My Bars
A short list of my favs, growing up in India ❤
Disclaimer No 1- Not a definitive “list” by any standard, Not brought to you by anyone or any Jury- just by your lonesome author.
Disclaimer No 2— My personal favourites growing up in India. Full disclosure I am a fauji kid , who has been to 8 different schools. In no particular order, and mostly collated for a chuckle and wee bit nostalgia ( heres looking at you 90’s kids).
Disclaimer No 3- My late teens, and early 20’s I studied and then worked in Delhi, mostly between Def Col, Lajpat Nagar and Safarjung Enclave, and hence the collection is skewed towards my hometown. Bangalore, Bombay Cal, Hyd were cities I frequented and have some of the fondest memories, and closest friends.
1- Someplace Else — This bar in Park Cal, Park Street is an institution ( the kind you dont want to come out of!)
Many don’t know this, but when we first created Speaks ( our first born — bar) , it was this Bar that we referred to the most to our architect, designer and even our chef. And not for the drinks, layout or space, but for the much widely used word in todays discourse- Vibe.
Unmatchable vibe, was created mostly because of the amazingly talented and crazy good Live band programming of this place, and back then if you entered Someplace, you mostly knew someone, and had the best time. Of course, the bar manager Gautam was special. He knew who we were, who you wanted to a meet ( or not!). They dont make ‘em like them anymore.
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2- 4S- All of us elder millennials, who grew up and teenaged in Delhi between 2005- 2010 will relate hard. Not for good drinks, or ambience, but for the super friendly staff ( some actual senior citizens, serving you the best deals). This was the bar you went to at the end of the month, when you could hardly afford a Nirulas hot shop pizza, or a doner kebab, but always a good one for a few drinks with the friendlies. In 500 bucks you were all set to TLR ( the one and only THE LIVING ROOM in Hauz Khas, much before Haus became HKV ) the night away.
3- Blues — The only reason for us to venture out to CP and admire how beautifully Lutyens made it. ( specially at night post a few beers ). This Bar was my actual “first”. In my second year of college, by then we were an established gang of girls, and a few boys, who loved their tipple and few other illegals ( In my defence Delhi legal drinking age is STILL 25, and I can assure you, no one in their right mind ever waited that long, nor did we) discovered BLUES. This was truly a ‘cool’ bar milling with strangers, some working class ( CP pre Gurgaon , was High end corporate), some working girls, a few backpackers ( pahargunj is a stones throw), and then us. One of the biggest draws for us ( apart from their happy hours- 1+1 on 750ml bottles of beers!) was the music. They were the one bar that played classic rock, and actual blues, and which was a unicorn for us. Again throwing back to 2003–2007, hardly any Delhi bars played fun music that we grew up with. From Doors, to Aerosmith, to Rolling Stones, we sang along every song, with much fervour and tried to fit in.
4- Leopolds- At the risk of sounding like a “touristy” list, with much thought, I had to add Leopolds cafe. Though its an all day diner, and not a bar bar per say, I would anyday pick this to go to this time tested, rough around the edges, gritty Irani Cafe, which is more of an legend than any other. Here is where I first had a beer tower contest ( whosoever finished last, had to pay, yes very non DMC (IYKYK) and VERY IRRESPONSIBLE DRINKING) along with delicious steaks , fish n chips. Those memories of meeting up with the “arty farty” of Colaba, and enjoying the banter with the servers, or the table next door, matches to none. It was our version of Woody Allens Manhattan life.
5- Koshys — Very close to the above No 4. Koshys is a Bangalore institution that you cannot not go to. And if you have gone there, you know why it needs to be here. The beef fry and beer aside, the high ceilings, the beautiful building and facade, and the frowning angry waiters ( yes its part of the charm!), you can easily see this place has my heart. I have always loved a bar with a lot of character, and this one had oodles. Infact as unassuming as its tables and chair, we did feel too cool for old school.
6- Ricks- An OG, posh bar, located in the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi is named after the very famous Gin joint in the classic Casablanca. This bar was one to make all things cocktails, live jazz, and suits and suspenders look incredibly irresistible to the innocent newly minted early twenty somethings, and opened a new age of martinis and more to our world. This was the bar you came to when you courted someone who is — A- You wish to be seen with B- Could afford a 1000 Rs drink without flinching.
I still have a vivid memory of sitting at the far right corner one busy Thursday night, and scoping the room, and wondering- What a wonderful world!
7- 10D — Stands for 10 Downing street, and I think has been around since I was born, or so it feels. No Hyd trip between 2004- 2008 ever completed without a trip to this oldie but a goodie, that has long served its patrons, and in a state that has long been the biggest consumer of spirits.10D had it all, a cozy neighbourhood bar feel, great rock music, delicious chicken wings, and even better chilled beer. This Bar was abuzz with celebrities like Sania Mirza, to mega Tollywood stars like Nagarjuna. Brimming with new money and much testosterone, this was the bar du jour.
And thus that sums up my very short and incredibly insightful list, with a hope to tell you, that while we can wax eloquent about all the art, craft, et all, but bars are and will always be about its People.
