BY ANKIT POOTHIA
( A FORTUNE 500 PROFESSIONAL & AVID TRAVELER)
NEW DELHI | 27 SEPTEMBER 2025
Almost every travelogue will regale you with the story of the awe-inspiring heritage site, mesmerising vistas, or vibrant festivals. #LaterGrams are about mountains and beaches, and the delectable cuisine of the region. But look beyond, and you will find some of the most compelling nuggets hidden in an unlikely place: a spot you frequent or even pass by every evening. You have most likely visited there and had a mirthful time, but perhaps mentioned in just passing. And that is the local bar.
These modern-day salons aren’t just jaunty joints for casual evenings with friends. Self-admittedly, they were just that for me for 24 years of work trips during my stint in corporate leadership. Over the years, however, I have come to appreciate them for the cultural landmarks they are — much like Parisian coffeehouses of the 18th century or speakeasies of the 1920s. Now, visiting local bars has evolved into a bold journey in itself for me. Come October, my passport will start to fill up with stories as I set out to visit all 50 of the World’s Best Bars across five continents, over thirty cities, and over twenty countries in just 60 days.
The sojourn is not about the cocktails alone, but about the culture, creativity, and connections they represent. This isn’t about 50 drinks in 60 days. It’s about discovering how the world tells its story, through one glass, one conversation, and one community. Covering nearly 110,000 kilometres in two months, I look forward to visiting Tokyo’s cocktail temples, London’s storied speakeasies, New York’s high-energy hubs, and Barcelona’s rooftop lounges. I’m certain the 45+ flights and trains, months of planning, and a fair bit of endurance to complete will be worth it.
The seed for this journey was planted back in 2017, when I stumbled upon an article about the World’s 50 Best Bars. Until then, bars for me were little more than social spaces to unwind. But that list revealed something deeper. The rankings were not based on flashy interiors or expensive bottles, but on storytelling, hospitality, and cultural identity. Intrigued, I began visiting these bars whenever work took me abroad.
Over time, I realised each bar was less about the drink and more about what the city was trying to say — just like a museum or an art gallery. Take our own Mumbai, for example. Our bartenders are blending kokum, toddy, and spices into drinks that authentically speak of our identity. Step into a bar in Tokyo, and you witness precision and discipline in every pour. Or the warmth, rhythm, and spice that fill the glass in Mexico City. In Singapore, I once tasted this amazing cocktail served chilled but topped with a layer of warm white chocolate froth where the bartender described each layer as representing seasons. That moment stayed with me, not as a drink’s description, but as a living tale of culture.
These are not fleeting trends; these are creations rooted in the local fibre and flavours. They bring to the world stage innovation born of heritage. These are experiences where people feel seen, heard, and connected. These bars welcome strangers, surprise them with creativity, and leave them with a sense of belonging.
If my journey achieves anything beyond personal fulfilment, I hope it inspires others to travel with curiosity. To look beyond landmarks and see how culture thrives in the everyday. To view a bar not as indulgence, but as a living museum of flavour, design, and human connection.
On this World Tourism Day, my message is simple: curiosity can transform the way we travel. As travellers, if we allow ourselves to follow sparks of inspiration, no matter how unconventional, we may discover that every city has its own rhythm, and every journey its own story worth telling.
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