Delhi
A thigh-slapping Bavarian-themed restaurant and brewery, Brauhaus was one of the first bar-restaurants to open on Golf Course Rd and is enduringly popular…
Must-see nightlife in India
Dharamsala
Relax on floor cushions beneath basket-lamps watched over by a mesmerising 'life flow' mural. Sip inexpensive macchiatos, nettle teas or sophisticated…
Guwahati
Dim and buzzy, this bar is a hit with the city’s office workers and, true to its name, attracts heavy traffic after sundown. There’s a vast TV screen for…
Varanasi
For a quiet drink with a dash of history, try this tiny bar named after James Prinsep, who drew wonderful illustrations of Varanasi’s ghats and temples …
Mumbai (Bombay)
Love it or hate it, most tourists end up at this clichéd Mumbai travellers’ institution at one time or another. Around since 1871, Leopold’s has wobbly…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
If you don't mind the somewhat cheesy decor (cherry-red sofas and a giant neon football motif lighting up the ceiling), this sports-themed cafe is a…
Himachal Pradesh
HPTDC's small, viewpoint snack house is a good place to sip an icy-cold beer with panoramas of the river valley below. You can also dine on a similar if…
New Delhi
With branches across Delhi, this divey, cheap and cheerful bar is hugely popular, and this CP outlet sees crowds of local men and women shouting over the…
Shillong
A friendly coffee halt in the Police Bazar area, Bread Cafe brews respectable latte, cappuccino, macchiato and frappé in shiny red and black surroundings,…
Darjeeling
Joey's has suffered from the eponymous owner's passing but if your preferred beverage comes in a pint not a pot, this long-standing pub near the post…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Friday and Saturday are thumping here, but it’s a classy place most nights with its sophisticated decor (low beige sofas, intricately carved iron screens)…
Himachal Pradesh
Climbing to the Padmasambhava Caves, the stairway crosses the road beside this isolated pink house which serves drinks and simple meals with a superb…
Panaji
The riverside location on the banks of the Mandovi is the main redeeming feature of this open-air garden restaurant and bar near the Betim Ferry dock…
Delhi
Above the bijou Good Earth homewares store, this is Khan Market’s prettiest cafe, awash with colour and sparkly chandeliers, with global snacks, such as…
Himachal Pradesh
The bare, all-timber wooden clubhouse surveys the main fairways and water traps of Naldhera's classic golf course, with the best views from the bar. That…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Tucked away in the educational area east of the University of Calcutta, this unassuming 100-year-old place makes delightfully refreshing juices and…
Chennai (Madras)
Casual British-themed pub (Big Ben on the wall, fish fingers on the menu, the Beatles and the Who on the sound system) with a small dance floor. It's…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
This classic old-style bar with double-height ceilings and whirring fans doesn't make an effort to keep up with the times, and its patrons certainly like…
Agra
This AC-cooled branch of the popular cafe chain right outside the Taj's east gate offers a great place to refuel after sightseeing over a proper coffee …
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
With water channels and palm trees in the outdoor seating area, Hoot makes full use of the pleasant Bengaluru weather. The brewery's craft credentials are…
North Goa
The African wall hangings, palm-thatch, communal tables and terracotta sculptures are a nice backdrop to the rava (semolina) fried mussels, but this…
Delhi
One of a few bars and small clubs in the otherwise largely empty Global Foyer Mall, 200m north of Sector 42-43 metro station, Manhattan is where Gurgaon’s…
Mcleod Ganj
This metal-roofed bar-club has a grungy youth vibe enlivened by a dancy DJ soundtrack on a powerful sound system. On Saturday party nights there's…
Sikkim
This sweetly unpretentious cafe, little more than the family's front room, serves wickedly good organic tongba (hot millet beer, ₹100).
North Goa
Selling juice, lassis, fruit salads and muesli to travellers, Scarlet is the second-most popular of Chapora’s juice bars. There’s a useful noticeboard…
Delhi
The relaxed beer garden at Anya Hotel is a small outdoor space where you can enjoy the chef’s recommended pairings of Indian tapas with up to 18 varieties…
Chennai (Madras)
Glossy contemporary styling, pounding house music, a tiny dance floor and a lengthy list of colourful cocktails make this upscale Taj-hotel bar a…
Uttarakhand
One of the more salubrious of Dehra Dun’s many hotel bars, Polo Bar is downstairs at Hotel President. Being in a basement it's a bit on the dingy side,…
Himachal Pradesh
This tiny cafe stares across the valley, its few roadside seats offering an even more breathtaking view, albeit somewhat plagued by passing traffic.
Mcleod Ganj
Though as much restaurant as bar, Labooze is nonetheless McLeod's most urban drinking den, with an engrossing cartoonesque ceiling mural and parts of a…
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Espresso coffee, cold drinks, lassis and light breakfasts (₹80 to ₹250) are served from this tiny, cheerful canal-side cafe, which also organises kayaking…
Agra
Probably the trendiest Agra outlet of India's popular cafe chain, this branch near Sadar Bazaar is handy when exploring the market. There's another at the…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
With six floors, this is microbrewing on a macro scale. Events include concerts, pub quizzes, karaoke and a barbecue buffet. Its Brazilian brewer does six…
Mumbai (Bombay)
This white-on-white rooftop lounge has awesome views of Mumbai’s crescent beach from its 8th-floor vantage and cocktail prices (₹1250 to ₹1450) that will…
Chennai (Madras)
‘Leather’ refers to furniture, floor and wall coverings rather than anything kinky. This tiny pad has mixologists serving up fancy drinks and, sometimes,…
Assam
Chilled bottles of Kingfisher beer are served with a wide array of kebabs, curries and tandoori items at this popular, if seemingly men-only, bar a short…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Successful ventures in Delhi and Bangalore led this chill gastropub to Bandra, where scenesters gather on the excellent patio – particularly great when it…
Shimla
Cheap, clean, cheerful place to nurse an instant tea and do some reading if the skies should open.
Chennai (Madras)
Belting out beats from hip hop to Bollywood, this longstanding three-floor party place is an Irish pub until everyone arrives, then it becomes a busy club…
South Goa
Head on down to the north end of the beach, but on the river side of the road, for a friendly, rustic bamboo-bar hang-out with regular live music, open…
