The best bars and cafés North India

Native Cocktail Room is the new sensation in Jaipur. Even Princess Gauriva Kumari of Jaipur's very royal family has a habit here. The Singh family has transformed their former boutique and a few rooms of the Pearl Palace Hotel into an intimate bar with a very oriental feel. The decor is a cross between a Chinese cabinet and an Indian palace, providing an elegant and comfortable atmosphere. An experienced barman creates original cocktails with quality spirits. A small terrace allows to take the freshness in the beautiful days. The place to be in Jaipur.

The trendy bars of the Hauz Khas district have not opened their doors as soon as they close them. Let's hope this won't be the case for this "summer house". Installed on the second floor of a shopping mall, one comes first for its terrace lit with colorful garlands and dressed with tables and chairs of schoolboys repainted in bright colors. The air-conditioned room is much more plain with its brick walls and its too loud music. Lovers of strong drinks will be delighted here, as the menu offers an infinite number of variations.

With its air of gallery, this small café is a godsend for travel lovers and small budgets. The concept? Sharing around the trip. Ajay Jain, the manager of the place, invites the clientele to sit on wicker armchairs and enjoy a wi-fi connection as free as the hot drinks on the table at the back. Surrounded by beautiful pictures of India, you can consult travel guides in the library and leave a note on the central panel to find a companion or share a good map.

Whatever the day or time, this bar never closes its doors: that's why it's called 24/7. At 4 o'clock in the morning or in the afternoon, you can come and have a juice or a drink. The atmosphere is much nicer in the evening and the classic decor is less dull. Even if it offers cocktails, liqueurs and beers, this establishment will appeal to wine lovers. A nice selection of vineyards from France, Australia, California, Italy or South America at high prices.

Opened in 2002, this is one of the city's historic bars. Completely renovated in 2023, this stubbornly rock pub boasts Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson on its walls and speakers, as well as many other artists. It's a little quieter during the week, except on Wednesdays for Ladies Night. Ideal for a nightcap, if you like lively places. The bar doubles up as a restaurant, but you'll need to come before 8pm to get a table.

Well known address of students who serve the cheapest alcohol in the neighbourhood and perhaps even in the whole city. To drink a good beer or a strong alcohol, ignore the red and blue lighting that provides a somewhat ugly atmosphere. You'll find a few backpackers with whom you can share your travel stories and why not a 2 litre Kingfisher giraffe at a competitive price! If hunger seizes you, possibility to dine on-site at the same price. But it's not terrible…

Located in front of the Silver Line hotel, this café-bar very popular with the local youth is magnetizing: pleasant terrace, alcoves, beers, wine, cocktails, shisha and even a small smoking room... Rock and blues concerts on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and a DJ night on Saturdays to dance the night away. The other nights the place plays its own music or organizes wild karaoke! Very large choice of drinks. As far as the food is concerned, the place offers a good menu of Asian specialties. The place to be in Gangtok.

In English, barracks means barracks. While the military theme is well present with old stories and shiny medals hanging on the wall, it is more of an officer's mess than a piou-piou's room. Wide chesterfield sofas, beautiful cast iron, wood and leather bar stools and solid woodwork complete the soul of the place. There are as many drinks and cocktails as there are bullets in the magazine of a machine gun. But watch out for the bill, which can quickly turn out to be murderous with its 30% tax surcharge!

The rather chic front of the place will attract your eyes. It is a café-bar-restaurant lounge clearly designed to attract the golden youth of Delhi on a goguette in Shimla. The room on the second floor is suitable for dining. The menu offers good tandoor cooked specialties and a range of international dishes. On the top floor, comfortable sofas and a more relaxed atmosphere for a drink. Small terrace with a view of Scandal Point. The prices are a bit high but the place is nice.

The bar is the image of the hotel that hosts it with its British colonial style. The floors are in marble, the succession of airy rooms furnished with bourgeois sofas and armchairs in patinated wood. The bar itself is framed by stucco columns, the window is backlit and there is no doubt that one feels in a select club. The house offers nice references of whisky (Scotch!) and gin as well as a wine list, short but with interesting references. All this is well policed and the back is instinctively straightened when you sit down.

