South Delhi bar, Sidecar, reclaimed its position as the country’s best bar in the 2022 ranking of 30 Best Bars India, released on 17th January, 2023 at an awards show at the Le Meridien Gurgaon. Sidecar, which won the top spot in the inaugural 2019 ranking, was pushed to the no. 2 position last year by Bar Tesouro from Goa. The top 10 positions in the ranking have seen some significant movement and new entrants. Bengaluru bar Copitas at the Four Seasons moves up to no. 2, followed by new entrants Home (New Delhi), Lair (New Delhi), The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai), and Comorin (Gurgaon). Four new entrants, Americano (Mumbai), Slink & Bardot (Mumbai), Hideaway (Goa), and The Living Room by Masque (Mumbai), round up the Top 10.

Sidecar also took home the winner’s trophy in two other categories, Best Independent Bar and Best Bar Menu. Copitas won the Best Hotel Bar Award, while Comorin Gurgaon was declared the Best Restaurant Bar, and Brewdog, Gurgaon, won the Best Microbrewery/Taproom Award. Santanu Chanda of Home, New Delhi, won the coveted Best Bartender award, while Home also won the Best Bar Team Award. The Bombay Canteen was declared the Best Designed Bar.  

The newly introduced award for Best Work in Sustainability was won jointly by two Pune bars, Malaka Spice and Cobbler & Crew. Noted restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani was honoured with the Industry Icon Award, while Mumbai’s three-decade-old Toto’s Garage took home the Timeless Bar Award. Other big winners of the evening include Pune bars Elephant & Co. (People’s Choice Award for Best Bar) and TOIT Pune (People’s Choice Award for the Best Microbrewery/Taproom).  

Among the major cities, Mumbai made the most significant strides in new bar openings and the strength of beverage programs, with 8 bars making it to the Top 30 and four Pune bars taking away awards in individual categories. Cities such as Kolkata and Jaipur also emerged as markets to watch due to the growth of quality cocktail bars and a discerning audience.  

30 Best Bars India’s 2022 ranking is based on a jury poll of more than 250 members across the country. The bars were judged on various parameters, including service, design, ambience, bar menu, bartending team, etc. This year, bars also had the option to self-nominate themselves, and 500 nominations were received from 15 cities.  

The Top 30 bars in India for 2022 are listed below in order of rank:

#1 – Sidecar (New Delhi) 

#2 – Copitas – Four Seasons Hotel (Bengaluru) 

#3 – HOME (New Delhi) 

#4 – Lair (New Delhi) 

#5 – The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai) 

#6 – Comorin (Gurgaon) 

#7 – Americano (Mumbai) 

#8 – Slink & Bardot (Mumbai) 

#9 – Hideaway (Goa) 

#10 – The Living Room by Masque (Mumbai) 

#11 – Miguel’s (Goa) 

#12 – Hoots’ (New Delhi) 

#13 – Masque (Mumbai) 

#14 – Cocktails & Dreams (Gurgaon) 

#15 – The Grid (Kolkata) 

#16 – Raahi Neo Kitchen and Bar (Bengaluru) 

#17 – Bastian – Worli (Mumbai) 

#18 – Byg Brewski Brewing Company – Hennur (Bengaluru) 

#19 – Windmills Craftworks (Bengaluru) 

#20 – PCO (New Delhi) 

#21 – Sanctuary Bar & Kitchen (Hyderabad) 

#22 – Elephant & Co. (Pune) 

#23 – AER Lounge – Four Seasons Hotel (Mumbai) 

#24 – A tie between The Library Bar – The Leela Palace (New Delhi) & Whisky Samba (Gurgaon) 

#25 – Bar Palladio – Narain Niwas Palace Hotel (Jaipur) 

#26 – Sorano (Kolkata)

#27 – Ekaa (Mumbai) 

#28 – Joseph’s Bar (Goa) 

#29 – Olterra (Kolkata) 

#30 -Room Two (Hyderabad) 

Speaking on the occasion, Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, said, “Keeping current factors in mind for every edition, last year we focused on the COVID responsiveness of bars and this year we introduced a new category to promote sustainability in the bar industry. Establishing categories ahead of what the industry is building towards will continue to help raise the standards in the country. This year, the introduction of thematic menus and the usage of more Indian ingredients in beverage programs is inspirational and aspirational. The emerging vibrant bar culture coming out of cities like Pune, Jaipur and Kolkata is also encouraging to see.” 

“We are providing a platform for bars across the country to elevate the standards of India’s bar programs. The ranking has become a coveted industry standard, and having five bars from last year’s Top 30 list in Asia’s Top 50 bars is a great testament to our efforts. It’s exciting to see bar teams constantly re-invent and push boundaries — whether it’s by paying more attention to their menus or innovating with ingredients to create hyper-localised cocktails,” added Radhakrishnan Nair, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia.  

Here’s the list of category winners for 30BestBarsIndia 2022:

Best Hotel Bar: Copitas, Four Seasons Hotel, Bengaluru 

Best Independent Bar: Sidecar, New Delhi 

Best Cocktail Menu: Sidecar, New Delhi 

Best Bar Team: HOME, New Delhi 

Best Microbrewery/Taproom: Brewdog, Gurgaon 

Best Bar Design: The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai 

Best Restaurant Bar: Comorin, Gurgaon 

Best Bartender: Santanu Chanda, HOME, New Delhi 

Best Bar (Jury Vote): Sidecar, New Delhi 

Best Bar (People’s Choice): Elephant & Co., Pune 

Best Microbrewery/Taptoom (People’s Choice): Toit, Pune 

Timeless Bar (Nominated Award): Toto’s Garage, Mumbai 

Industry Icon (Nominated Award): Riyaaz Amlani, Founder & MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants 

Best Work In Sustainability (Nominated Award): Malaka Spice, Pune & Cobbler & Crew, Pune 

About 30BestBarsIndia:

Co-founded in 2019 by Vikram Achanta and Radhakrishnan Nair of Bar 30 India LLP, 30BestBarsIndia aims to raise awareness about the rising standards of Indian bars and beverages on national and international platforms. 30BestBarsIndia’s ranking of the country’s best bars in the previous two editions in 2019 and 2021 has included well-known bars that have gone on to be part of international bar ranking lists. To see the full list of bars and their rankings in 2019 and 2021 please visit: https://www.30bestbarsindia.in/.

Images: Fleck Media