Best Craft Beer Bars in Port Blair for Serious Beer Drinkers
Words by
Priya Singh
The Best Craft Beer Bars in Port Blair for Serious Beer Drinkers
Port Blair is not the first city that comes to mind when you think of India's craft beer revolution. That is partly because the Andaman and Nicobar Islands operate under a separate excise regime from mainland India, which means the beer landscape here is shaped by different rules, different supply chains, and a drinking culture that leans heavily toward rum, toddy, and the occasional Kingfisher. But if you know where to look, and I mean really look, past the beach shacks and the resort bars, there are pockets of genuine craft beer culture in this city. I have spent the last three years drinking my way through Port Blair's bars, talking to brewers, bartenders, and the small but passionate community of locals who care about what is in their glass. What follows is not a list of places that serve beer. This is a guide to the best craft beer bars in Port Blair, the spots where the taps actually rotate, where someone behind the bar can tell you the IBU of what they are pouring, and where the conversation about hops and malts is not just tolerated but encouraged.
The thing you need to understand about Port Blair is that it is a small city, roughly 1.5 lakh people, spread across a handful of neighborhoods connected by a single main road, the Aberdeen Bazaar stretch, that functions as the city's spine. There is no metro here. You get around by auto-rickshaw, which costs between ₹30 and ₹80 for most intra-city trips, or by renting a scooter for around ₹400–₹600 per day. The craft beer scene, such as it is, clusters around three areas: the Aberdeen Bazaar and Haddo area, the Junglighat and Phoenix Bay stretch, and a few scattered spots near the airport road. Winter, from November through February, is when the city comes alive and the bars are at their best. Monsoon, July through September, can make some of the more open-air spots genuinely miserable. And the summer heat from March to June will test your commitment to standing in any space without strong AC.
1. The Corby's Tavern at Megapode Resort, Corbyn's Cove Road
A Beachside Bar That Actually Cares About Its Beer List
I ended up here on a Tuesday evening in January, which is probably the best time to visit because the weekend crowd from the mainland had thinned out and the staff actually had time to talk. Megapode Resort sits about 8 kilometers from Aberdeen Bazaar along the Corbyn's Cove road, and getting there by auto will cost you around ₹150–₹200 from the city center, depending on how well you negotiate. The Corby's Tavern is the resort's standalone bar, open to non-residents, and it has quietly built one of the more interesting beer menus on the island.
What sets this place apart is that they stock a rotating selection of craft beers from Indian microbreweries, not just the standard Bira 91 and White Eagle you find everywhere else. On my last visit, they had a Belgian Wit from an Goa-based brewery and a hoppy IPA from a Bangalore microbrewery on tap, alongside the usual suspects. The prices are what you would expect at a resort bar, ₹350–₹550 for a pint of craft, which is steep by Port Blair standards but fair for what you are getting. The setting is the real draw, you are literally a two-minute walk from Corbyn's Cove beach, and the bar has an open-air section where you can hear the waves if the live music is not too loud.
The detail most tourists miss is that the bar has a "beer of the month" feature, where they bring in a limited-edition brew from a different Indian craft brewery each month. If you ask the bartender, they will tell you what is coming next. I learned about a coffee stout from a Pune brewery this way, two weeks before it arrived.
Local Insider Tip: "Come on a weekday evening around 6 PM, grab a seat in the open-air section facing the sea, and ask the bartender what is coming on tap next week. They get small batches from mainland microbreweries that sell out fast, and if you build a rapport with the staff, they will sometimes hold a pint for you."
The one complaint I have is that the live music on weekends can get genuinely loud, which kills any chance of a conversation about the beer itself. If you are a serious drinker who wants to taste and talk, avoid Friday and Saturday nights.
2. The Blue Reef Restaurant and Bar, Aberdeen Bazaar
Where the City's Beer Nerds Secretly Gather
Aberdeen Bazaar is the commercial heart of Port Blair, and most people walk past The Blue Reef without a second glance because the exterior is unremarkable, just another restaurant front in a row of restaurant fronts. But go inside, head to the first-floor bar section, and you will find a place that has been quietly curating a craft beer selection for longer than almost any other bar in the city. I first found this place because a local friend, a marine biologist who spends her weekends diving and her evenings drinking, told me it was the only bar in Aberdeen Bazaar where she had ever seen someone order a flight.
They do not have taps, everything is bottled, but the selection is thoughtful. On a typical night, you will find 8 to 12 craft options, including bottles from Goa, Bangalore, and Pune. Prices range from ₹280 to ₹480 per bottle, and they serve them in proper glassware, which sounds basic but is not something you can take for granted in Port Blair. The food menu is standard Andaman seafood and North Indian, nothing extraordinary, but the fish tikka here is solid and pairs well with the lighter ales.
The bar fills up after 8 PM, mostly with locals and a few long-stay tourists who have figured out that this is where you go when you are tired of resort pricing. The crowd skews male, which is true of most drinking spots in Port Blair, but I have never felt uncomfortable here as a woman drinking alone at the bar.
Local Insider Tip: "Ask for the 'reserve shelf.' There is a small fridge behind the bar where they keep limited bottles that are not on the regular menu. These are usually one-off imports or small-batch Indian brews that the owner picks up when he travels to the mainland. You have to ask directly, and it helps if you have been there before."
The downside is the ventilation. The first-floor bar can get smoky in the evenings, and the AC struggles when the place is full. If you are sensitive to smoke, try to grab a seat near the window or go early before the crowd builds up.
3. Icy Spices Restaurant, Junglighat
A Surprising Craft Beer Selection Inside a Family Restaurant
Junglighat is the neighborhood near the port, and it is not where you would expect to find craft beer. It is a working area, full of warehouses, shipping offices, and the kind of no-nonsense dhabas that cater to truckers and port workers. Icy Spices sits on the main road, and from the outside, it looks like a standard mid-range family restaurant, which is exactly what it is during the day. But in the evenings, the back section transforms into a proper bar, and the beer list is better than it has any right to be.
The owner, a second-generation Andamani whose family has been in the restaurant business since the 1980s, told me he started stocking craft beers about four years ago after a trip to Bangalore opened his eyes. Now he orders directly from three different microbreweries on the mainland, and the selection changes every few weeks depending on what he can get shipped over. The logistics of getting beer to the Andamans are not trivial, everything comes by ship, which means a lead time of two to three weeks and the occasional batch that arrives warm or damaged. When the supply chain works, though, you can find some genuinely interesting brews here. I had a mango wheat beer from a Goa brewery that I have not seen anywhere else in India, priced at ₹320 for a 330ml bottle.
The food is good, the butter chicken is rich and properly spiced, and the seafood curry uses local catch. A full meal with a craft beer will run you ₹600–₹900 per person. The best time to go is between 7 and 9 PM, before the after-work crowd from the port area fills the place up.
Local Insider Tip: "The owner travels to the mainland every two months to source beer. If you become a regular, tell him what styles you like, and he will sometimes bring something back specifically for you. This is not a formal arrangement, it is just how things work in Port Blair, relationships matter more than menus."
The complaint here is one that applies to many places in Junglighat: the area around the restaurant is not well-lit at night, and the walk from where the auto drops you to the entrance can feel a bit isolated if you are alone. I would recommend going in a group or having your own transport arranged for the return trip.
4. Seashells at the Marina, Haddo
The Hotel Bar With the Widest Craft Rotation
Haddo is the hotel district of Port Blair, home to most of the mid-range and upscale accommodation options, and the Marina is one of the better-regarded hotels in the area. Its bar, Seashells, is open to the public and has made a deliberate effort in the last two years to position itself as a destination for beer drinkers. I was skeptical the first time I walked in, hotel bars in Port Blair are usually generic affairs with a standard list of Indian lagers and a few imported cans. But Seashells has actual craft beer taps, four of them, and they rotate the lineup monthly.
The taps are sourced through a partnership with a mainland distributor who specializes in Indian craft beer, and the selection on my last visit included a pale ale from a Mumbai microbrewery, a lager from a Delhi brewery, and a saison from a Himachal Pradesh operation I had never heard of. Prices are ₹300–₹500 per pint, and they offer a tasting flight of four beers for ₹750, which is the best deal in the city if you want to sample broadly. The bar itself is well-designed, with proper lighting, comfortable seating, and a view of the hotel's pool area that is pleasant in the evening.
The crowd is a mix of hotel guests, expats working on the islands, and a growing number of locals who have figured out that this is the most reliable place in Port Blair to find something other than Kingfisher on tap. The staff is knowledgeable, or at least more knowledgeable than average, and the head bartender can actually explain the difference between what is on each tap.
Local Insider Tip: "The tap lineup changes on the first of every month, and the new beers are usually announced on the hotel's Instagram page a few days before. If you see something you want, go in the first week, because the limited batches they receive sell out, and by the third week, they are often down to one or two craft options."
The issue with Seashells is that it can feel a bit sterile. It is a hotel bar, and it has that hotel bar energy, clean, professional, but lacking the character of a standalone place. If you want atmosphere, this is not it. If you want reliable craft beer in a comfortable setting, it is hard to beat.
5. The Point, Phoenix Bay
A Waterfront Bar With Genuine Craft Cred
Phoenix Bay is the area around the main jetty, and it is one of the more scenic parts of Port Blair, especially at sunset. The Point sits right on the waterfront, and it is the kind of place that could easily get away with serving nothing but rum punch to tourists and doing well. Instead, the owners have invested in a small but serious craft beer program, with two dedicated taps and a bottle selection that changes seasonally.
I visited in December, which is peak season, and the place was packed. The craft options that week included an IPA from a Bangalore brewery and a wheat beer from a Pune operation, both priced at ₹380 per pint. The food is a mix of continental and Andaman seafood, and the grilled squid with a cold wheat beer is a combination I think about more often than I should. The outdoor seating area is the main attraction, you are literally sitting over the water, and the evening breeze makes this one of the most pleasant drinking spots in the city.
The crowd is tourist-heavy on weekends, which changes the energy. On weekdays, it is more relaxed, and you can actually have a conversation with the bartender about the beer. The staff rotates frequently, which is a common issue across Port Blair's hospitality industry, so the knowledge level at the bar can vary depending on who is working.
Local Insider Tip: "The outdoor tables on the far left side of the deck are the best seats in the house. They are closest to the water and farthest from the speaker system. Ask for them by name when you book, and tip the seating staff ₹50 when they accommodate you. It makes a difference."
The monsoon is a real problem here. The outdoor section becomes unusable when it rains, and the indoor space is small and gets claustrophobic quickly. I would avoid this place entirely from July to September unless you are okay with being squeezed into a tiny room with too many people.
6. Café at the Airport, Port Blair Airport Premises
An Unexpected Craft Beer Stop for Early Flights
This is the entry that will raise the most eyebrows, and I will be the first to admit it is an unusual recommendation. The café inside the Veer Savarkar International Airport terminal has, in the last year, started stocking a small selection of craft beers from Indian microbreweries. I discovered this by accident when I arrived two hours early for a flight to Chennai and decided to have a beer while waiting. Behind the counter, next to the Kingfisher and Tuborg, I spotted bottles of Bira 91 White and a pale ale from a Bangalore brewery I recognized.
The selection is tiny, usually two or three craft options at most, and the prices are marked up, expect to pay ₹350–₹500 for a 330ml bottle. But the fact that craft beer is available at all in an airport in Port Blair is noteworthy, and for the traveler who has just spent a week on the islands drinking nothing but standard lager, it is a welcome sight. The café itself is a no-frills airport eatery, functional rather than atmospheric, but the staff is friendly and will chill the beer properly if you ask.
The best time to visit is obviously whenever your flight is, but if you have a choice, morning flights are better because the café is less crowded and you can actually sit and enjoy the beer rather than gulping it down before boarding.
Local Insider Tip: "The craft beer stock at the airport café comes from the same supplier that serves several of the bars in Aberdeen Bazaar. If you have a favorite craft beer from a bar in the city and you want to know if the airport has it, ask the bar staff in town, they usually know what has been shipped to the airport that week."
The obvious complaint is that this is an airport café. You are drinking craft beer under fluorescent lights next to a vending machine. It is not an experience. But it is a data point, and for the serious beer drinker passing through Port Blair, it is worth knowing about.
7. The Andaman Club, Dollygunj
A Members-Only Bar With an Open-Door Policy on Beer
Dollygunj is a residential neighborhood about 4 kilometers from Aberdeen Bazaar, and The Andaman Club is a members-only recreation club that has been around since the 1970s. It is the kind of place that feels frozen in time, with wood-paneled walls, ceiling fans, and a clientele that skews toward older, established families on the islands. Non-members can enter as guests of members, and several of the auto drivers near Aberdeen Bazaar know which members are willing to bring guests on any given evening. I went with a local contact, and the entry process was informal, a nod at the gate and a signature in a register.
The bar itself is old-school, dark wood, dim lighting, the kind of place where you expect to find whiskey and soda, not craft beer. But about two years ago, the club's management decided to modernize the bar program, and they now stock a small but curated selection of craft beers. On my visit, they had a stout from a Chennai brewery and a blonde ale from a Bangalore operation, both priced at ₹300 per bottle, which is the most reasonable craft beer pricing I have found in Port Blair. The atmosphere is unlike any other drinking spot on the islands, quiet, unhurried, and genuinely relaxed.
