Not every day do you find a cocktail bar that is bird-themed and paired with a sublimely moody interior and retro music humming in the background. You already know you are not walking into a place that wants to blend in. Barbet & Pals in Delhi’s Greater Kailash 2 announces its personality the moment you step inside. As I walked in, everything was wood, and not the polite, pale kind. This is dark, confident timber, the sort that absorbs conversation and candlelight in equal measure. Even the flooring participates in the chronicle, marked with painted bird feet, as though the flock has momentarily taken flight and might return at any second.
What sealed the mood for me was the music. Somewhere between sips, Daddy Cool (a major international hit for the German-Caribbean disco group Boney M., released in 1976, of the R&B/Soul and Reggae genre) drifted through the room, a song so cheerfully out of place in a bar setting that it immediately made sense here. It wasn’t ironic or kitsch. It was oddly perfect. Barbet & Pals has that rare ability to make unexpected choices feel intentional, even inevitable.
The Star Cocktail
The most striking thing about the cocktails here is what they don’t taste like. Alcohol, for one. Each drink arrives feeling almost like an entirely new category, something composed rather than mixed.
First came Dr Peppah, made with Jose Cuervo Silver, bell pepper, lime cola, and fermented pepper salt. The drink is playful and savoury, with a surprising elegance beneath its easygoing exterior. It feels familiar and unfamiliar both at once, a clever trick that keeps you returning to the glass.
Next, I tried the Himalayan Madhpey, which tastes as if the bartender was thourough with his research in restraint and balance. Built with Tanqueray gin, patchouli, turmeric oleo, ginger, Campari, lime, and a vegan foam, it feels rounded, grounded, and quietly complex. This cocktail turned out to be the star of the evening. The flavours unfurl slowly, without the sharp burn one expects. And that is exactly what star mixologist Jeet Rana wants his diners to taste— not alchohol but the drink. And you truly do.
Founder Jeet Rana and Chirag Pal, who are among the most influential names in India’s contemporary cocktail landscape today, are the masterminds behind putting together a bar that has been taking by storm. With over a decade behind the bar, their careers span luxury hotels, global competitions, and some of the country’s most progressive bar programmes. At Barbet & Pals, the duo has brought together their shared focus on technique, storytelling, and mentorship, positioning the bar as a thoughtful, ingredient-driven space rooted in both experience and intent.
The name Barbet & Pals draws from the barbet bird native to Uttarakhand, Rana’s home state, while “Pals” nods to Chirag Pal. It also doubles up as a quiet play on the word pal, underlining the bar’s emphasis on friendship and camaraderie.
My final cocktail was the Gundryani, with Jose Cuervo Reposado, Gundryani cordial, acid mix, and pisiyu loon, which leans into subtlety. It is quiet, saline, and deeply satisfying, the kind of cocktail that grows on you rather than announcing itself immediately.
As I worked my way through the cocktails, Rana mentioned that this was only the first edition of the menu, with new chapters set to unfold every three months. This inaugural chapter is titled Bird’s Eye View: Kumaon Edition. “It draws from pine groves, wild berries, smoked roots, foraged ferments, and hyper-local produce, translating the mountain landscape into liquid form,” he said.
Across all three cocktails that I tried, there was a common thread: clarity. They were drinks that trusted the drinker. No smoke, no theatre or optics, no distraction. Just thoughtfully-layered flavour.
Food That Pairs And Complements
The cocktails called for something substantial on the side, food that could hold its own alongside them. Curated by chef and co-founder Amrinder Sandhu, the food menu acts not just as a perfect match to the drinks but complements flavours and adds to the overall experience. I was quick to ask for the King Oyster Mushroom and Guava Toast Thecha that offered relief and intrigue in equal measure. Earthy mushrooms meet gentle sweetness, with thecha cutting through just when needed. It is balanced, clever, and deeply moreish.
Next arrived the Flock Fried Chicken that was unapologetically indulgent, layered with hot truffle garlic emulsion, avocado, prosciutto, katsuobushi, roquette, a poached egg, and parmesan. It was rich, decadent, and surprisingly cohesive. Every element earned its place. One drink that paired perfectly well with this preparation was my favourite from the menu—the Himalayan Madhpey.
The Bar Brat is where the evening turned personal. The nest-made Naga pork sausage paired with Naga fermented bamboo shoot ice cream instantly took me back to my days in Arunachal Pradesh, where bamboo shoot is a staple. The ice cream was bold, uncompromising, and honest. It did not soften the fermentation; it celebrated it. The dish felt like a memory plated with confidence.
Another highlight was the Charred Buttery Prawns, grilled with nori and almond butter, and were elegant and restrained. There was a gentle umami hum, a richness that never weighs you down.
A Sweet Close
Well, food and drinks could be impressive but the dessert is what decides the closing note of the meal. And desserts at Barbet & Pals deliver. They felt like a soft exhale. The Warm Rum Bal Mithai Sundae, with burnt butter ice cream, toasted hazelnuts, and mini marshmallows, was comforting without tipping into excess. The Nest, a glazed kataifi shell filled with pistachio cream and chocolate truffles, was textural, nostalgic, and quietly joyful.
Overall, it was a meal I would find reasons to experience again. A meal that stands out among all the many others that Delhi has to offer. Well-crafted drinks, a thoughtfully-curated food menu, and a dessert that does its job, Barbet & Pals packs it all in one cosy and impressive space. As I was getting ready to leave, Jeet, the star mixologist, handed me a fridge magnet that, he said, comes with every bill. It featured a barbet in flight. Sits on my refrigerator for many more to be added (soon)!
