Best Non-alcoholic Beverage Types in the World
Aguas Frescas are light non-alcoholic beverages made with a combination of fruits, cucumbers, flowers, seeds, and cereals blended with sugar and water. The name translates to fresh water, and it is often sold at bodegas and eateries throughout Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, but it can also be found in Mexican cafés and taquerias throughout USA.
Aguas Frescas come in a variety of flavors such as guava, mango, orange, cucumber, lemon, and tamarind, among others. The beverage is most commonly consumed in the summer months, served cold with pieces of fruit and ice.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Lulada is a cold, refreshing drink originating from El Valle region of Colombia, made with mashed lulos, lime juice, water, sugar, and ice. Lulo, also known as naranjilla in Ecuador and Panama, is an exotic fruit popular in Colombia.
It has a light, citrusy flavor and it’s very common in Colombian cuisine. Lulada is the perfect combination of sweet and tart, has a thick consistency and can be served with a shot of vodka.
A unique, pre-sweetened type of espresso that originated in Cuba known as café Cubano is often referred to as Cuban espresso, Cuban coffee, Cuban pull, or Cuban shot. Although it holds a unique status in Cuba, where it traditionally stands as the essential social and cultural beverage, Cuban espresso is also very popular and widely available throughout Latin America and Florida.
It consists of an espresso shot that is sweetened with demerara sugar while being brewed. This espresso variety is made by brewing the darker roasts with sugar, which results in light-brown foam on top of the coffee. Cuban-style espresso is considered a mid-afternoon standard that is typically served alongside a glass of water.
Mango lassi is one of the most popular lassi varieties, consisting of yogurt (dahi) and fresh mango. It commonly includes cardamom, water, and sugar. The ingredients are combined until the drink is creamy and frothy. Mango lassi should always be served well-chilled.
Among numerous types of lassis, this sweet mango version is the most common variety on the menus of Indian restaurants outside the country.
Cholado is an icy cross between a fruit salad, a cocktail, and a frozen dessert. Also known as raspao, the beverage is prepared with fresh fruit such as strawberries, bananas, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, and maracuya, along with milk and a sweet syrup made with Colombian blackberries.
Cholado has a perfect balance of aromas and textures, and it is considered both a dessert and a drink because it is crunchy, fruity, and creamy at the same time. It is typically served cold in a tall glass with a lot of crushed ice, then topped with shredded coconut and garnished with a cherry.
Colada morada is a thick, purple-colored drink originating from Ecuador. Its origin dates back to pre-Hispanic times. The drink is made from water, black corn flour, spices (cinnamon, allspice, and cloves), various fruits (pineapple, blackberries, strawberries), and cane sugar (panela).
It’s traditionally consumed on Day of the Dead, paired with guaguas de pan — decorated sweetbreads shaped into doll-like figures. On November 2nd, families will gather around the graves of their loved ones and enjoy a picnic of colada morada and guaguas de pan, remembering their loved ones.
Hōjicha is a Japanese roasted green tea. It is made with bancha or sencha green tea that is roasted over high heat. During roasting, the tea attains a distinctive reddish-brown color. Brewed hōjicha will result in a light brown tea with a slightly warmer character than traditional green tea.
Instead of typical green and vegetal aroma, hōjicha usually has roast-like notes reminiscent of coffee, cocoa, and caramel. The flavor is earthy and subtly sweet, with roasted notes that are typically not overpowering. Hōjicha has less caffeine and tannins than other green teas.
An authentic Thai iced tea is a combination of strong black tea, condensed or evaporated milk, sugar, and spices that is served over crushed ice. Traditionally, the drink is made with loose-leaf black tea such as Assam, Ceylon, or Keemun tea varieties, while the additions usually include crushed tamarind, anise, or cardamom.
However, both street and restaurant versions nowadays often incorporate with pre-packed tea mix that contains food coloring, which gives the tea a distinctive and unnatural orange tint, while the traditional version should have a deep amber hue. The tea is usually chilled before it is combined with ice.
Indian filter coffee is a preparation technique in which coffee is brewed with the use of an Indian coffee filter. This filter consists of two chambers—the upper one with a perforated bottom used to hold ground coffee and the bottom one in which brewed coffee is slowly dripped.
