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A great bar is about more than what arrives in the glass. Across India, a new generation of drinking spaces is putting serious thought into architecture, interiors and atmosphere, turning an evening out into something closer to a stunning visual experience that matches the one derived from the whisky served there. The Best Bar Design category at 30 Best Bars India has recognised some of the country's most distinctive spaces, from heritage homes and hidden speakeasies to Mumbai's reinterpretation of its architectural past. These 5 best bars in India make a strong case for looking around at the design before ordering that first whisky.
Conversation Room feels like a bar designed to encourage exactly what its name promises: conversation. Housed in the century-old Edward Court building on Chowringhee Road, the space retains its high ceilings, arched entrances and old-world textures while adding vintage posters, graffiti, pendant lights and intimate nooks.Its design was recognised with the 2025 Best Bar Design award at 30 Best Bars India. It was also ranked No. 26 in the 2025 30 Best Bars India list.
What to order: Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky. The whisky has featured prominently in Conversation Room's whisky programme, including dedicated serves built around its smoky, layered character.
The Second House is less a conventional bar than a constantly changing visual experience. Set inside a 108-year-old Indo-Portuguese bungalow, the space combines original architectural details with cane, cement floors, contemporary art and immersive digital projections. A glass conservatory, vintage televisions and a cocoon-shaped bar add to its eclectic personality. The result is part home, part gallery and part cocktail destination. The Second House won the 2024 Best Bar Design award.
What to order: Dewar's 12 Year Old whisky. It is a straightforward choice if you want a smooth blended Scotch, and the whisky is part of the bar's drinks programme.
ZLB23 bar hides behind one of the city's most theatrical entrances. Located at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, the Kyoto-inspired speakeasy is reached through a concealed entrance and even incorporates the hotel's working kitchen into the arrival experience. Inside, burgundy tones, velvet, heavy woodwork, chandeliers and Japanese-inspired artwork create a Prohibition-era atmosphere with subtle Kyoto references. ZLB23 won Best Bar Design and Best Hotel Bar at 30 Best Bars India in 2023, followed by Best Hotel Bar again in 2024 and 2025.
What to order: Dewar's 15 Year Old whisky. It appears in the bar's whisky-led cocktail programme and is a richer step up from the 12-year-old expression, making it a good choice for those who prefer a more rounded Scotch.
The Bombay Canteen has become something of a design reference point for modern Indian hospitality. Its interiors reinterpret the city's architectural past, combining the character of an old Mumbai building with Art Deco-inspired details, warm wood and patterned surfaces. The design mirrors its food and cocktail philosophy: familiar Indian references, reworked with a contemporary eye. The bar won Best Bar Design at 30 Best Bars India in 2025.
What to order: Lagavulin 16 Year Old whisky. For whisky drinkers, the heavily peated Islay single malt makes a striking contrast to the bar's lively Mumbai-inspired surroundings. It is smoky, maritime and considerably more assertive than the blended Scotch options elsewhere on this list.
The Library Bar at The Leela Palace Bengaluru takes a more traditional approach to bar design, with leather armchairs, dark wood and Victorian-inspired detailing creating the atmosphere of a private members' club. It is an especially good stop for whisky drinkers: the bar was named Best Whisky Bar in South India at the Icons of Whisky Awards in 2021 and has continued to build a reputation for its extensive collection of rare single malts. The Leela currently lists 148 whiskies and single malts at the bar. The Leela.
What to order: Talisker 30 Year Old whisky. Listed under the bar's Rare Collection, this is the bottle to seek out if you want something beyond the usual single malt pour. The 30-year-old whisky brings Talisker's characteristic maritime, smoky character together with the depth and refinement that comes from extended maturation.
At these 5 best bars in India, design isn't simply decoration around the whisky bottles. It shapes the experience from the moment you walk through the door whether that means stepping into a century-old Kolkata building, wandering through a Goan bungalow filled with contemporary art, finding a hidden speakeasy in Bengaluru or settling into Mumbai's distinctly Indian take on modern hospitality.
