Tristen Yang

Ghia welcomed guests to Felice Hudson last week for a zero-proof cocktail experience celebrating Dry January and the brand’s partnership with the West Village restaurant. Taking place just days after a major snowstorm, the intimate event combined cocktail education, tastings, and a live demonstration led by Mélanie Masarin and the Felice bar team.

The evening brought together a small group of guests for a guided cocktail class, tasting, and conversation led by Ghia founder Mélanie Masarin, her business partner Sam, and the Felice bar team. With Dry January well underway and winter still pressing in, the gathering felt deliberate, contained, and quietly celebratory. Guests arrived bundled and flushed from the weather, stepping into the warmth of candlelight and conversation for an intimate zero-proof cocktail experience.

The Ghia team opened the night with a reflection that framed evening’s activities. This wasn’t about replacing alcohol or replicating its effects, but about expanding the idea of what a cocktail moment can be. Our bartender spoke about “golden hour” not as a specific time of day, but as a feeling, that in-between space after a shower, linen clothes on skin, dinner still hours away, when you’re thirsty and social but not necessarily looking to drink. A moment that feels relaxed, communal, and open, without the need for excess. It was an idea that resonated immediately. Many in the room recognized it instinctively, even if they hadn’t named it before. Felice’s menu echoed that same feeling, comforting, unfussy, and grounded in quality, exactly the kind of food you reach for during that soft stretch of the day when conversation matters.

The group then moved into the interactive portion of the evening, building Ghia’s Berry Mule together. Fresh blackberry, citrus, ginger, and Ghia’s signature aperitif came together in a drink that felt bright and layered, dry without being austere. The act of making the drink was as much a part of the experience as tasting it.

Masarin spoke candidly about Ghia’s origins, tracing the brand back to 2018, a time when the idea of a complex, nonalcoholic aperitif barely had a market. Originally planning to launch directly into restaurants in 2020, the pandemic forced a sudden pivot online. What might have stalled the brand instead reshaped it, and Ghia became something people welcomed into their homes, a grounding ritual shared digitally at a moment when connection felt scarce.

That sense of ritual still defines the brand. Ghia isn’t positioned as a substitute for alcohol, but as its own category entirely. Built from real botanicals, citrus, and fruit extracts, with no distillation and nothing synthetic, its profile leans bitter, dry, and complex. Not long ago, the default nonalcoholic option was pineapple juice, soda water, maybe lime if someone felt generous, but Ghia helps reflects a broader shift of one that centers mindful choice rather than abstinence, offering flavors that feel intentional and adult without apology. Masarin also shared the story behind the name. Ghia draws inspiration from Carrozzeria Ghia, the legendary Italian automobile design house founded in 1916 in Turin, known for elegance, movement, and optimism. She wanted a name that felt joyful when spoken, something that carried a sense of forward motion and lightness. Over time, that feeling became central to the brand’s identity. Ghia is about access where everyone at the table can participate, from kids to grandparents to friends, without anyone feeling like they’re opting out.

That inclusivity has shaped Ghia’s community. What began during lockdown as a personal ritual has grown into a cross-generational audience. While the brand resonates strongly with millennials, Masarin noted that older generations have embraced it just as readily. Today, Ghia appears on more than 1,200 menus across the United States and is carried by thousands of accounts nationwide, its growth driven less by trend cycles and more by restaurants recognizing a genuine shift in how people want to gather.

Felice’s menu grounded the evening with perfect savory pairings. Bruschetta topped with crushed tomato, garlic, sea salt, and Felice’s extra virgin olive oil on toasted bread opened the meal. Arancini was a standout, crisp and familiar, filled with tomato, mozzarella, and oregano. The night ended with fusilli al ferretto, dressed in San Marzano tomato sauce and finished with creamy stracciatella and basil. Each dish paired easily with the drinks, reinforcing the idea that these beverages belong at the table, not just the bar.

On a night when New York felt frozen and hushed, Felice Hudson became a small pocket of warmth and a reminder that celebration doesn’t need alcohol to feel complete, and that some of the most memorable evenings are built around intention. The room remained intimate, with guests mingling over thoughtfully made drinks alongside Masarin and the team, embodying Ghia’s philosophy as a way to gather, mark time, and enjoy complexity without compromise.

Masarin also shared what’s next for the brand: a cookbook launching focused on food pairings for Ghia’s drinks, and a tableware collaboration slated for later this year, further expanding the world around the product. Before leaving, guests were sent home with curated takeaways to extend the experience. Ghia gifted branded bottle openers and bottles of their aperitif, along with a small recipe booklet encouraging guests to recreate the ritual in their own kitchens.