The Bar Behind The Sandwich Shop

A quick glance at any list of up-and-coming bars in Delhi and you’d think you’ve landed somewhere in Prohibition-era USA, judging by the sheer number of speakeasies opening across the city. Everybody and their mother wants to enjoy the heady rush of being at a place that’s kept ‘secret’ from the crowds, but truly, very few bars can claim to be the real, traditional deal. The Bar Behind The Sandwich Shop (TBBTSS) is one of them. 

The bar – no social media page or Google Map location, by the way – is located behind the popular sandwich shop Shokupan in Priya Market, behind a pair of Japanese-style flap curtains. The light is dim, the wooden tables feel unmanicured but tasteful, and the speaking is, indeed, in murmured tones.

Their menu’s nothing less than a piece of art, fashioned in the style of a bartender’s notebook, with intricately written recipes and sketches for all the drinks on the menu, and even tiny polaroids clipped on. 

The drink, then, you’ll be relieved to know, live up to the entire experience that precedes them arriving on your table. They’ve done away with outlandish garnishes and instead focus on being clean and precise. Try the Ginaké (gin + sake, simple in execution but complex in taste) or the Grey Area, where Earl Grey tea and a homemade almond liqueur meet a Palo Santo-infused dark rum. The classics are done very, very well too, with the Old Fashioned being among the best in Delhi. They’re also happy to customise your drinks to your taste!

This is strictly a drinking spot. The only food available includes bar bites like their excellent fried chicken served with a kewpie mayo, or the prawn skewers, and they even have some elaborate cheese and charcuterie boards for the sophisticated sipper of drinks.

The vibe: Quiet, hidden, meticulous. Not a loud boisterous bar. The waitstaff refrain from launching into long-winded tales about inspiration behind drinks, 

The drinks: Seriously mixed. Happy to customise. 

The food: Limited bar snacks only. If you’re especially hungry, feel free to get a sandwich from Shokupan next door, which will be handed into the bar via a small window. The pork belly sandwich and the shibuya honey toast are both delicious. 

Address: Second floor, Building No. 5, Marwaha Mansion, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi