Restaurant India News: Punchline Opens in Bandra With a Modern Take on India’s Forgotten Cocktail Legacy

Punchline, a new cocktail bar opens in Bandra at Mumbai by Co-founders Jeet Rana, Chirag Pal, and Chef Amninder Sandhu of Delhi’s Barbet & Pals. Inspired by paanch - the Hindi word for “five,” from which punch derives the bar celebrates the original five elements of punch: spirit, citrus, sugar, spice, and water. Punchline blends cocktail history, humour-driven storytelling, and approachable hospitality to create a neighbourhood bar experience centred around craft cocktails and shared drinking culture.

Built around the idea that punch was the foundation of modern cocktail culture, Punchline reimagines the historic drink through contemporary serves, communal punch bowls, and inventive cocktails. Every drink on the menu follows the five-element philosophy, with signature creations including the OG Punch, Swine & Brine, Punchline Paradise, and Salsa Punch.

Designed around warm orange tones inspired by citrus and spice, Punchline’s interiors feature amber lighting, open layouts, and playful punch-inspired details that create the energy of an elevated house party. Positioned as a cocktail-first destination for Mumbai’s evolving bar culture, Punchline aims to revive India’s forgotten contribution to global drinking history while building a long-term neighbourhood institution in Bandra.

The food menu, curated by Chef Amninder Sandhu, is designed to complement the drinks, featuring dishes such as Crispy Bombay Duck, Naga Pork Belly, Barbet’s Flock Fried Chicken, Roast Broccoli with fermented chilli butter, and indulgent desserts like Eat Your Punch with smoky apricot ice cream and five-spice rum caramel. The cocktail programme by Jeet Rana and Chirag Pal combines rare botanicals, extensive prep work, and flavour-forward experimentation, while maintaining an easy, social atmosphere. Guests are welcomed with a complimentary OG Punch and bar bites, reinforcing the space’s relaxed and community-focused approach to hospitality.

“Punchline has been a long time coming for us. Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time understanding how people actually like to drink and spend time in bars, and this felt like a natural next step. We wanted to create something that feels easy and familiar, but still has a strong point of view where the focus is as much on the energy in the room as it is on what’s in the glass. It’s a space built around sharing, conversation, and coming back to the kind of drinking experience that feels social at its core,” said Jeet Rana & Chirag Pal, Co-Founders, Punchline.

“Punchline gave me the space to step slightly outside the format I’m used to and explore how my food evolves in a bar setting. It’s pushed me to think differently not just about flavour, but about how people eat, share, and engage with food over the course of an evening. The dishes are still bold and direct, but they’re built to be more fluid, to sit alongside a drink, and to feel easy without losing their depth. For me, it’s been about stretching those boundaries while keeping the food honest to who I am,” added Chef Amninder Sandhu, Punchline.