Coco Grill & Lounge

Last Updated on November 19, 2022

An alcohol-free dining experience at Coco Grill & Lounge 

Located by the river next to Tower Bridge, Coco Grill & Lounge is THE spot for a completely alcohol-free experience with fantastic service in an electric atmosphere. The restaurant’s rich, comfortable interior is the perfect backdrop to serve contemporary Anatolian cuisine paired with a really impressive non-alcoholic drinks selection.  

Boasting an expertly curated selection of non-alcoholic cocktails, mocktails and delectable wine alternatives, we had to try some cocktails prepared by their onsite connoisseur mixologist on the Redemption Menu.

The first cocktail we tried was the Royal Spirit Dakari which is the classic Daiquiri without the alcohol. It has a very tasty combination of white cane and lime but has the addition of butterfly pea to create a nice ombre colour,  presented in a bubble for a theatrical effect. The next cocktail we sampled was Amaretti Sour, an almondy, lemon drink with a lush egg foam, decorated with an edible flower. It was really hard not to finish the cocktails in five minutes because they were both so delicious, but of course, the good news is that even if we had done, the result would have been all the taste and none of the hangover. 

Our starters came shortly after we finished our non-alcoholic cocktails. We ordered crispy spiced shrimp which came with Korean glaze, grapefruit mayo and burned lemon as well as the crispy calamari with siracha mayo. Both dishes came with a smoke show using dry ice which made them look really appetising and we were not disappointed with the taste. Both the shrimps and calamari were good quality and had a good texture, which not all restaurants can deliver in their fried dishes. The flavours seemed rich enough not to need too much of the Korean glaze or the siracha mayo, but that’s just my personal preference. 

We ordered a bottle of Thomson & Scott Noughty Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé to complement our main dishes. I was impressed with this wine alternative as it was unusually dry. With 4g of sugar per 100ml, it had almost half the sugar content of many other non-alcoholic sparkling wines.

For the main dish, I ordered the black cod marinated in kefir lime and miso, lemon chilli mayo and pak choi served with sweet chilli sauce. The fish was so tender and the marinade had such a delicate flavour that I hardly had to use the sweet chilli sauce. I also ordered a kale apple salad (kale, apple, pomegranate and honey sumac dressing) to work some vegetables into the meal. It was easily one of the best kale salads I’ve ever had. 

My companion ordered a medium rare dry aged wagyu steak with sumac dressing, truffle mayo and Maldon salt. Wagyu beef contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and more monounsaturated fats than other beef.  It’s known for being highly marbled which gives the beef a unique tender and buttery flavour. I had a taste and the steak was beautifully tender and easy to eat. We didn’t ask for the 24k gold option to top the steak, but if you fancy something really special it’s on the menu! A side order of messy wedges comprised fries, caramelised mushrooms, sriracha mayo, turkey bacon, Gruyere cheese and spring onions.  A fabulous option, the potatoes were still hot and soft-topped by just the right combination of flavours. 

For dessert, we ordered the kunafa which is a baked kataif pastry with a cheese heart served with vanilla ice cream and the banoffee mug  –  freshly baked moist brioche, banana and vanilla with warm Nutella. Both needed to allow 20 minutes for preparation but it was well worth the wait. The kunufa was just the right mix of crunchy, sweet, cheesy and creamy while the banoffee mug tasted like a luxurious cross between bread and butter pudding and banoffee pie made with brioche.

Both desserts were nicely complemented with Turkish black tea. 

To finish off the meal on a high, we shared a passion fruit mojito between us. It was one of the drinks recommended by the restaurant manager and I can see why people love ordering this drink. Most virgin mojitos I’ve tried are either too sugary or too artificial but this one tasted really fresh and had just the right amount of sweet versus tartness. It also looked very aesthetically pleasing. 

If you want the taste, aesthetics and vibe of having cocktails and wine to go with amazing food without the hangover, Coco Grill & Lounge is the place to be. 

Coco Grill & Lounge
34a Shad Thames
London SE1 2YG
020 7407 7999