Sometimes you may need a little more than a coffee from a tourist-filled cafe on King’s Parade, but don’t want to get your buzz from a few pints or shots at a club or bar. Never fear, Cambridge is a great place to grab a drink on a night out that will leave you both bubbly and able to walk in a straight line. Here are my top five places to head to for the non-drinkers who want to remain alcohol-free whilst still having a good time.

1) Las Iguanas This is a Latin-American inspired restaurant near St John’s. The atmosphere is just fabulous, and smiles abound from all of the waiters. Whilst the food and the ‘real’ cocktails may be extortionate, if you plonk yourself on a barstool with a cooler, you can happily spend the evening transported into this salsa-dancing, guitar-playing world without forking out too much. There’s a wide choice of non-alcoholic cocktails, and best of all it’s all 2-for-1, 12pm to 7pm and 10 til late. My favourite is ‘The Naked Nut’ – you can’t get a better innuendo, and who wouldn’t feel like they are on a beach when they’re drinking from a coconut!

2) La TascaAlthough this establishment is known for other drinks, the non-alcoholic options are much better than a Coke at crummy bar. It all feels very classy, but I found that when ordering something that kept me completely sober I was met with surprised faces from the staff. Anyhow, despite the undeniably limited choice of only two mocktails, you can never go wrong with ‘Sunshine Mountain’: a tangy drink with a kick that’ll perk you up even in the rain.

3) RevolutionThere’s plenty of choice here, with really funky names, and you should make it your mission to try everything. The best mocktail in my opinion is the Daquiri, but I would avoid the ‘Superfruit Nojito’ unless you need something to keep you going for an all-nighter in the library. Quite honestly though, the ‘proper’ cocktails, fully loaded with booze, will also blow you away if you ever so desire it. So if you ever find yourself needing a Margarita or Cosmopolitan, head here first.

4) All Bar OneOn walking through the doors you will instantly feel imbued with the maturity of a fully-fledged adult, as students tend to be rather out of place here. All Bar One is a local haunt, like Wetherspoons, but offers good mocktails if you don’t fancy drinking. The staff are lovely and happy to share the recipes with you. Certainly a civilised retreat if you want to dress up in heels for a posh night out.

5) BrownsMany are scared away from here because it’s considered the sort of posh destination to only be visited when the parents are around with their credit cards. Its interior design is beautiful, and they offer a huge range of virgin cocktails, from Marys to Mojitos. Surprisingly though, Mr Fitzpatrick’s Cordial Fizzes are absolutely divine and something a bit different – an old fashioned tipple is sometimes just what’s needed! There are loads of yummy nibbles to try while you are at the bar too.

Don’t worry if you are not an all-out student drinker when you get to Cambridge. Getting smashed isn’t a necessity for Freshers’ week and it can be pleasant and refreshing to have a drink and chat with new faces without getting hammered!