Delhi knows how to drink, it always has. But before the likes of Hauz Khas Village and Cyber Hub took the city by storm, we had set favourites; bars which, to date, have an old-school charm and still serve our choice of poison exactly the way we like it, along with a side of nostalgia.
Drink Down Memory Lane: Visit Your All-Time Favourite Bars This Weekend
The information in this post might be outdated
Blues
At Blues, you’ll be greeted by posters of Pink Floyd, Elvis and Nickelback adorning the walls {and on the speakers, of course}. Their drinks menu hasn’t changed much over the years, and we always find ourselves ordering the Caribbean Tea {vodka, gin, triple Sec, peach schnapps, white rum, lime mix and cranberry juice} and the LIIT.
For a bite to eat, don’t look beyond the BBQ chicken wings.
Pebble Street
One of the oldest bars in the city {close to two decades}, Pebble Street in NFC is still going strong. Their drinks are pretty reasonably priced but we’d still recommend going during happy hours {4pm – 8.30pm}; the food’s comparatively pricier but it’s pretty good, so go ahead and order the kebab platter.
They usually play classics {think along the lines of The Beatles} but if you’re going on a Saturday, prep for some loud Bollywood beats.
My Bar
We’re talking about the first one, in Paharganj. It’s still full to the brim with college students and former college students reliving the college life {we mean us} ordering their Gimlets and Old Monk left right and centre.
The basement can get a tad shady sometimes; we’re happier sitting on the ground floor, but to each his own.
TC
Not enough can be said about TC. We’re amazed that you can hop over even on a weekday night and find people dancing in a drunken stupour.
Add to the vibe a couple of whiskey sours, a few shots of Baileys and a portion or two of chilli chicken and you have yourself a good night, and at a great price.
Castle 9
Castle 9 sees a lot of office crowd during the days, given it’s in CP, and we’re glad for this keeps the crowd from going rogue. Don’t experiment too much with the cocktails and you’ll be good: They have beer pints for as low as INR 79!
From the food menu, we like the finger foods such as the chicken pakoras, spring rolls, nachos and kebabs.
4S
We’ve never seen 4S empty and that should tell you enough about how it has maintained its legacy over the years. Right from the cheerful mustachioed guard to their grub {stick to Chinjabi} to their drinks, everything’s on point. Don’t go expecting fancy cocktails though. Stick to a bloody mary or a LIIT or better still, Old Monk and you’ll be sorted.