Toddy shops and desi dive bars go hip

Mint

13-06-2025

During the 1970s, restaurants in Maharashtra had to segregate alcohol-serving areas from the rest of the dining space or family room. As a patron, one needed a permit from the state government to drink in these 'permit rooms".
'In contrast, quarter bars, which catered primarily to male patrons and served only chakna (bar snacks), developed a seedier reputation," says Aditya Hegde, co-founder of Permit & Co in Mumbai. On the other hand, Goan tavernas were neighbourhood watering holes that catered to different working communities—the ones near the beach were for fisherfolk, those near the fields were for farmers, in coconut groves for toddy tappers, and so on. They generally served feni and seasonal urrak as the main tipple. In Kerala, kallu shaaps are where toddy tappers hand over their vats of freshly fermented toddy for people to relish after a long day's labour.
Restaurateurs across India are now reviving and reinventing traditional toddy shops, permit rooms and tavernas, transforming these hyperlocal bars into trendy destinations. By modernising classic drinks and dishes, they're not just celebrating regional heritage, but also making communal experiences fun and relevant to a new generation.
Also read: Can 'touchings' be the new tapas? Chef Regi Mathew thinks so
Tobias Carvalho, a bartender and restaurateur based in Goa, says there are many smaller watering holes considered unworthy of a family-friendly experience. 'It also depends on how you are portraying your outfit," he says. He, along with business partner Gaurav Bhardwaj, opened MoFo in Benaulim, late last year, their take on a traditional taverna, but with the exoticism of a speakeasy.
The thread that ties all of these watering holes together is the sense of community. 'The charm of India's dive bars lies in their unfiltered honesty. These were spaces where you left your baggage at the door: no dress codes, no judgement, just good booze, great snacks and real conversation," explains chef-partner Niyati Rao of Mumbai's Bombay Daak.
Bob's Bar in Bengaluru takes the spirit of camaraderie very seriously. 'It is a space where a 70-year-old from Richmond Town (one of Bengaluru's oldest neighbourhoods) might end up sharing a table with a young creative new to the city—and both would feel at home," says a Bob's Bar spokesperson.
The food and drinks originally served at watering holes were created to be practical finger foods that would be comforting, and double up as a gastric lining to deal with the onslaught of bottom-shelf spirits served neat, with soda or plain water. 'A peg with something salty, spicy and fried—is practically an art form, perfected over decades in smoky corners and sticky tables," says Rao. There are unique variations in every region: from ghee roast in Mangaluru's bars and boiled peanuts tossed with lime in Tamil Nadu to Mumbai's bombil and liver fry.
The food was always meant to support conversation—not interrupt it. This is the premise modern avatars of dive bars are trying to recreate. 'I call it no-nonsense food, where you don't reinvent the wheel," Carvalho says. At MoFo, best-sellers include dishes like kheema pav and Maggi topped with bacon or eggs.
This nostalgia-fuelled, necessity-driven gastronomic adventure is a subculture of its own. The curiosity spreads across the globe with bars such as Mischa Tropp's Toddy Shop by Marthanden Hotel in Melbourne, and Dishoom's Permit Room in London, a tribute to the hyper-regional food and drinks culture of Kerala and Mumbai respectively.
Most recently, chef Regi Matthew took Kerala's kallu shaap to New York with the opening of his restaurant Chatti. 'There is so much to explore in India and concepts like toddy shops do such good work with food, preserving at times lost recipes. They need to be taken to the food curious," he says. Dishes served at Chatti are elevated such as banana leaf-wrapped prawn pouches and the toddy shop classic beef fry.
At Bombay Daak, Rao's team creates cocktails that celebrate Indian spirits and regional ingredients. 'We're not toning down the essence, we're turning up the craft," she says.
Bob's Bar serves Kannadiga staples like raw banana cutlets, pepper chicken and fried chicken.
The libations at traditional dives left a lot to be desired, but that is where innovation has played a key role. Carvalho infuses whisky with chikoo and cacao nibs, bitters and demerara to create a version of an Old Fashioned called Ohfomofo. 'We also have Sinatra Symphony, which is a New York sour twist of whisky infused with ginger, honey, and some citric acid." Bombay Daak's Santra Season is the head mixologist Yathish Bangera's take on the wine shop and dive bar staple served in a flat bottle made with gin and pickled indigenous ingredients.
Shaped by necessity and local context, dive bars were designed to complement affordable alcohol—bold, quick, comforting, and easy on the pocket. This practical approach evolved into a beloved subculture that is now being reimagined and championed in ways that surprise and satisfy.
Also read: A new bar honours the age-old drinking culture of India
Sayoni Bhaduri is a lifestyle journalist based in Mumbai.