The Polo Bar, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
At this bar, you will be immediately transported to the world of royalty and the princely equestrian sport of polo in their myriad forms—memorabilia, trophies, cigars, polo mallets, and old photographs.
The bar menu is a curated list of classic and contemporary mixology with signature cocktails. The shelves in the lounge are stacked up with a selection of rare whiskies, single malts, cognacs, and premium wines.
A selection in the beverage list has contemporary cocktails and spirits under its ‘Palace Autograph Collection’ that pay tribute to wars, battles, and bravehearts. Some of these cocktails are named Jaipore Martini—Rambagh Palace, Jodhpur Lancers —Umaid Bhavan Palace and Jasmine Sour Martini—Falaknuma Palace.
The Jaipore Martini, a signature drink, is a blend of flavours drawing inspiration from Jaipur’s forts, markets, and sunsets. It’s a delicate balance of gin, rose syrup, sweet vermouth and garnished with edible rose petals. There’s a hand-picked collection of Cuban cigars while the teetotallers can find a selection of homemade iced teas, lemonades, and ginger ales.
The Library Bar, The Leela Palace, New Delhi
The Library bar blends storytelling with mixology. It has an innovative ‘8 Cocktail Classic Novels’ menu where each cocktail pays homage to a classic novel, be it the adventurous spirit of Around the World in 80 Days and Gravity’s Rainbow or the explosive creativity of The Big Bang and A Caribbean Mystery.
Each of these eight novels is bound with a re-designed leather cover, presenting the menu in the form of a bookmark. The waiter writes the name of the guest and inserts the card depicting the issuing of the book to the guest to read as they sip their cocktail.
The ambience brings about the character of the place in a dimly-lit bar and seating area, which is an ideal spot for great conversations, and so does the rich wooden tapestry with racks and columns of rare leather-bound books all around the place.
There are also some interesting tales associated with the cocktails served there. Raymond Chandler is dedicated to the famous writer who only drank bourbon for two weeks; Pablo Picasso reflects the painter’s artistic heritage and modern style; The Goldfinger is based on Ian Fleming’s novel from the James Bond series, and so on.
Small bites like mini lamb samosas, crisp-fried coconut prawns and vegetarian kebab platters blend into the timeless narratives of classic literature, besides straight drinks and other cocktails, as part of the menu.
The Brook, Gurugram
It’s like a ‘cherished mountain hideaway’ where you can listen to a wild brook flow through the forest… except you are inside a Himalayan-themed bar in the urban jungle of Gurugram.
Inspired by Lord Tennyson’s classic poem— The Brook—the eponymous bar takes inspiration from the life and times of its co-founder, Yangdup Lama, who was born and brought up in Darjeeling in West Bengal, with roots across the Himalayan belt. Lama holds special affinity for the region and its rich heritage and beautiful produce. “We are paying homage to those traditions,” says Lama.
The cocktails are a celebration of the region. While the Happy Himachali Hi Ball transports you to Himachal’s apple orchards, Duk Ley scales the heights of Ladakh. Similarly, Mitho Amilo revisits Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The menu also has a cocktail inspired by the fermented Himalayan millet wine called Tongba, which is served as a sign of respect to guests.
Even the décor is an ode to the Himalayas’ landscapes and life forms. There is an art installation made using hook tapestry weaves, and created by textile artist Julie Kagti in association with another irrefutable symbol of the mountains—Royal Enfield. “It is exciting to create new bars that continue to let the craft speak for itself. Creatively, it is one of the most satisfying parts of our work and exactly the reason why we do what we do,” explains Minakshi Singh, co-founder of The Brook.
Highlights of the farm-to-table concept at the bar include barbeque and smoked meats, translated staples from the Himalayan kitchen like the kalari orange salad, shyaphaley, Kashmiri nadru, Nepali fried chicken and thukpa, among others.
Safari Lounge, The Lodhi, New Delhi
Just as the name suggests, this bar gives an experience of a jungle-themed safari trail in décor, design and drinks, but with urban sophistication. The lounge area has views of wildlife through a vivid photographic collection. Wild animals like cheetahs and tigers adorn the walls while the lounge space is dotted with upholstered sofas and ottomans that match the black and white zebra stripes or cheetah’s undercoat, bearing a similar colour tone—from light tan to a deep gold, marked by solid black spots.
As for the drinks menu, a signature cocktail pays tribute to the great Indian Bustard, an endangered species. Another one is Bamera, named after the largest tiger seen at the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh. It is a cognac-based drink in maraschino syrup, orange bitter, raspberry juice, fresh lime juice and tonic water to reflect the best of safari.
1835, Sawai Man Mahal, Jaipur
This tranquil bar located inside the heritage-palace, Sawai Man Mahal in Jaipur, features handpicked signature cocktails from the Rajput traditions and culture prevalent in 1835. The palace, which pays tribute to prince, diplomat, army-man and polo player, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, has an expressive architecture in a thematic setting, marrying the elegance of yesteryear with modern refinement.
The bar pays homage to the year when Maharani Chandravati, mother of Maharaja Ram Singh Ji II, built the initial four-room garden house for her favourite maid, Kesar Badaran. This modest pavilion, known as Kesar Badaran Ka Bagh, was later transformed by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II into a royal hunting lodge, eventually evolving into the majestic Rambagh Palace that we know today.
Today, the space has a dedicated area designed with antique bookshelves, rich woodwork, and plush furnishings, giving the look and feel of the regal libraries. On display is a vivid collection of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh’s helmet, a vintage glass cabinet that houses a collection of 200-year-old books that were part of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II’s private collection, and manuscripts from the royal archives.
The beverage selection at the bar includes fine spirits, wines, and signature cocktails like the 1857 Bloodiest Bloody Mary and Mauriyan Sour, which are crafted at the lounge’s Gueridon-inspired service.
Lord Elgin, Amritsar
Named after the former Earl of Elgin and the Viceroy of India, Lord Elgin, the bar reminds one of a neighbourhood pub in the Edwardian countryside.
The menu not only takes inspiration from the global travels of Lord Elgin, with 12 cocktails representing a different region and culture, but also cherishes the spice trade in the British era. For instance, the Caribbean Roots cocktail is a nod to the birthplace of rum, while the Picante uses Mexican chili to emphasise its connection to tequila and Mexican traditions. The Spice Traders cocktail pays homage to the British spice trade in India, featuring an in-house spice syrup blended into a twist on the classic Moscow Mule. Another highlight is the Bramble 2.2 with a homemade berry liqueur.
The inside of the bar brings a rich colour combination of verdant green and brass inlays with teak wood, where wooden frame structures and massive glass ceiling space allow ample natural light into the 1,100-sq-ft bar. The large glass windows offer a majestic view of the lush green space outside while the inside seating area is a comforting lounge.
The décor resembles the bygone area with Victorian-style sofas placed in a sage-green tinted glasshouse, surrounded by bamboo and traveller’s palms.
