Summer is almost here and we all know how hot and humid Kolkata gets during this season. One of the best drinks that probably suits the season is gin, mostly because it's light and refreshing. We're not saying that the usual tequilas and whiskeys aren't great but, hey, there's no harm in trying something new and different. There are several places across the city that have come up with unique cocktail concoctions to get you into Juniper spirit. So, go ahead and drop in at these places in the city to get a taste of some quirky gin cocktails.
Head To These 14 Restaurants And Bars In Kolkata To Sip Gin Cocktails
LMNO_Q Skybar
This recently opened skybar has quite a few options to choose from. We would definitely recommend Floral G&T infused with butterfly pea and elderflower. If you’re a coffee person, then definitely try Sleepless G&T—a delightful cocktail with coffee and caramel. For a more Kolkata touch, try Estate G&T, which is an earl grey and bergamot infused gin with gondhoraj and basil. They also have other options like Cucumber and Cilantro Coupe, Berry and Rose Bramble, Bloody G&T, and Blueberry and Basil Bramble, among others.
Ozora
We already have way too many reasons why we love this place a bit too much and their gin cocktail concoctions are one of them. Their homemade, in-house gin infusions like Rose & Hibiscus, Rosemary & Malta Orange, Saffron & Raisins, Green Coriander, and Lemon & Thyme are definitely worth the money. They’ve got a few pretty awesome signature ones as well. Our favourites are Gin Masala (Garam Masala & Malta Orange Gin infusion with Tonic Water) and Casino Royale (Saffron & Raisins Gin Infusion topped with Tonic Water). Drink it up with delicacies such as Pesto Grilled Chicken and Matcha Mousse Cake.
Warehouse Cafe
Warehouse Cafe, one of the newest kids on the block, has a couple of gin cocktails that are a must-try. One is called Delhi 6—a stunning concoction of London dry gin shaken with in-house orange and saffron marmalade, lemon juice, and elderflower syrup topped up with Indian tonic water. There’s another one called Candy Floss G&T (bubblegum flavour mixed with crisp London Dry Gin) that is gonna take you back to your childhood.
Trincas
The good ol’ Trincas boasts of four gin cocktails, three of which are originals and designed to make the experience of consuming them fun and fruity. Our favourite is Bagan Bari. Think summery gardens of litchi, rose and lime infused with gin, of course! Besides this, you can also try Gin-Ito, Calcutta Iced Tea (CIT), and Gin Martini.
Olterra
This recently-opened place in Park Street serves a couple of gin cocktails inspired by the tea gardens in Darjeeling and the food culture of North Bengal. Campbell is a concoction featuring Darjeeling autumn flush tea infused Terai gin, homemade jasmine cordial, and homemade ginger cookie. The second one called King of Nature is made of Greater Than Gin, Jalpai Chutney (made using a type of olive native to Cooch Behar and Alipuduar), Panchphoron Fizz & Jalpai Papri.
Canteen Pub & Grub
This one has some fancy and fine gin cocktails for you to try such as Little Red Riding Hood and Gulabo Ginni that are as quirky in taste as their names. Gulabo Ginni is a nice concoction of gin, lime cordial, cranberry juice, Monin Grenadine syrup, and rose water. On the other hand, Little Red Riding Hood has gin infused with lime juice, housemade fennel wine syrup, and fresh watermelon chunks.
Traffic Gastropub
Traffic Gastropub’s gin concoctions are refreshing to say the least. We suggest you try the signature ones, Thai Spa and Murbasa. The former is an amazing infusion of gin with flavours of basil, kaffir lime, lemongrass, galangal, and fresh coconut water served in a spa tray along with a lemongrass stick while the latter is gin infused with mint leaves, lime wedges, Murabba, syrup, and chat masala.
Lord Of The Drinks
Head to Lord of the Drinks in South City Mall for some stellar gin-based cocktails that are sure to make your head tilt. They’ve got three that you must try—Clover Club, which is concoction of hibiscus infused Gin, dash of sweet and sour with a drop of egg white; Rosemary Gimlet, a magical blend of white rum, dash of lime juice and honey water garnish with fresh Rosemary; and Smoky Magical Fig Sour, made with homemade fig syrup, lime juice and an egg white.
Hoppipola
One of our favourite pubs in the city, Hoppipola has some heady cocktail concoctions made using gin. We recommend The Titanic, a concoction made with cinnamon infused gin, gondhoraj lime, triple sec, and tonic water. They’ve got a couple of others called Ginolade (made using Gordon’s, lemon juice, strawberry juice, and cranberry juice) and Gingul (Gordon’s, strawberry crush, pineapple juice, and rose water).
Veneto Bar & Kitchen
This Italian restaurant located inside South City Mall has only one gin-based cocktail but it’s so good that we just had to include it in this list. The cocktail is called Purple Fairy Fizz, a chic and exotic combination of blue pea infused gin and elderflower shaken with citrus and topped up with Indian tonic Water. It will definitely leave you wanting more!
Tipsy Tiger
Tipsy Tiger’s gin cocktails are sure to leave you tipsy! After Sunset is our favourite. It’s got a smoky feel to it, which is one of the reasons we love it so much besides obviously the sweet and tangy taste. You can taste the flavour of Juniper berry with a touch of homemade violet syrup along with fresh fruits like orange, black grapes, and pomegranate.
Five Mad Men
Five Mad Men is one of our favourite places to go to for gin cocktails. They’ve got three concoctions, all of which we would recommend, to be honest. Howrah Bridge pays tribute to two of Kolkata’s favourite things, Howrah Bridge and Gondhoraj. Gin-Gin Mule is gin infused with lime juice, lemongrass, rosemary, ginger slice, Green Menthe mint syrup, and ginger ale. They’ve also got something called Cool Dude, which is the perfect cure for the summers.
Deck 88
Deck 88’s cocktails are made using house syrups and mixes that are free of preservatives. Order Mario’s Surprise (a mix of saffron infused gin, pineapple juice, lime juice, and house syrup) or Juniper Fly (a blend of gin, lime juice, homemade butterfly pea and rosemary syrup) and you won’t return disappointed, we’re sure.