What to Drink with Indian Food: Cocktails, Beer and Wine

Pairing a drink with Indian food comes down to one principle: chase contrast and refreshment, not weight. The best matches are crisp, cool, or off-dry, because they cut through spice and richness rather than competing with them. A cold lager, an off-dry white, a rounded but soft red, a citrus-led cocktail, or a mango lassi will all carry our food beautifully.

That holds across the menu, so here is how we think about it at our bar.

Why spice and richness need contrast

Heat builds on the palate. A drink with high alcohol or heavy oak tends to amplify that heat and dry the mouth, which is why big, tannic reds often feel harsh alongside a curry.

The fix is refreshment. Something cold, a little sweet, or bright with acidity resets the palate between mouthfuls and lets the next forkful taste as good as the first.

Richness asks for a similar trick. Creamy, slow-cooked dishes want a drink that cleanses rather than coats, so a wine or cocktail with some acidity will feel livelier than another layer of weight.

Beer: the easiest win

A crisp lager is the most reliable partner for Indian food, and there is no shame in keeping things simple. The carbonation lifts spice off the palate, and the cold, clean finish suits almost everything we cook.

It works especially well with smoky, char-grilled plates. The clean bite of a cold beer sits neatly against the smoke of our Seekh Kebab or Tandoori Lamb Chops without getting in the way.

If you prefer something with a little more character, a pale ale brings gentle bitterness that holds up to robust spicing, though a lager remains the safe and happy default.

Wine that actually works

Wine is where people overthink it. The trick is to lean off-dry and aromatic rather than reaching for the boldest bottle on the list.

An off-dry white is the standout. A touch of sweetness tames heat, and the aromatics echo the spices in the food rather than fighting them, which makes it a natural alongside our Butter Chicken.

For red drinkers, choose a rounded, fruit-forward style with soft tannins. A gentler red flatters spiced lamb without scraping the palate, so it can sit comfortably next to our Tandoori Lamb Chops.

A glass of sparkling deserves a mention too. The bubbles and acidity do the same refreshing work as beer, and they suit a celebratory table.

Cocktails for spice

Cocktails are the most fun route, provided you steer towards bright and refreshing rather than rich and boozy.

The qualities to look for are simple:

• Citrus-led drinks, where lime or lemon keeps things sharp and clean
• Refreshing, longer serves with plenty of ice and a light, easy finish
• A hint of sweetness to balance heat, without tipping into heavy or syrupy

These lift a smoky kebab or a creamy curry in the same way a good lager does, with a bit more personality. Our full bar mixes cocktails alongside the beer and wine, so it is easy to build a round that suits the whole table.

Pairing our signature dishes

Butter Chicken is rich and creamy, so it wants contrast. An off-dry white, a citrus-led cocktail, or a cold lager all cut through that creaminess and keep each bite fresh.

Tandoori Lamb Chops are smoky and deeply spiced. A soft, rounded red or a clean cold beer suits them, with the smoke and the drink meeting in the middle.

Seekh Kebab leans smoky and savoury, which makes it a natural match for crisp lager or a sharp, citrus-led cocktail that keeps the palate bright.

Our wide vegetarian and vegan selection follows the same logic. Lighter, aromatic dishes love an off-dry white or a refreshing cocktail, while richer vegetable plates take happily to a cold beer.

Something soft, and something late

Not everyone wants alcohol, and the kitchen does not mind one bit. A mango lassi is a genuinely good pairing, its cool sweetness calming heat as well as any drink on the list, and there are soft drinks for those who prefer them.

The late hours are part of the appeal here. We pour to last orders, open until midnight every night, so a nightcap with the meal is easy rather than a rush.

That suits a slower end to the evening. After the theatres empty, just two minutes away, there is time for one more rounded red or a softer, longer cocktail before the night winds down.

If you would like us to point you towards the right glass for your table, come and find us at 63 Old Compton Street, or book online or by phone on 020 3941 9935.