The married chefs behind Palo Alto's former Michelin-starred Maum are pouring $15 guava spritzes and oolong-infused cocktails at their newest restaurant, one of at least four Peninsula operators now charging craft-cocktail prices for zero-proof drinks.

Meichih and Michael Kim, who ran the Michelin-starred Korean fine-dining restaurant Maum on California Avenue until it closed during the pandemic, developed the low-ABV and nonalcoholic beverage program at Yeobo, Darling in Menlo Park with Bar Mood Taipei, ranked among Asia's top 50 bars. Their 50-seat restaurant at 827 Santa Cruz Ave. pours a soju-based Natural Oasis cocktail with Jin Xuan oolong for $17, a nonalcoholic guava spritz with Four Seasons Spring tea for $16, and the Omi-Cha mocktail with omija berries for $15.

"We wanted NA and low-ABV to feel expansive rather than limiting," Meichih Kim told Palo Alto Online. "They offer a dynamic range of ingredients and elevate the dining experience by giving guests something distinctive."

The Kims aren't alone. A 2025 Gallup poll found that just 54% of U.S. adults reported drinking alcohol, the lowest figure in the survey's nearly 90-year history. Among young adults ages 18 to 34, the rate dropped from 59% in 2023 to 50%. The James Beard Foundation's 2026 independent restaurant industry report named the rise of nonalcoholic beverages its top consumer trend, and a Popmenu survey found 33% of restaurant operators planned to add more low-alcohol and mocktail options in 2026.

That shift carries real financial stakes. Anne McBride, vice president of impact at the James Beard Foundation, told Axios in February 2026 that when diners drink less, restaurants "don't make up the whole revenue." Alcohol has historically offset tight food margins, and a New York Times report from March 2026 documented one East Coast restaurateur whose alcohol-to-food revenue ratio flipped from 60/40 to 30/70 over two years, contributing to a closure.

Peninsula operators are responding by charging craft-cocktail prices for zero-proof drinks that demand the same labor. At Amara in Belmont, bar manager Jorge Vargas builds nonalcoholic drinks priced at $13 to $15 starting with a flavor profile, then layers nonalcoholic spirits, housemade fruit and herb cordials, and low-ABV ingredients like sherry and vermouth. Popular options include the UVA, made with green grape, cucumber and mint.

In Burlingame, Twelvemonth bar director Mykola Symonenko offers more than a dozen nonalcoholic options at $16 each, plus a zero-proof beverage pairing for $40 alongside the chef's tasting menu. He cultivates lemongrass, rhubarb, currants and fresh herbs on-site.

At Sushi Adachi on San Antonio Road in Mountain View, owner Eriko Nishizawa offers five nonalcoholic drinks rooted in Japanese tea culture, priced at $22 to $24. Sparkling teas run $90 a bottle.

Yeobo, Darling earned a spot on the Michelin Guide in March 2026. Whether the strategy pencils out long-term remains an open question across the industry, but for operators like the Kims, the bet is that a $16 mocktail built with the same precision as a cocktail keeps the check average intact while the national drinking rate keeps falling.