Anjou

Anjou opened in June 2021 at 2804 Woodburn Avenue, in an East Walnut Hills space that previously housed Woodburn Dry Cleaners. Founders Chris Wolfe, Andy Smith and Brad Lauck named the bar after Margaret of Anjou, wife of King Henry VI, and leaned into a theme of powerful women — grayscale floral wallpaper, minimalist florals and bold bathroom artwork. Wolfe told CityBeat the goal was "familiar flavors introduced in a different way," and the kitchen-minded cocktail approach deliberately avoids a fixed seasonal menu: "We really focus on the ingredients. Are they fresh at the time?"

That produce-first philosophy carries straight into the zero-proof list, which local press keeps singling out. everythingcincy calls Anjou's zero-proof menu "sophisticated," highlighting the Schamer '94 — non-alcoholic spiced spirit, lemon, grapefruit, honey and non-alcoholic bitters — and the Once An Island, an aromatic build of masala, pomegranate, spiced maple, ginger, non-alcoholic bitters, house yuzu and smoked cinnamon. CityBeat's mocktail roundup adds the Spencer, made with mint, lime, seltzer and a pineapple-mango shrub. The alcohol-free cocktails run about $10 and get the same craft treatment as the full bar rather than being an afterthought, and Anjou also pours zero-proof wine and beer.

The room is small, dim and romantic — styled as "a sexy spot" by Wolfe and pitched by everythingcincy as ideal for "a classy, alcohol-free date night." Anjou is open Tuesday through Saturday evenings (roughly 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., a little later on weekends) and closed Sunday and Monday; reservations are wise for the compact space. Because the menu tracks seasonal produce rather than a set list, the exact mocktails can rotate, so it's worth asking what's fresh — the bartenders build them to order. Phone (513) 221-1095, or follow @anjoucocktailbar for current pours.