15 February,2026 10:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Junisha Dama
Millennials are moving away from noise and flash and looking for relaxed, meaningful connection on a night out. Representational pic/iStock
At 10.30 on a Saturday night, Mumbai splits into two cities. One is the neo-streetwear-styled queue. The other shuts the door on noise. The second group prefers soft lights, chairs that invite a bit of lounging, playlists turned to a lower decibel, and conversations you can actually hear. For many in their 30s and early 40s, this avatar of the city has become the destination.
According to TechSci Research Report, India's Pub-Bar-Café-Lounge (PBCL) market was worth approximately $3.07 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach roughly $4.64 billion by 2030. Data signals that those beyond 30 spend differently. The pandemic rewired social behaviour. Many patrons developed a taste for smaller, safer gatherings. So while Gen Z might still pick noise and novelty, Millennials would rather hang out at bars where they can converse with ease over some well-crafted drinks and food. Millennials spend more per year on dining out than Gen Z, trading frequency and virality for higher per-visit spend. That's why, hospitality groups see real money in patrons who will trade a night of dancing and revelry for a reliable night, worth repeating.
Naturally, venues are following customer behaviour with softer lighting, curated playlists, smarter seating and reservation systems - all choices designed to keep the night civilised.
At the centre of the city's new scene are small, carefully programmed rooms: aperitivo bars, listening lounges, invite-only cocktail dens and members' clubs. Veteran restaurateur AD Singh's latest opening, Call Me Sofia, in Bandra, is a sign of the times. Singh describes his own conversion into a lighter drinker and the thinking behind Call Me Sofia: "I like spaces that have a bit of buzz, but aren't too loud. I want to be able to talk and get a nice vibe, and hang out there for a few hours," he says.
Call Me Sofia brings the Italian aperitivo model, a first in India. The evening begins early, small plates dominate the menu, and the bar encourages lingering rather than dancing. Singh says the choice wasn't a marketing stunt, "We positioned it to be what I myself like, what I observe, the trends we feel are growing."
Similar cocktail bars are cropping up and opening doors for patrons who enjoy their drinks seated at a table. Dhaval Udeshi, founder of DU Hospitalit,y which runs Fielia, a new members-only cocktail bar, says, "When Afsana Verma, Amit Verma, and I [his partners] were discussing Fielia, we felt there was a clear gap in the industry for people looking for exclusive yet intimate spaces where they could enjoy immersive experiences, meet like-minded individuals and spend private, meaningful evenings without the usual noise and rush. The exclusivity isn't a barrier; it was about creating a sense of belonging. We wanted to design nights where people felt comfortable staying longer, engaging more deeply and returning because the space felt personal and familiar."
Additionally, invite-only and reservation-led models do tend to perform better than open-access bars. But Udeshi warns that they perform only when "They are executed with intent. A reservation-led model allows us to control the pace of the evening and build real relationships with guests. We see stronger spend per guest, but more importantly, we see higher-quality repeat visits. Guests feel recognised and invested in the space. From an operational perspective, it also allows us to curate experiences without compromising consistency."
The shift in the market is not entirely age-driven, though. "Cocktail bars can be less about the age group, and more about people looking for experimental cocktails," says Bar Consultant and Liquid Chef, Saurav Samanta. But is it likely that Millennials lean towards these bars because experimental drinks are inherently designed to be smoother? Samanta agrees and adds, "Cocktail bars offer more of an experience. Each cocktail has a story, the flavours and ingredients are elevated, the techniques and tools used are advanced, and there is thought given to the glass and ice as well."
Millennials, after having spent their 20s drinking at budget watering holes, finally have a disposable income that they spend on enjoying various experiences. Fielia for instance was imagined as an aperitivo cocktail cinema and supper theatre, with the bar acting as the central stage. The architecture plays a huge role here: The bar is the focal point, and the seating is layered almost like a dress circle, overlooking the action. The space itself, designed by Gauri Khan, elevated that vision even further."
What separates a grown-up bar from a loud one is often invisible on Instagram. The acoustics, sightlines, seating density, timing of service, and the menu are all designed for conversation. They use single-row seating, deep armchairs, and playlists mixed for listening rather than volume. They also adopt reservation tech and advance payments to minimise last-minute no-shows.
Invite-only and reservation-led formats also help protect the experience, as social media hype can change the room by overcrowding it. This cocktail-hour calculus is also why private and members' club models are resurging globally. Meanwhile, premiumisation in India's urban consumer market gives restaurateurs the confidence to charge for atmosphere as much as drinks.
That said, Samanta believes that such bars are niche and may not survive beyond a few years. "We will see more cocktail bars, but eventually it will be a saturated market. These bars seat 40 to 50 patrons, which is not tough to do in one night. But once the market sees too many bars, they might struggle," he says.
Singh, though, counters, "A thirty-something person is much more loyal than Gen Z. Some of today's favourites will continue to be tomorrow's favourites."
$3 bn
Estimated value of India's pub-bar-café-lounge market in 2024
$4.6bn
Anticipated value by 2030
'Source: TechSci Research Report
