance to buy the cafe accidentally, from a business owner looking for an out in the midst of the unforgiving COVID economy. He just opened up Ocean Beach Cafe a block away from Ocean Beach. Joshua James plays a ukulele at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California on Jan. He started reviewing different NA drinks on YouTube and Instagram, as But this passion took him even further: On Friday, James opened Ocean Beach Cafe, a San Francisco restaurant dedicated to building the largest non-alcoholic beverage selection in the world. And that newfound drive he mentioned? It led him to a new passion: the non-alcoholic (NA) beverage community. It’s been over a year now, but James is still not drinking. “I woke up every day with so much energy because I didn't have a hangover, and my brain started coming back,” he said. By the end of the program, he’d discovered a newfound clarity. Two weeks in, COVID-19 hit - but he knew he was exactly where he needed to be. He checked into Friendship House, a substance abuse recovery program for Native Americans in San Francisco (James is Tolowa). ![]()
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