After building four of the most influential cocktail bars in South Asia, Minakshi Singh and Yangdup Lama have opened their fifth. Bar Stormy marks the duo’s debut in Hyderabad, bringing their neighbourhood-bar philosophy to India’s fast-growing financial district.
The name is a nod to the Dark ‘n Stormy, the trademarked highball made with rum, ginger beer and lime. That same balance between familiarity and personality runs through the entire concept, from the drinks to the interiors.
A neighbourhood bar with a local point of view
Like Singh and Lama’s previous projects, Bar Stormy is designed to feel approachable without sacrificing craft. Local ingredients take centre stage throughout the cocktail programme, while the bar itself carries an unusual signature: Yangdup Lama designed the counter personally, swapping shaker and strainer for architectural drawings for the first time in his career.
Singh and Lama have shaped India’s modern cocktail movement for more than a decade. They opened Cocktails & Dreams Speakeasy in Gurgaon in 2012, followed by Sidecar—now regarded as their flagship—in 2018. The Brook arrived in Gurgaon in 2024, followed by The Old House in Kathmandu a year later. Bar Stormy marks their first venture in southern India.
A cocktail menu organised around mood
The first question on the menu isn’t What would you like to drink? Instead, guests are asked: How are you feeling? How would you like to feel? Rather than dividing cocktails by spirit or style, Bar Stormy groups its eleven signatures around emotions and occasions.
Southern Storm, for example, channels the flavours of curry rice into a savoury vodka cocktail built with toasted rice, mustard seeds, curry leaves and saline solution, creating a drink rooted in Indian culinary traditions.
Stormy State takes a more bittersweet approach. Inspired by the emotional territory of the “friend zone,” it reimagines the Manhattan through blended Scotch, a dried-fruit vermouth, peated malt, cherry brine and aromatic bitters. Those looking for bolder flavours can turn to Stormy Hot Mess, where peanut butter tequila meets guava, green chilli and toasted sesame.
House signatures, modern classics and the Dark ‘n Stormy
The signature selection is followed by the Timeless Tails, eight cocktails drawn from the menus of Singh and Lama’s previous bars, including Cilantro, Foghorn and Yang’s Old Fashioned.
A bar named after the Dark ‘n Stormy naturally gives pride of place to the drink that inspired it. Four variations appear on the menu, including the original recipe built with rum, ginger beer and lime. The food programme follows the same philosophy. Built around a tapas-style format, the dishes are designed for sharing and to complement the cocktail list rather than compete with it.
Designed by bartenders, for bartenders
Few people understand the demands of a busy service better than Yangdup Lama. That experience informed the design of the bar itself.
Each of the three stations functions as a self-contained workspace where bottles, ice, glassware, garnishes and waste bins remain within immediate reach, allowing bartenders to move efficiently through service with minimal unnecessary motion.
The rest of the venue was developed in collaboration with St+Art India and Guerrilla Art & Design, combining warm timber, chrome finishes and works by local artists.
A place built around conversation
“Hyderabad has become one of India’s most dynamic cities, with a young and diverse community,” says Minakshi Singh. “We wanted Bar Stormy to reflect that energy while staying true to what we’ve always believed a bar should be: welcoming, inclusive and centred on human connection. Every detail was considered, from the warmth of the wood and lighting to music kept at a level where conversations can flow naturally.”
Images courtesy Bar Stormy
