17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Delhi's Lair named best bar in India; four other Indian bars featured in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 list
From banana-infused tequila to cocktails with edible paint, these Indian bars aren't just mixing drinks, they're shaking up Asia's drinking culture. When Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 list was unveiled in Macau this week, all eyes were on the continent's rising stars in the cocktail world. The top spot went to Hong Kong's Bar Leone, a Negroni-first bar with serious Italian flair. But for Indian drinkers and global mixology fans alike, the real buzz came from back home where 5 Indian bars cracked the Top 50, each one bringing a bold, local flavour to the global stage. Here's a look at them. Coorg Highball from Lair, Delhi; Let's Paloma from SOKA, Bengaluru
Lair, New Delhi (#8)
From a speakeasy tucked inside Vasant Vihar comes the country's most hyped cocktail destination. Lair isn't just about stylish design (think monochrome concrete and sharp glass cuts), it's about drink innovation that has the rest of Asia watching closely. Founders Jairaj Singh Solanki and Dhruv Raj Vij conceptualised Lair in 2019, survived the pandemic, and turned it into a full-blown trendsetter by 2025. Ever seen edible paint on glassware? Or tasted a Picante before it was cool? That's Lair's legacy. It's the kind of place where cocktails are concept art, not just concoctions.
SOKA, Bengaluru (#28)
Hidden away in a snug 38-seater space with leather couches and Goan art installations, SOKA takes a poetic approach to cocktails. Its one-page menu is deceptively simple, because the storytelling happens in your glass. Helmed by the team behind Jamming Goat in Goa, Chef Sombir Choudhary and bartender Avinash Kapoli, envision SOKA showcases the city's stories and secrets to both longtime residents and new entrants through an assortment of story-centric cocktails. Think clarified jasmine, sous-vided bananas, and a piquant tequila cocktail named Mofo Don that glows pink thanks to red cabbage juice from a vendor in Russell Market. This is not your average pub, it's Bangalore, bottled.
Boilermaker, Goa (#30)
At Boilermaker, Goa's craft beer and cocktail powerhouses collide to create a bar that's industrial in vibe but pure soul in its pours. Co-founded by Pankaj Balachandran and Nakul Bhonsle, this joint is part welder, part wizard. The drink menu is split into Smashables, Sessionables, and Shorties — each one more fun than the last. Try Papa Issues, a riot of rum, papaya, and Sichuan pepper. Or Chotu Garibaldi, a short but deadly mix of Campari and fresh orange. Who needs a story when the flavour slaps this hard?
ZLB23 at The Leela Palace, Bengaluru (#31)
ZLB23 is part Prohibition-era New York, part Kyoto minimalism, and all heart. Hidden behind a secret door at The Leela Palace, this ultra-chic bar serves Shiso Negronis, smoky Old-Fashioneds, and a heady dose of live jazz. Every sip here feels like a secret well kept, and that's the point. Whether it's a moody jazz night or a global bar takeover, ZLB23 brings intimacy and intrigue back to Bengaluru nightlife.
Spirit Forward, Bengaluru (#37)
This Lavelle Road stunner is the kind of place where ice cubes get stamped, olives are blue cheese-stuffed, and the gin martini is prediluted and poured icy from the bottle. Spirit Forward was crafted by longtime F&B insiders with a knack for magic behind the bar. The Southern Star, their tequila-based crowd-favourite, is fermented with guava, plum, and jalapeno for 36 hours before being shaken to silken perfection. One sip and you'll understand why this bar just raced into the global spotlight.
The ones that just missed the cut
The excitement didn't stop at 50. Four more Indian bars made it to the extended 51–100 list: Goa's Bar Outrigger (#55), Delhi's beloved Sidecar (#62), Mumbai's legendary Bombay Canteen (#69), and Hideaway in Goa (#94).
So whether you're beach-bound or city-hopping, this year's Asia's 50 Best Bars proves one thing — India isn't just catching up to the cocktail world, it's raising the bar, quite literally.
