Raising the bar: How these drinking spots in India have changed over the years

The first bars were nothing more than places for social gatherings where everyone came to share a drink, a meal, and a story. Phrases like “cover charge”, “banquet”, and even “table d’hôte” are all remnants of an era when such form of dining and drinking was prevalent.

In India, when Chandragupta Maurya was establishing his kingdom, Chanakya, his trusty advisor, laid down what would become the guiding principles of the first taverns which came up during his reign. Among other things, it was also the first time we hear about the levying of taxes on every aspect of this form of service.

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Fast forward to today, and not much has changed. We still go to bars to socialise, chatting over drinks and bites, and we most definitely continue to crib about the high taxes. That said, the way bars look and function has drastically changed over the years.

Cobbler & Crew in Pune will soon complete one year but it was still new to me on my recent maiden visit. More than the drinks they served, I was mesmerised by their state-of-the-art bespoke bar counter, which was quite unique in its Omakase layout, one that allows you to observe your drink being meticulously made. Most bars are higher and obstruct the view, which can sometimes allow bartenders to not care if the place gets a bit messy. This here was the equivalent of a show kitchen then. The music and ambience lend to the vibe.

Next I was back in the capital and three bars launched in under 24 hours. First was KhiKhi, a playful space with fun drinks and bites. Navdeep Singh Sethi, the man behind the Asian staple, Klap, has now opened this colourful bar and eatery in Delhi.

Next on the list was Wolf, which opened precisely 24 hours later and just a few metres from this place—a few metres vertically, as it’s located a floor above. The bar is from the Priyank Sukhija stable, the man who has given us Diablo, Tickled Pink and Bougie in recent times. Going by the pedigree, this, too, should be a high energy space with quirky interiors and a long waitlist of people to gain entry. With the opening of Wolf, the Basant Lok complex in New Delhi is regaining its crown as the F&B hotspot in town—it already has some prized outlets both for food (Leo’s, The Pit, Arabian Nights, Kikoba) and drinks (Lair, Hoots, Dadel).

To add to this, Aku’s burgers will also open their next outpost right here in the same building block which should seal the deal about where should one head if they wish to eat and drink without having to walk more than a few hundred metres.

And then another bar, one that is especially close to my heart, reopened. Rick’s at the Taj Mahal Hotel replaced the Captain’s Cabin, and it felt rather novel back then. Rick’s was everything that the previous bar wasn’t. It was packed, played loud music, knowing the manager guaranteed entry else one had to wait outside till someone left and made space. It was a whisky bar, a cocktail bar, a vodka bar, a DJ bar, all rolled into one, and everyone seemed to converge there for their own reason. It was also the bar where you always knew 40% of the crowd. So, think of it like a local, a neighbourhood pub, but for the tony crowd of posh south Delhi.

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So, when the Taj decided to revisit this bar, I can imagine the risk they ran with Rick’s. You are taking a space that is nostalgically linked to a huge segment of your patrons and then trying to give it an update, a contemporary wave of the design wand that will change not just how the place looks but also what it serves and the ambience it does it in. Also, remember, in the end, Rick’s is the hotel bar, which means it isn’t a standalone catering to only the local residents. The visiting guests may also wish to stop by for a drink and they may not always be looking for a place that’s too crowded or buzzing. Imagine having to balance all this.

The original Rick’s took its inspiration from Casablanca, so this one stays with the theme but adjusts it for the times, updating the drinks and techniques, the décor and the music, while being careful to retain the charm that made it so universally endearing in first place. Well, if precedence is anything to go by, the hotel did a marvellous job with Machan sometime ago. So, one feels with a fair amount of certainty that this, too, will become another memorable drinking spot.

The writer is a sommelier