Priya Pathiyan tells you the back story about The Bombay Canteen’s epic Canteen Cocktail Book, a menu that also evokes a sense of community among Mumbaikars. The fifth edition is just out.   From the very beginning, The Bombay Canteen has prided itself on bringing you the easy-going spirit of bindaas Bombay through its décor, …

Continue reading “‘Make Mine A Bombay’ declares The Bombay Canteen’s fifth Canteen Cocktail Book”

Forget degustation menus, the latest craze is a cocktail tasting menu. The Woobar at the W Goa has come up with a four-course extravaganza. The 30 BB team reports.   Who said a Goa vacay only had to be about cheap beer and feni? The high rollers are looking for more evolved journeys with alcohol. …

Continue reading “New concept: Step into Woobar’s ‘Cocktail Parlour’ and feel the liquid love”

The team at Belvedere vodka shares cocktail recipes that are just right for the rainy season. The Polish Belvedere is a top-shelf rye vodka that can lend itself to a smooth and satisfying cocktail. Here are a few you can sip and savour as cool-weather sundowners or night caps.     Belvedere Sun & Earth …

Continue reading “Save these cocktail recipes for a cool, rainy day this month”

Priya Pathiyan scopes out the bar programme at Nksha, and finds that it brings in scads of Indian flavours into on-trend cocktails that will please any mixology enthusiast. The gorgeous exteriors and stunning interiors of Nksha, with their distinct Deco and warm Wes Anderson-esque hues root the space in its location on a street where …

Continue reading “Bars to Watch: Nksha puts Indian flavours on the map”

Priya Pathiyan suggests nine gems across India that sparkle in the monsoon and are sure to put you in the right seasonal spirit. As the nimbus clouds float in and fat droplets start to rain down, the monsoon is officially here. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t step out for a satisfying snifter. In …

Continue reading “India’s best rooftop bars to soak up the monsoon mood right now!”

Priya Pathiyan takes you behind the bar to understand the new techniques that are raising the bar for mixology the world over. You’re hearing the word ‘washing’ being bandied about the bar quite regularly now. And although you know it’s a particular favourite of technique-forward mixologists, you don’t quite know what it means except that …

Continue reading “Behind the bar: ‘Wash’ out for these super techniques!”

Priya Pathiyan talks to mixologist Jishnu AJ to understand what his perfumed mixology is all about. A whiff of creativity is in the air. Follow your nose up the grand wooden staircase of the blue-and-white colonial building of Kitab Mahal close to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and you’ll be inside the versatile space that …

Continue reading “Now, get wowed by perfumed mixology at KMC* Mumbai”

Shillong can feel like many different places at once. If Police Bazar in the city centre has a bustling energy, Jaintia Hills’ toytown setting, far removed from city settlements, can export you to another world. In October, when I left Mumbai to discover the bar scene in Guwahati and Shillong, as part of an assignment …

Continue reading “Taking 30BB to the Northeast: Shillong – 3 bars stirring it up”

There’s no point in starting a tale with a lie, so let me tell you right at the beginning: travelling to the Northeast isn’t easy. Firstly, non-stop flights to Guwahati are few and far between. Secondly, non-stop or connecting, the rest of the seven sister states of the northeast are primarily accessible via Guwahati. So, …

Continue reading “Taking 30BB to the Northeast: Guwahati – 3 bars stirring it up”

Amongst the splendor and magic of the Taj Palace, Loya’s majestic rose gold doorways open into a bouquet of aromas ranging from spice to grills, showing me a sight that left me with just one thought, ‘Is that a waterfall at the end of the bar?’ The rustic and chic interiors are lined with tapestry …

Continue reading “Bars to Watch: Loya, Taj Palace”

  In the run up to 30 Best Bars India 2021, we throw a spotlight on India’s Top bars. We celebrate the innovation they are bringing to their beverage programs, especially via use of Indian flavours. And also recognise some of India’s best bar owners and bartenders. First up in our series is Varun Sharma …

Continue reading “Bar Spotlight India: Comorin, Gurgaon”

Today, Arjun Sagar Gupta, Founder, The Piano Man, Gurgaon How did The Piano Man endure through the lockdown? The lockdown was a rather frustrating and scary experience from the business perspective, but fruitful on the personal front. I don’t often take breaks from work, just a few in a decade. So,  it allowed me time …

Continue reading “Survival Stories 5”

Survival Strategies: Ajay Nagarajan, Co-Founder, Windmill Craftworks, Bangalore How did Windmill Craftworks endure through the lockdown? It was not easy. We had to adapt and continuously find new ways to generate revenue. As takeaway beers were allowed for a few months, we put in a lot of effort to package and sell our beers from …

Continue reading “Survival Stories 4”

Today, Rakshay Dhariwal, Founder PCO, New Delhi How did PCO endure through the lockdown? The lockdown was a time that forced us, and everyone else in our industry, to re-strategize our businesses,  and think hard about how to be more resilient in the future. We were certain that things would improve eventually; we just had …

Continue reading “Survival Stories 3”

 Today: Riyaaz Amlani, CEO & MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants 1) How did your bars survive the lockdown? The past eight months have significantly impacted our business plans. We had to make many design interventions to make the outlets Covid  ready, and yet provide the same Social vibe.  We made it convenient and safe for our …

Continue reading “Survival Stories 2”