Discover a late-night oasis for Dry January and beyond at this tea bar

With 2026 upon us and New Year’s Eve behind us, I found myself, like many, looking into a Dry January to jump-start the year. The issue I sometimes find with Dry January is, it is hard to go out with friends late at night for anything other than alcohol or food. Then I stumbled upon Lost Cultures Tea Bar, a late-night tea and mocktail bar.

The restaurant boasts nonalcoholic cocktails, mixed alternatives, nonalcoholic beers, nonalcoholic wines, fine teas, coffee and chai. It has late hours that many other tea establishments do not, staying open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 p.m. on other weekdays.

Some friends and I decided to try out Lost Cultures and see what they had to offer, ordering several drinks among us, trying to capture the full experience of the menu.

Prima Pave Dulce, nonalcoholic wine: I was not too trusting of the idea of nonalcoholic wine. I assumed it would taste like an expensive juice. I was very wrong.

The aroma and taste of the Prima Pave Dulce had me convinced I was sipping on a moscato (my preferred wine). It was fruity and sweet without being overwhelming. The description said it had notes of Pink Lady apples, maraschino cherries, strawberry jam and blood orange. The strawberry and apple stood out the most for an overall fruity wine. It was also sparkling, which enhanced the taste rather than detracted from it. All in all, it was my favorite drink of the five, and I would order it again. It would pair well with sitting and reading a book.

Untitled Art Mango Dragonfruit Sour, nonalcoholic beer: In all honesty, I despise beer. I have never enjoyed the taste, but wanted to try this one to see how closely it came to the real thing. It was very close, which meant I ended up disliking it, but for those who enjoy a crisp beer, the nonalcoholic alternative will be enjoyable.

The mango and sour flavors came through strongly, with very little dragon fruit to be found. It was a fruity, carbonated drink with flavors I traditionally enjoy. However, I really could not get past how much it smelled and tasted like a beer. I would not order again, but it was fun to try. It would pair well with a day out on a boat.

Corazón Sangrante, nonalcoholic cold cocktail: A mixed drink that has prickly pear, pomegranate, hibiscus, pineapple, ginger, prickly pear simple syrup and lime. The best part of the drink was its eye-catching purplish-red color, which made it look delicious without even tasting it. A truly fruity mocktail, the drink was sweet and sour with a refreshing taste. It reminded me of flavored lemonade. My second-favorite drink; I could see myself sitting on their patio sipping this in the warm months with friends.

Samidori 3.0, Matcha: I am traditionally a matcha hater. I think it tastes like you are drinking the earth — dirt, grass and all. This matcha still tasted like earth, but not as bad as others I have tried. It was less creamy, which gave it a warm, enjoyable tea flavor. It was meant to have a more floral flavor, but I did not really detect it.

The best part of the drink is that it is $10 for the “cup” — which amounted to a bowl of matcha and a cup to pour it into. It came out to about two full drinks’ worth of matcha and comes out piping hot. It would pair well with a study session or a chat with friends.

2022 Shai Hong, Red (black) tea: A clean, slightly bitter tea, with soft flavors and a honey aftertaste, made for a delightful drink. As a fan of lighter, more herbal teas, I was not expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did. It would have been better paired with sugar or milk, which the tea bar offers as toppings and mixings to the side, but I did not see them until after.

Again, presentation was key on this drink as a “small pot” costs $7 and comes with enough tea to share. A glass pot and teacup gave a chance to see the light play off the golden color of the tea as it darkened, as more was drunk. Comes out very hot, and the drink stays hot by the last cup — pairs well for sharing with friends over a chat.

Among all the drinks tried, the nonalcoholic wine, Prima Pave Dulce, was my favorite. However, I could see myself working through the entire menu (aside from the beers) over time. The best part of the whole experience is the tea bar itself. The atmosphere was pleasant and inviting, it felt like a place people could sit and spend time together during the day and into late hours. It has board games and good seating that make it feel like a place to spend time rather than quickly grab a drink and leave.

NOTE: The menu at Lost Cultures Tea Bar states that kombucha, NA wine and NA beer contain “trace amounts of alcohol.” Traditionally, kombucha and nonalcoholic beverages have .5% of alcohol or less, which classifies them as nonalcoholic.

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow from the New Mexico Local News Fellowship program. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.