30 Best Bars India

The country’s most prestigious bar ranking platform

In 2019, India's hospitality landscape was on the verge of a transformation. Bars across the country were experimenting like never before, yet their efforts remained largely unrecognised. The question arose: What if India had a platform that not only acknowledged but also actively fostered these advancements? The answer came in the form of 30BestBarsIndia – the country’s first dedicated bar ranking platform.

Founded by stalwarts Vikram Achanta (CEO and Founder of Tulleeho and Co-Founder India Bartender Week) and Radhakrishnan Nair (Editor of Man’s World India and Rolling Stone India), 30BestBarsIndia has, over the past five years, reshaped the industry - setting new benchmarks for excellence, innovation, and recognition.

A Ranking with Purpose

The 30BestBarsIndia rankings begin with a methodically curated Top 100 list, determined by a pan-India jury of industry professionals, connoisseurs, and enthusiasts. From there, the Top 50 are shortlisted, culminating in the much-anticipated reveal of the Top 30 – a recognition that has become a coveted honour, driving bars to constantly push boundaries in hospitality and service.

The results speak for themselves. Several Indian bars featured in the rankings have earned spots on prestigious international lists, with a notable rise in cocktail bars across non-metro cities in the country.

In addition to the overall rankings, 30BestBarsIndia honours industry excellence through special award categories, including Best Bartender, Best Bar Design, and Best Hotel Bar. Understanding that the hospitality sector thrives on evolution, the platform continuously introduces new categories when relevant. The Best Work in Sustainability award was introduced in 2022, followed by Best Non-Alcoholic Bar Menu in 2023, ensuring recognition extends beyond mixology, embracing broader contributions.

A Cultural Movement

Since its inception, 30BestBarsIndia has grown beyond rankings to become an industry-wide movement, redefining how bars are perceived – not just as nightlife destinations but as creative spaces and integral parts of their communities.

This shift has been driven, in part, by the platform’s initiatives aimed at fostering positive change. From roundtables that break down emerging trends to collaborative sustainability projects, 30BestBarsIndia continues to inspire industry-wide dialogue.

Building on its success, 30BestBarsIndia has expanded its reach with two new initiatives aimed at fostering education and growth in India’s beverage industry:

What India is Drinking (Launched 2023) – An annual report offering insights into consumer brand preferences across the country, based on a survey of over 100 of India’s top bars.
India Drinks Retail Awards (Launching 2025) – A platform dedicated to recognising retailers, the unsung heroes of India’s alco-bev industry.

As the country embraces fresh concepts and experiences, the platform is actively working to place emphasis on bartender well-being, career growth, and inclusivity, ensuring a holistic and sustainable evolution for India’s bar culture.

For information about the company, please visit

30BestBarsIndia

Case Study

We began working with 30BestBarsIndia when the platform was in its third year, though it lacked widespread recognition. Our primary goal was to ensure that every story and conversation about the top bars featured their 30BestBarsIndia ranking. Over the past three years, the platform has grown to a celebration of the rising standards of Indian bars and beverages – both nationally and internationally.

Approach

Our strategy focused on positioning 30BestBarsIndia as the most prestigious bar ranking platform while building recognition and advocacy for Vikram Achanta as a leading expert in the bar and beverage industry. This was achieved through a communications plan that hinged on the following:

Industry Insights and Thought Leadership:

Hosted annual knowledge-sharing sessions covering key trends in India's bar landscape—sustainability, bar takeovers, ice programs, glassware innovations, and more.

Supplemented these with insight notes and expert quotes, positioning Vikram Achanta as an authoritative voice in the industry.

Experiential and On-Ground Engagement:

Organized bar crawls in key cities, engaging journalists and alco-bev advocates beyond conversations—immersing them in India’s best bar experiences.

Hosted media at the finale weekend, featuring an exclusive bar crawl in the host city, culminating in the awards night.

Regional Amplification:

Highlighted city-wise rankings and trends through tailored media outreach, ensuring local relevance and engagement.

Awards-Specific Amplification:

Created focused communication around the lists (Top 100, Top 50, and Top 30) as well as new categories, driving visibility across trade and lifestyle media.