A peek at Delhi’s newest cocktail bar, Barbet & Pals

What is the secret recipe for a cocktail bar to be successful? Delicious and innovative drinks, excellent food and the capacity for plenty of memories to be crafted in its space. Barbet & Pals in Greater Kailash II market, the latest entrant in Delhi’s cocktail bar circuit, has got this formula down pat. Take it from founders Chirag Pal and Jeet Rana, “Barbet & Pals is a bold soar into what an Indian bar can truly be. We are ready to flip the script on how a bar should feel. Barbet & Pals is a cocktail nest where energy and the spirit of glorifying the flock come together.”

An ornithological theme may not be the first thing that comes to mind when speaking of cocktails, but this bar plays on it successfully, describing itself as ‘the nest where birds of a feather sip together!’ The brainchild of the talented bartenders behind some of India’s best bars and brands, Barbet & Pals is inspired by the country’s vast cultural offerings. As they explain, “We want to give back to the country that shaped us, by bringing hidden places and forgotten flavours to people, one sip at a time. Barbet & Pals is a space shaped by stories, rooted in the land, and built for the now. At Barbet & Pals, storytelling meets cocktails, and every night feels like a celebration of community, culture and creativity.”

“The idea was never just to open a bar,” says Rana. “We wanted to create a space that feels alive, where every drink carries a memory and every guest feels part of the story. It wasn’t easy. It included nine months of chaos, broken tiles, leaking pipes, arguments and a hundred terrible ideas. There were days we thought about dropping it all. But here we are, still standing, still laughing and somehow, still friends. This place is more than just a bar. It’s a dream built through madness, mistakes and a whole lot of heart.”

Taking inspiration from the colourful, loud and energetic bird after which it is named, the bar channels this vivacity. It also aims to be a place where friends commune frequently. Pal describes the vibe thus: “At Barbet & Pals, no one drinks alone, everyone belongs to the flock and nights are designed to be memorable. We envision a seamless flight path from evening sips to full-wing chaos after dark. Expect cocktail feathers shaken up with technique, flavour, and surprise guest shifts that land out of nowhere.”

Rana and Pal have drawn from their personal stash of memories, taken inspiration from their travels around India, and shared their most private inside jokes to create ‘The Nest Menu’. In it, one can sample a collection of cocktails inspired by where they have been, what they have learned, and how far they have spread their wings. “Think of The Nest as a homecoming, and a place where our stories come to roost. Every cocktail reimagines a chapter from our journey whether it’s the hill stations we come from, the bars we grew up in, the ingredients we were obsessed with, and the friends who kept us going. It’s nostalgic, a little cheeky, and 100 percent original,” says Rana.

He’s designed the first seven cocktails on the menu, which have a playful and mischievous vibe. His selections include the OTP (the one famously downed by Shah Rukh Khan four times in one night), the Bodo Saviour, the golden Himalayan Madhpey and the briny Tickle My Pickle.

The next seven are Pal’s babies, which are smooth and layered. The first of these is Panache, inspired by a saffron-scented trip he took through Kashmir. Then comes Mind the Gap, born on London’s Underground, Pals’ Lugdi, a Shimla hostel memory reborn in a cocktail glass, and Root Cause which is a cheeky nod to his friend and business partner Rana.

A micro-menu includes five cocktails exploring the destination of Kumaon beyond the touristy trail. Bird’s Eye View: Kumaon Edition is the first edition of a rolling seasonal menu inspired by places around India. “Think secret pine groves, wild berries, smoked roots, foraged ferments, and hyper-local ingredients reimagined as drinks that breathe mountain air and fly straight into memory. This Kumaon menu is a limited-run flight – a flavourful vignette of India’s forgotten flavours. No signatures. No rules. Just a featherlight but fearless expression of people, place and pour,” shares Pal.

The food menu stands on its own legs. Curated by chef and co-founder Amninder Sandhu, its dishes pair well with the drinks. The menu reimagines the favourite foods of Pal and Rana into elevated comfort offerings. Barbet Nibbles, featuring the crisp Khichia served with raw mango and mulberry chutneys, and the much-loved Gol-Gol Bread with chilli fennel butter and Nolen Gur butter are examples of appetisers that are warm, fragrant and comforting. The B&P Pecking Platter is made for sharing over intimate conversations, while the signature Mrs. Barbet pairs desi chimichurri with a caramelized onion foam for a smoky, tangy finish.

Bar-Brät stars the nestmade Naga pork sausage with a unique Naga fermented bamboo shoot ice cream. It’s a standout dish with bold flavours. The Flock Fried Chicken comes with a hot truffle garlic emulsion, avocado, prosciutto, katsuobushi, roquette and a poached egg. The Bhutuwa offers Uttarakhandi-style mutton offals served on nachni sourdough, inspired by the mountainous region – home to the bartenders and the birds for which the bar is named. The Bartenders Bowl layers raan or jackfruit kofte over rice with crispy shallots. Sandhu calls it, “a warm hug in a bowl.”

For dessert, Warm Rum Bal Mithai Sundae with burnt butter ice cream, toasted hazelnuts and mini marshmallows hits the spot, while the Limoncello Peaches & Vanilla ice cream with house-made vanilla bean ice cream and crushed pecans melts in the mouth.

In the words of Rana and Pal: “Gather your flock, come by, settle in, raise a glass, share a few stories, and stay a while – after all, birds of a feather sip together.”

Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.