Samavar

Located in Pamposh Enclave, Samavar is associated with the neighbourhood’s Kashmiri community. It is open to non-members, serves Kashmiri and North Indian food, and has a full bar. The restaurant is spacious and club-like, and is housed next to a banquet hall for weddings and other occasions. The pace is decidedly unhurried, and this is something you should be aware of; the relaxed atmosphere does come with a side of slow service.

For me, the appeal’s the slightly surreal combination of things happening under the same roof. Families are eating Kashmiri food, tables are working their way through bottles while somehow never being too loud, and there is a little shop outside the restaurant that sells Kashmiri produce and products, ranging from spices to apparel.

The drinks are decently priced, and it’s one of the few bars that was still serving full bottles of beer during a period when it was rarely available at liquor stores. The Kashmiri food is a hit and miss but the Tabak Maaz is rendered in fat the way it should be, and the Nadru Churma (crispy fried spicy lotus stem) is really the most underrated bar snack of all time. The menu or the interiors haven’t really changed much over time, and that’s frankly fine because they have other things to worry about.