All the craic none of the ‘about last night’ flashbacks…

An Irish bar without adult beverages might seem like a bit of a strange concept, but The Virgin Mary (TVM) bar has proved a popular pull in its native Dublin, where, after opening in May 2019 it became Europe’s first completely alcohol-free bar.

And it makes sense, the statistics show that globally, Gen Z aren’t big consumers of the fermented brew when compared to recent ancestors. TVM provides that same authentic, buzzing bar community experience without any of the less desirable knock-ons that come with being licensed.

Gastro pub grub, sophisticated mocktails, a place where everyone knows your name… With a ready-made regional market for dry establishments, this is an opportunity for your local to feel a little more local.

TVM Abu Dhabi is coming to The Galleria Al Maryah Island, via MBT Restaurant Management and should be launching at some point this summer.

According to the bar’s website, “TVM is at the forefront of a socialising revolution – we’re the world’s first alcohol-free bar group dedicated to inspiring people to ‘drink different’.

Talking about the upcoming launch, Danny Kattar – General Manager at MBT Restaurant Management said: “We will engineer a very special food menu to fit with the nature of the bar, our agreement with the concept creators was to give this new addition of TVM a taste of Abu Dhabi, an experience that is suited for the UAE’s culture.”

“We wanted to ensure that we are making the right offerings for this market, combining the best of both cultures to deliver an experience that we promise will be the buzz of the summer.”

This restaurant will add to an already stellar line up of gastronomy at The Galleria. The Al Maryah Island mall is home to Abu Dhabi fine dining royalty with names such as Zuma, Coya, La Petite Maison, Bentley Kitchen, 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, Butcher & Still, Loca and Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor.

The menu at the Dublin venue offers a big range of elegant, intelligently crafted mocktails including ‘watermelon cooler’, ‘tiki street’ and the exotic sounding ‘jungle bird’ — each composed of blended fruit and alchemic infusions. the Irish outlet, and so we can reasonably assume the capital’s branch may follow, also serves alcohol free hops, ciders and grape varieties.

Images: Provided