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AI generated summary, newsroom reviewed
Often as people are confronted with an experience they can't quite explain the goodness of, they tend to call it "different." In a similar fashion, Hyderabad's new neighbourhood bar, Bar Stormy, is quite different. The reason for that, however, might have some explanations behind it. At the core of that explanation is the fact that Bar Stormy is a passion project of the celebrated bartender-owner duo, Yangdup Lama and Minakshi Singh, the names behind the renowned and iconic Sidecar, Cocktails and Dreams Speakeasy, The Brook and The Old House.
Bar Stormy is the duo's first venture in South India, bringing their classic approach to hospitality to one of India's rapidly evolving cities. Created in alliance with Kishore Pallamreddy, tech entrepreneur and Founder of Red Rhino Brewing Co., Bar Stormy is also the response to the entrepreneur's one longstanding wish and complaint: "Why are all the great cocktail bars only in Delhi?" In Pallamreddy's own words, the bar founded in alliance "has made it possible to bring a truly world-class cocktail destination to Hyderabad. With Bar Stormy, we've created a warm, welcoming neighbourhood bar where exceptional drinks, thoughtful food, and genuine hospitality come together."
Co-founder Minakshi Singh shares that sentiment, saying that the "idea was to create a space that feels familiar from the very first visit. From the warmth of the wood and lighting to the music playing at a volume where you can still finish a sentence, every detail has been intentional."
Towards this end of intentionality, intimacy, and thoughtfulness, one couldn't give a better picture than by telling that much of the bar has been dreamed and designed into existence by Lama himself. At the heart of the establishment, naturally, is the bar itself, namely Yang's Bar, which Lama sketched out of his decades of experience and the desire to see the perfect setup at last. The 19-foot counter is divided into three identical workstations, allowing every bartender to work with the same efficiency regardless of where they stand, reducing unnecessary movement during service.
One thing Lama personally emphasised is the height of the bar that establishes the eyeline match between the bartender and the customer: while traditionally the bartender is higher up and the customer is virtually below them, Yang's bar ensures a level playing field, fostering easy communication and rhythm. Also, unlike conventional bar counters, Yang's Bar has been built at 36 inches, allowing bartenders to work in a more natural, upright position.
Flexible ice wells, integrated drainage, concealed waste systems, and precision-calibrated refrigeration have all been designed to minimise interruptions, improve efficiency, and ensure every drink reaches the guest as quickly as possible. Every element, from the material choice, station size, and customisation within each station, has been engineered with one purpose: to make bartending faster, easier and more comfortable. Fabricated using a specialised fingerprint-resistant stainless steel rarely used in India, the counter maximises every inch of space, ensuring that every essential is always at hand.
To summarise, co-founder Lama lyrically laid it down that after almost three decades behind the bar, I have realised that the best spaces are designed around interaction. A bar counter is where those conversations begin. This one is visible from every corner of the room, inviting guests to engage, ask questions, and become part of the experience rather than observe it from a distance."
The brilliance of the affair doesn't invite a full stop at that stage alone. When one tears oneself away from the highlight bar, one finds that the 75-seater affair is spread across 2,800 sq. ft. with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoors gives you a classic view of a high-rise metropolitan where you can indulge in a comfortable smoke. The interiors feature warm wood, chrome accents, and impressive artwork across the space. The walls are a living canvas featuring artists from the city through a collaboration with St+Art India and Guerrilla Art & Design. St+Art India is the same organisation co-founded by Hanif Kureshi (also known as Daku) that created the Lodhi Art District in New Delhi, transformed the Sassoon Docks precinct in Mumbai through public art, and has delivered large-scale mural projects in cities including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai.
The beverage programme at Bar Stormy has three divisions. The first is 10 Stormy Signatures, inspired by the city and the region's ingredients, bringing in familiar flavours like curry leaf or an Osmania biscuit. These drinks are each tied to a "mood meter" — homesick shows up as a curd rice-inspired pour called Southern Storm, while friendzoned takes shape as a Manhattan twist called Stormy State.
The second section is 8 Timeless Tails — cocktails that have travelled over from the brand's other four locations, essentially the "All Time Hits," including favourites like Cilantro, Foghorn, and Yang's Old Fashioned.
Rounding things off are four Dark & Stormy cocktails, among them a classic built on rum, ginger beer, and lime. If one is to be perfectly honest, and there are occasions when one must face the facts, one must admit that Stormy Shenanigans, an extraordinary concoction of gin, raspberry, blueberry, chilli tincture, and foam, came up trumps in the most decisive fashion, leaving its friends somewhere in the inky darkness of the bar.
On the food side, the menu draws from global tapas culture — flavour-forward and made for sharing. Guests can start with bar bites like Wai Wai Bhel and Brie on Toast, move into small plates such as Imli & Tuna Crudo and Mushroom Galouti Sliders, or go bigger with dishes like the Hangover Chow Mein Bowl, Kundapur Prawn Pil Pil, Bone Marrow Nihari Feast, and Mutton Lukhmi Phyllo Pie — all built to pair effortlessly with the cocktail programme.
Beyond food and drinks, the bar will host regular programming including live music, quizzes, book readings, and intimate community-led events, creating a space where a weekday evening can become something more.
Bar Stormy is effortlessly poised to orchestrate some of the glorious days of the cocktail scene in Hyderabad. As a promising new neighbourhood bar, it has all the ingredients—above all, some of the top names within the Indian cocktail culture—to swell and succeed. One can see many toasts being drunk here in the days to come, to the foreseeable future of the bar and the fast-growing city it calls home by the general citizenry and all those drawn to its promise.
Address: 4th floor, 205, Myscape Stories, 205, Myscape Rd, near Financial District, Financial District, Hyderabad, Nanakramguda, Telangana 500032
Bookings: +91 7075943336
Cost for two: Rs 1,500 – 2,500
Timings: 4 p.m. - 12 a.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. - 1 a.m. on weekends