Delhi Craft Cocktail Guide: Best Bars for Artisan Drinks

Delhi's cocktail bar scene has come of age, with a new generation of bartenders crafting menus that reach deep into Indian botanical traditions — using ingredients like kokum, tamarind, tulsi, and raw mango to create drinks with no equivalent anywhere in the world. The revolution began in Hauz Khas Village and has since spread across South Delhi, Connaught Place, and the luxury hotel circuits.

Bars like Sidecar consistently appear on Asia's 50 Best Bar lists, championing technique and locally sourced produce in equal measure. PCO (Please Call On) maintains its reputation for brilliant cocktails in a speakeasy setting that feels genuinely inventive rather than gimmicky. The Indian single malt whisky movement has added another dimension, with premium pours from Amrut and Paul John featuring prominently on progressive bar menus.

The best craft cocktail bars cluster in Khan Market, Mehrauli, and the Aerocity hotel belt. Delhi's notorious traffic means choosing a neighbourhood bar crawl over a cross-city tour makes far more practical sense for a night out.