The last hype place of the city! A pub, a restaurant, a café-concert, a club... A myriad of events are scheduled every week. The food is good and refined, with Indian and international specialties. On the second floor: a pub with a DJ setting the mood on the dance floor, strobes and a young and trendy clientele. On the second floor, a terrace where it is goodto stroll in the evening, in a calmer setting. Be careful, the bill climbs quite quickly, especially since a compulsory tax is included in the final bill...

This establishment is a real institution in Kolkata. The Trincas was founded in 1939 as a tea house and pastry shop. In 1959, the new owners transformed this place by creating a stage for local artists. Since then, every day, artists from the local scene, both known and upcoming, perform live on the Trincas stage. Classics of the Hindi pop repertoire, covers... the styles of music vary according to the artist. Both a bar and a restaurant, Trincas gathers a public of all ages.

To relax ina luxurious setting, go to the bar of the Taj hotel.Relaxing jazzy atmosphere, elegant and muffled decor with its thick purple carpet, red velvet armchairs and baroque chandeliers. It's like being in a nightclub in Saint-Germain. The bartender offers a wide range of original cocktails, including the surprising "Blue Bar" with curacao, apple and vodka. Lemon slice, grapefruit quarter, chili pepper or curry leaf decorate the glasses. It is necessary to count the price of a good meal in the capital.

The nicest and cheapest bar in Darjeeling! This little pub was run by the flamboyant Mr. Puran, a big fan of 1970s rock and a fixture in town, who unfortunately passed away in 2016. His wife has since taken over. The cozy place is located in an old colonial building signaled by a small lantern outside visible in the mist. The interior has been recently renovated. The atmosphere is very friendly, the music pleasant and discreet, and when the doors close at 10 pm, the party sometimes continues inside.

If hotels are being renovated or appearing, we can't say that the nightlife scene in Paharganj is diversifying or even changing. The Gem is one of the best places to have a drink and to meet the Indian youth and backpackers staying in Delhi or in transit. You can find the same gloomy and dark atmosphere as in many places. Great choice of local or imported alcohol. You can of course have a bite to eat as well. Fair prices.

Agra's newest sensation opened its doors in early 2020. It was an immediate success, as the city is full of trendy, lively and friendly places to have a drink or a bite to eat. Beep offers an international cuisine based on burgers, pizzas, but also street food typical of Agra or traditional Indian dishes... In short, there is something for everyone. We particularly appreciate its large terrace and its wooden "bubbles" which house real lounges to party with several people. A concept without fail!

Of all the hotel bars located in New Delhi, the one of the Hyatt Regency stands out. We appreciate the old fashioned setting of this very British bar. Woodwork, coffered ceilings, inlaid parquet and a long marble bar with high stools form a perfect match. The long list of spirits and cocktails is sure to please, especially if you are a wine lover. The house offers a very nice selection of grapes from all over the world, some served by the glass. As for whisky, note the presence of Johnnie Walker.

If you also want to immortalize the Palace of Winds with your camera, it is from the terrace of this café perched in the floors of the Badi Chaupar bazaar that you will find the best angle. The owner has understood the interest of the location of this establishment and imposes to consume before pressing the shutter button of your camera, under penalty of being charged Rs 500. The drinks being cheaper than that, you might as well take advantage of it and settle down with a chai or a soda, the time to count the windows of the palace again.

The Bhairon Vilas café is an endearing place, just like its owner Anand Singh. The place owes its name to the huge polished stone statue of Ganesh that stands inside. On closer inspection, everything is there, including the ladoos that the elephant is fond of, as well as the little mouse, his vehicle. The café is a succession of small rooms and nooks furnished with antiques. You can also choose to sit on the terrace upstairs to enjoy a real cappuccino or an iced coffee. Some snacks are on the menu.