It’s a typically busy weekend night at Jean-Georges Philadelphia , the glamorous, sky-high restaurant perched atop Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. To kick off the evening, I’ve asked the hotel’s beverage director Dawn Trabing to surprise me. A few minutes later, I’m inspecting what’s in my Riedel glass: the liquid is pale gold with fine, persistant bubbles.
It’s aromatic with hints of bright citrus. I take a sip, and nod enthuastically. Trabing raises her eyebrows: “Can you believe it’s non-alcoholic?” I inititally can’t.
But then again, the Four Seasons brand has a proven track record when it comes to wellness, whether it be through its spas or restaurants. “This year, I made a huge focus to expand our non-alcoholic offerings,” Trabing continues. “It’s always been our vision offer high-quality beverages, alcoholic or not, and not treat them like an afterthought.
” It wasn’t all that long ago when abstaining from alcohol meant Shirley Temples and other cloyingly sweet drinks. But now, with the soaring popularity of Dry January —coupled with people’s desire to consume less sugar—Trabing has put her efforts into a beverage menu packed with well-crafted zero-proof options, from Leitz Eins Zwei Zero wines priced by the glass, to Athletic Brewing Company’s non-alcoholic beers, to mocktails incorporating Lyre's Dry London Spirit. Even at the hotel’s recently unveiled Sunday brunch , a sumptuous three-course meal including .