This brewing technique results in a richly-flavored, full-bodied coffee that is usually mixed with milk and sweetened with sugar. It is traditionally served in a tumbler with an accompanying saucer (davara). Sometimes, the combination of coffee and warm milk is continuously poured from one vessel to another until it is aerated and becomes frothy.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chai masala is an aromatic beverage originating from India. It is made with a combination of sweetened black tea and milk that is spiced with a masala mix—which typically includes cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns.
However, the choice and the exact proportion of spices often vary. Although there are several theories that claim otherwise, the origin of chai masala is mostly associated with the British tea trade. In the 19th century, the Chinese had a monopoly on the tea trade, and the British looked for other markets that would fulfill the high demand for black tea—which was a firm European favorite.
Best Non-alcoholic Beverage Producers in the World
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/7ac059a25607488b88979b1a12696831.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2023
BEST Archome Ent. Int'l Teas and Herbal Infusions
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022, 2021
![2 stars](/images/productawards/ca690a48ba9d4c73aa5456bdc54e6259.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2021
BEST Formocha Tea Teas and Herbal Infusions
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024, 2023, 2021
![2 stars](/images/productawards/3d022f6d0cb2478991f880e5dfcbb122.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2023, 2022, 2021
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/3d022f6d0cb2478991f880e5dfcbb122.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2022
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
BEST Squish Soft Drinks
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/047a35279e9d4f73be3b4005822bcb28.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024
![2 stars](/images/productawards/b6c941ff2aec4bd8861c91f4852b3c39.png?w=160)
Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show
2021
![2 stars](/images/productawards/14911332f60b4cc99468e8490e89b338.png?w=160)
Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum
2017, 2016
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/4d7db26536f849f1aee8d84d65c0f2ae.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2021
BEST Attyflin Soft Drinks
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/4d7db26536f849f1aee8d84d65c0f2ae.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2021
BEST Cantinho Das Aromaticas Teas and Herbal Infusions
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2023
BEST Ching-shin-ming-fun Teas and Herbal Infusions
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/7ac059a25607488b88979b1a12696831.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2023
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
BEST Cotswold Kombucha™ Soft Drinks
Best Non-alcoholic Beverages in the World
FLORA TEA - Jasmine Pearls is a product crafted by FLORA TEA GROUP LTD. It consists of premium green tea leaves that are meticulously hand-rolled into small pearls and infused with the natural essence of jasmine. The tea leaves absorb the fragrant aroma of jasmine flowers during the scenting process, providing a delicate and soothing floral taste when steeped.
Each pearl unfurls gracefully in hot water, releasing a fragrant and flavorful brew.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022, 2021
Oriental Beauty Tea 1, produced by Formocha Tea Co., is renowned for its unique flavor profile and high-quality leaves. This tea originates from Taiwan and is celebrated for its natural sweetness, which comes from the bites of leafhoppers that enhance the tea's oxidation process.
The tea leaves are multi-colored, reflecting a careful and precise harvesting technique. Each sip of Oriental Beauty Tea 1 offers a rich, fruity aroma with notes of honey and a smooth, lingering finish.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022, 2021
Smaller Green Leafhopper Honey Flavour Black Tea (Flower) is a specialty product made by Junjie Lin Tea Garden. This tea is crafted from leaves affected by the green leafhopper, an insect that enhances the natural sweetness and imparts a honey-like flavor to the tea.
The tea is processed as a black tea and includes floral notes, creating a complex and aromatic profile that is prized among tea enthusiasts. The unique interaction between the leafhoppers and the tea plants is a significant factor in developing this tea's distinctive taste.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2024, 2023
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/8a1b1f0b88564550a5383d618af766ba.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/4d7db26536f849f1aee8d84d65c0f2ae.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2021
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2023
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2023
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/d458a90cc5864c4a8b144bed9dc26e08.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2023
Attyflin Estate Rosette Apple Juice is an artisanal beverage crafted by Attyflin Ltd., a company renowned for its high-quality products. This juice is made from meticulously selected Rosette apples, which are known for their unique flavor profile and vibrant color.
The juice is cold-pressed to retain maximum freshness, flavor, and nutritional value, ensuring a premium drinking experience. Each bottle reflects the meticulous care taken from orchard to bottle, making it a popular choice for discerning consumers seeking natural and flavorful apple juice.
AWARDS
![2 stars](/images/productawards/4d7db26536f849f1aee8d84d65c0f2ae.png?w=160)
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2021
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TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Non-alcoholic Beverages in the World” list until February 12, 2025, 16,646 ratings were recorded, of which 10,575 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.