New Alcohol-free Program Has Our Attention
by David Klemt
The alcohol-free Café de España cocktail at Palma Lounge inside Santa Monica Proper Hotel.
Offering guests an alternative to imbibing during the holiday season and into Dry January, the Palma’s “Conscious Consumption” menu has our attention.
Palma Lounge inside Santa Monica Proper Hotel is offering a fully realized zero-proof cocktail menu. Showing their savviness, the shrewd Proper Hospitality team launched this alcohol-free menu at the start of November.
Given the number of holiday gatherings people are expected to attend from mid-November through December 31, this is a smart move.
There are several reasons a guest may choose to abstain from drinking alcohol while at a bar, restaurant, or special event. A person may be sober; sober-curious; in need of a break from alcohol after attending a number of personal and professional events; the designated driver; or not be in the mood to drink.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter why a guest doesn’t want to consume alcohol, even while out at a bar. What is important is making that guest feel included and comfortable, not alienated or as though they don’t fit in.
Full Consideration
Truly, operators and their front-of-house teams should treat alcohol-free cocktails the same as their low- or full-proof counterparts. Zero-ABV beverages deserve as much as consideration as traditional cocktails. Taste, balance, mouthfeel, garnish, presentation… These drinks shouldn’t be afterthoughts.
Indeed, a great non-alcohol drink menu should be as intriguing as the standard cocktail menu. A guest abstaining from alcohol should receive the same service and experience as other guests.
If done right, with premium ingredients, these beverages can be priced in line with their boozy menu peers. As importantly, they’ll also encourage guests who order them to return to a bar or restaurant.
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What really got our attention is how deep the Palma Conscious Consumption menu runs. There aren’t just one or two zero-proof drinks. There aren’t a half-dozen. No, there are at least ten.
And in terms of careful consideration, the menu includes Lyre’s, Optimist, and Seedlip products. With this menu, Palma is positioned to weather Dry January without problem as guests will be well aware of this menu.
Any operator looking for an example of a conscientious approach to no-alcohol, wellness, and a favorable guest experience should look to the team at Palma.
For the full Conscious Consumption program press release, see below.
PALMA AT SANTA MONICA PROPER HOTEL INTRODUCES ‘CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION’ BEVERAGE PROGRAM
New Menu Features Robust Selection of No-ABV Options for Every Occasion
November 2023—Beginning November, 2023, Palma at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel introduces its new Conscious Consumption program, a selection of non-alcoholic cocktails and beverages for its wellness-focused surrounds in the heart of Los Angeles’ west side.
WHAT: Whether curbing consumption between a schedule of holiday parties, hitting reset in the new year, or monitoring day-to-day indulgence, Palma’s new Conscious Consumption menu includes nonalcoholic versions of both traditional cocktails and original creations, featuring a range of N/A spirits that are exciting as they are satisfying. Highlights include:
- The Cosmo: Optimist Fresh, Lyre’s Orange Sec, cranberry, lime
- Fresh 75: French Bloom Le Blanc, Optimist Fresh, lemon, agave
- Café de España: Lyre’s Coffee Originale, espresso, orange blossom
- TropiCali: Seedlip Spice, Lyre’s Orange Sec, Tropical Red Bull, ginger
- Spritzu: French Bloom Le Blanc, Lyre’s Italian Orange, Fever Tree Club Soda, yuzu
- Basil Drop: Seedlip Spice, Lyre’s Orange Sec, lemon, basil
- No-Jito: Lyre’s Dark Cane, mint, orange, lime, Fever Tree Club Soda
- Hug on the Beach: Optimist Fresh, lemon, cucumber, ginger
- Prickly Bear: Seedlip Spice, Lyre’s Orange Sec, prickly pear, grapefruit, jalapeno-ginger syrup
- Gin and Juice: Lyre’s Dry London, Fever Tree Sparkling Grapefruit, lime
WHERE: Palma at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel (700 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401)
WHEN: The new menu is available beginning November 1, 2023
HOW: Palma accepts walk-ins for both dining and the bar, to make a reservation, visit here.
About Santa Monica Proper Hotel
Santa Monica Proper is an architectural wonder set amid two contrasting buildings — a Spanish Colonial Revival landmark and a sleek contemporary new build, connected by an artfully crafted bridge — where the creative vision of Kelly Wearstler’s design seamlessly blends past and present. The property is anchored by Palma, an all-day enclave for craft cocktails and eclectic bites, along with a rooftop destination, Calabra. The latter features vibrant Mediterranean and California coastal cuisine and a robust wine program, with hubs for both indoor and outdoor gathering, complete with sweeping ocean and cityscape views. Lastly, the Siete event space (formerly Onda) offers a unique setting for high profile collaborations, residencies and events, complete with furnishings by Kelly Wearstler.
About Proper Hospitality
Proper Hospitality designs, brands, and operates high-end lifestyle hospitality experiences under the Proper, Hotel June and The Collective brands. Each property is a distinct reflection of the vibrant community surrounding it, while sharing a common belief in uncommon luxury, convenience of location, and world-class amenities provided by locally vetted innovators in art, food & beverage, fashion, music, technology and wellness. Led by the visionaries behind The Kor Group, the company currently manages Proper branded hotels in Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin, Hotel June in West Los Angeles and Malibu, and The Collective, a curation of design-driven independent hotels including Avalon Hotels in Beverly Hills and Palm Springs, Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs, Venice V Hotel in Venice Beach, The Culver Hotel in Culver City and Paia Inn in Maui. For more information and to discover the latest on anticipated openings, please visit www.properhotel.com
Image: Dylan+Jeni (image was cropped to landscape orientation for this article)
