In a high-voltage ceremony, Delhi’s Sidecar walked away with top honours once again at the 4th edition of 30BestBarsIndia, the country’s most prestigious bar ranking and awards platform.
Besides being ranked India’s #1 Bar for the second year in a row, it also walked away with the Best Independent Bar Award and the Best Cocktail Menu Award – for Arq, a menu inspired by quintessential Indian ingredients.
The team from Sidecar, New Delhi (L), which was ranked India’s #1 Bar for the second year in a row, also walked away with the Best Independent Bar and the Best Cocktail Menu Awards. The Founder of the Olive Group of Restaurants, A.D. Singh (R), was honoured with the Industry Icon Award.
At a festive industry gathering held on the lawns of the Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage in January, Pune’s Cobbler & Crew (#2) took home four awards this year: Highest New Entry, Best Bar Team, Best Bartender (Aashi Bhatnagar) and Best Work in Sustainability (along with Pune’s Soy Como Soy).
Notably, Pune also captured the People’s Choice Awards, with Elephant & Co. Kalyani Nagar (#47) deemed People’s Choice Best Bar and TOIT awarded People’s Choice Best Microbrewery or Taproom.
Bars from Bengaluru stepped into the spotlight as well, with ZLB 23 at The Leela Palace (#6) bagging Best Bar Design. It was also awarded the Best Hotel Bar alongside Copitas Four Seasons Hotel (#4).
Comorin (Gurugram) was adjudged the Best Restaurant Bar (L). The recognition for Timeless Bar went to the Polo Lounge at Hyatt Regency, Delhi (R).
Bengaluru’s favourite watering hole, TOIT (#29), was the winner of the Best Microbrewery or Taproom Award. PCO New Delhi was this year’s Highest Climber, jumping eight spots to #12.
The Best Restaurant Bar went to Gurugram’s Comorin (#11). The Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu was awarded to Chennai’s Pandan Club, for its innovative storytelling and presentation of zero-ABV drinks.
Additionally, A.D. Singh, Founder and MD of Olive Group of Restaurants, was honoured with the Industry Icon Award. Polo Lounge at the Hyatt Regency Delhi took home the Timeless Bar Award.
Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia says, “The anticipation for the awards increases year-on-year. Eleven new bars made their way into the top 30 list, showcasing the pace at which Indian bars are innovating.”
The Best Bar Design Award went to ZLB 23, at The Leela Palace, Bengaluru (L). The People’s Choice Award for Best Microbrewery and Taproom was accepted by Toit, Pune.
As standards continue to increase in the industry and global eyes watch India’s beverage landscape evolve, Vikram adds, bars need to continue pushing boundaries across cocktail programmes, adopting new techniques, and enhancing bar talent to stay relevant.
Radhakrishna Nair, Co-Founder, 30BestBarsIndia added, “Many rankings this year were closely fought affairs, especially among the top bars in the country, with very few votes separating them. Every year, we re-evaluate our award categories to stay relevant with what’s taking place in the bar landscape, both nationally and internationally.”
It was in keeping with this strategy that 30BestBarsIndia introduced the Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu award this year, to recognize bars that are making strides with zero-ABV drinks.
Co-founded in 2019 by Vikram and Radhakrishnan, 30BestBarsIndia aims to raise awareness about the rising standards of Indian bars and beverages nationally, and on international platforms. To see the full list of bars and their rankings in 2019, 2021 and 2022, visit: https://www.30bestbarsindia.in/.
