India’s bar scene is expanding, not just in scale, but in sophistication, and increasingly, it’s moving behind hidden doors. This isn’t the usual night out, starting with an open entrance and an energetic crowd. These bars are deliberately hard to find, sometimes absent from Google Maps, and rarely designed for easy access. Even when you locate them, getting in isn’t as simple as pushing a door. You might need a password, an invite, a rusty key handed to you by a tailor under a tree, or a set of digits dialled into an old rotary phone. Small rituals that unlock a space designed to feel like a secret or an adventure. This setup has emerged as a defining format within India’s premium nightlife economy, and is the mood India’s speakeasy bars are building.
The country is projected to consume an additional 357 million litres of alcohol between 2024 and 2029, the largest increase globally, as per Euromonitor International. As growth slows across Western markets, “opportunities increasingly skew towards emerging markets like India”, the firm noted. But the most interesting shift isn’t just how much India is drinking, it’s also about where it is drinking.
A speakeasy is named for the practice of patrons ‘speaking easy’ or softly, about illegal bars during Prohibition era in the US. Today, the same concept is being used for covert bars featuring passwords or slips, unlisted entrances, and invite-only audience.
Angad Chachra, founder of The Bar Consultants, a specialised hospitality consultancy, has been seeing a clear shift in this segment. “People are going out in smaller groups, they are choosing places that allow conversations and are far more informed about what they are drinking,” said Chachra.
According to Upasana Gupta, a Delhi-based advocate who visited Noctis, a speakeasy in Panchsheel Park, New Delhi, it felt gimmicky at first, but “soon my opinion changed of the place”. At Noctis, entry involves booking via Instagram, stepping into what appears to be a functioning tailor shop under a mullberry tree, and unlocking a cupboard with a key handed over by the tailor. “I’m in my mid-30s now and after travelling to so many bars around the world, especially in New York which is a mecca for bars, I keep looking for a good drink at a quiet classy place without party-crazy youngsters,” said Gupta.
Vikram Achanta, founder and CEO, Tulleeho Bar Academy, and co-founder, 30BestBarsIndia, and the India Bartender Show, believes the speakeasy is a pragmatic response to an evolving Indian palate. “We’ve moved past luxury as a visual spectacle. Now, it’s about exclusivity and narrative. Certain ideas are simply too niche to survive as standalone venues where economics can be unforgiving, so these formats act as genuine creative expansions. They allow operators to try something way more experimental,” said Achanta.
At the top of this movement are PCO (Pass Code Only) in New Delhi and Mumbai, and ZLB23 in Bengaluru, both ranked among India’s 30 best bars.
PCO is where it all began, back in 2012. Widely regarded as India’s first speakeasy, it introduced the idea that access itself could be part of the experience. Guests dial a rotating passcode on a rotary phone before stepping into a space defined by vintage decor, low lighting, and a quietly confident bar programme.
For co-founder Rakshaye Dhariwal, the idea was never about gimmicks. “There were no decent cocktails when we began in 2012, and we wanted to bring good drinks to the table,” he said. But just as importantly, it was about moving away from excess. “PCO is not a place of restriction unlike other nightclubs with a dress code or ban on stag entry. It is just good music, great service, style, good cocktails — the little touches that enhance a place.”
Adding to the mystery, PCO was not marketed as any other bar. “During the first three years, we did not market it at all. There was no social media marketing, we did not speak to the media; we wanted it keep it discreet. The clientele we got were fully organic, through word of mouth that we serve good cocktails,” he said, adding that they now post on social media as it helps guest understand the drinks PCO serves.
That philosophy has translated into longevity. Fourteen years on, PCO continues to draw an audience ranging from 25-50 year-olds, proving that in a market often driven by novelty, consistency can be a competitive advantage. “We are not chasing trends, we are thinking ‘timeless’. Good cocktails, great service and food will never go out of style.”
According to Achanta, what makes a speakeasy work is the community that forms around it. “You see it with something like The Theatre at ZLB23 or Cavity at Barbet & Pals. These aren’t just hidden rooms; they’ve become their own thing, with their own regulars and their own identity. The ones that last are the ones where the concept would’ve been compelling,” he added.
The Theatre at ZLB23 is an exclusive, 7-seater intimate cocktail chamber at The Leela Palace, Bengaluru, which blends Kyoto-inspired design with storytelling. “While the secret entrance might bring someone in for the first time, high-concept craftsmanship such as our Japanese-influenced umami cocktails is what brings them back,” said Rajib Mukherjee, head mixologist, bar manager and beverage operations specialist at ZLB23, adding the guests are increasingly the cognoscenti. “They value the technicality of fermentation, the rarity of the spirit library, and the narrative depth of the drink over the mere hide-and-seek of the format,” he said.
If PCO established the template, a new wave of operators is adapting it to a more discerning, experience-led consumer.
At Somewhere Nowhere in GK-2 in Delhi, co-founder Vansh Pahuja describes a clear shift away from scale-driven nightlife. “Before us, Delhi had bigger places with DJs. SoNo brought back smaller spaces that deliver good cocktails, service and vibe.”
Hidden behind an unmarked entrance, Somewhere Nowhere draws from Japanese bar culture with vinyl-led ‘listening room’ energy and omakase-style cocktails tailored to individual preferences. “Our decor is inspired from Japanese sand art. It’s a unique experience. When people enter they have no idea what to expect, but they go ‘wow’ at first glance,” Pahuja said.
This emphasis on surprise and personalisation is economic. Smaller venues mean fewer covers, but higher engagement, stronger repeat value, and a more mature clientele. “Guests are enjoying a good drink, building a rapport with the bartender… more and more people are looking for hidden bars now.”
Yet, the format comes with inherent tension. “Influencer culture can go against the hidden aspect of the bar,” he admitted, highlighting the challenge of maintaining exclusivity in a hyper-visible digital ecosystem.
Amid a space which is still a male-dominated arena, Margaret’s Eye in Vasant Vihar is changing the dialogue. “Our entire bar team is women, and bars have traditionally been male-dominated spaces. We wanted to change that,” said Esther, head of the bar.
It’s the experience that matters more than the discovery to them. “Often people walk in saying they had no idea we existed and end the night telling us that they had the best time. That discovery adds to the experience, but we are not trying to be secretive or ‘speakeasy’. We just focus on getting the experience right,” she added.
According to Sarthak Batra, design, innovation & bar programme head at IKI&GAI Bar, speakeasy-style bars are a natural extension of India’s premiumisation journey. “Today’s consumer is not just paying for a drink, they are paying for storytelling, craftsmanship, and a more elevated environment. The shift is clear towards curated experiences where ambience, service and cocktail quality matter as much as the menu itself. Concepts like these reflect a growing appetite for global standards with a strong local personality.”
For PCO’s Dhariwal, the broader shift is clear. “High-energy places are not dominating anymore… nightclubs have suddenly become ‘uncool’.”
Achanta echoes the same. “What we’re seeing at 30 Best Bars reflects this pretty clearly, the venues getting recognised aren’t the biggest or loudest rooms in the city anymore, they’re the ones where the concept came before the covers.”