Little Bit Sober

Tucked away on the 2nd floor at 60 Chowringhee Road, Little Bit Sober is widely regarded as Kolkata’s first artisanal cocktail bar — a space where mixology meets imagination, and every drink comes with a story. You enter via a discrete red door and climb old wooden stairs — and the transition is instant. The bustle of the city outside fades, replaced by an intimate atmosphere inside: low mood-lighting, a long electric-blue hand-painted bar counter running the length of the room, burgundy velvet curtains, brass and wooden accents, theatrical lighting and a small outdoor terrace for fresh air or a smoke. The vibe is a mix of speakeasy glam and warm Bengali eccentricity: the decor draws from 1920s-style lounges, but the soul remains local. The bar sits in a building dating back to 1890 — blending Kolkata’s old-world heritage with modern-day cocktail culture. Music and social energy pulse through the evenings — live jazz or acoustic sets on some nights, DJs or curated playlists on others. But even at its liveliest, the bar doesn’t push for chaos — it allows for conversation, creativity, and that rare mix of ambient buzz and thoughtful chill. At the heart of Little Bit Sober is the cocktails. The menu is inventive, often inspired by classic Bengali tastes and local ingredients: think a “Ghee Rice Old Fashioned” — whisky washed with ghee and perfumed with Gondhoraj — or a “Kasundi Tomato” cocktail: a deconstructed, subtle-colored take on a Bloody Mary, with fresh tomato juice, celery soda and peri-peri salted rim. They don’t stop at booze: there are also craft “sober sodas” and non-alcoholic mocktails, often with as much thought and creativity as their regular offerings. For those wanting just flavours without the buzz, these are well worth trying. The food — rather than full meals — leans toward tapas/small plates, designed to complement cocktails. Crispy snacks, dimsums, flatbreads or light mains make good companions — enough to sate without overshadowing the drinks. Little Bit Sober has earned accolades and attention: from local nightlife writers to cocktail-lovers across India, it’s frequently hailed as a pioneer — a bar that helped put Kolkata on the map of serious cocktail culture. Whether you arrive for a quiet post-work drink, a creative cocktail tasting with friends, or a slightly indulgent night out, Little Bit Sober offers a rare mix of sophistication, warmth, local flavour and fun unpredictability.