The food is basic club fare, pakoras, chicken tikka, fish fingers, but it is well-made and cheap. A full evening of snacks and two craft beers will cost you around ₹500–₹700 per person. The best time to go is on a weekday evening, when the club is quiet and you can sit at the bar and talk to the bartender, who has been working there for over a decade and has stories about Port Blair that you will not find in any guidebook.
Local Insider Tip: "The club's bar gets a fresh shipment of craft beer on the 15th of every month. If you can time your visit to within a day or two of that date, you will have the best selection. After the 20th, the interesting bottles are usually gone, and you are left with whatever did not sell."
The access issue is real. Without a member to vouch for you, you are not getting in. This is not a place you can just walk up to. But if you are staying in Port Blair for more than a few days and you are making local connections, which is not hard in a city this size, it is worth the effort to find someone who can bring you.
8. New Lighthouse Restaurant, Phoenix Bay
Where Local Brewers Come to Showcase Their Work
New Lighthouse Restaurant is a well-known name in Port Blair's dining scene, located near the lighthouse in Phoenix Bay. It has been serving seafood to tourists and locals for years, and most people know it for its crab preparations and its waterfront location. What fewer people know is that the restaurant has started hosting monthly "beer nights" in collaboration with small local breweries, operations that are too small to have a permanent bar but that brew in small batches and are looking for venues to showcase their work.
I attended one of these beer nights in February, and it was one of the more interesting drinking experiences I have had in Port Blair. A brewer from a tiny operation based in the outskirts of the city, I will not name the operation because they are not licensed for public sales and rely on events like this to distribute their beer, brought four different brews: a pilsner, an amber ale, a porter, and an experimental batch infused with local kokum fruit. The kokum porter was unlike anything I have tasted, tart, slightly sweet, with a roasted backbone that worked better than it had any right to. The brewer charged ₹200 per glass, and the restaurant provided a special seafood menu designed to pair with the beers.
These events are not widely advertised. They are announced through word of mouth and through a small WhatsApp group that the restaurant maintains for regular customers. If you are in Port Blair for an extended stay, ask at the restaurant if you can be added to the list. The events usually happen on the last Saturday of the month, but the schedule is irregular.
Local Insider Tip: "The kokum fruit used in the experimental brews is sourced from local foragers who collect it from the forests in the northern part of South Andaman. If you express interest, the brewer will sometimes tell you about the foraging process, which is a window into a side of Andaman life that most tourists never see."
The complaint is that these events are infrequent and unpredictable. You cannot plan a trip around them. But if you happen to be in Port Blair when one is happening, it is the closest thing to a genuine craft beer culture experience that the islands currently offer.
When to Go and What to Know About Drinking in Port Blair
Port Blair's drinking culture is shaped by the islands' unique regulatory environment. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have lower excise duties than most mainland states, which means beer is generally cheaper here than in, say, Karnataka or Maharashtra. A standard Kingfisher or Tuborg at a local bar will cost you ₹120–₹180, compared to ₹250–₹350 in Bangalore. Craft beer, because it has to be shipped from the mainland, carries a premium, and you should budget ₹280–₹550 per serving depending on the venue and the beer.
The best season for bar-hopping in Port Blair is November through February. The weather is pleasant, the evenings are cool enough to sit outdoors, and the city is full of tourists and locals in a good mood. March through June is brutally hot, and most bars rely heavily on AC, which can be unreliable during power fluctuations that are common in the summer months. Monsoon, July through September, is when many of the outdoor bars either close or become unpleasant, and the shipping schedules that bring beer from the mainland get disrupted, which means the craft selection at even the best bars can be thin.
Auto-rickshaws are your primary mode of transport between bars. Most trips within the city will cost ₹30–₹80, and you should negotiate the fare before getting in because meters are essentially decorative. Ola and Uber do not operate in Port Blair. Rapido bike taxis are available and are often the fastest way to get around, costing ₹20–₹50 for short trips. If you are planning to visit multiple bars in one evening, I would strongly recommend renting a scooter for the day, ₹400–₹600 from any of the rental shops near Aberdeen Bazaar, and designating a sober driver or using autos for the return trip.
One more thing. Drinking in public is not legal in the Andamans, and the police do enforce this, particularly around the beach areas. Keep your drinking to licensed establishments, and do not carry open bottles on the street. The fines are not enormous, but the hassle is not worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian or Jain food options in Port Blair, and are most restaurants clearly marked as veg or non-veg?
Port Blair has a significant vegetarian population, and most restaurants, including the bars covered in this guide, offer vegetarian options. Pure vegetarian restaurants are common in Aberdeen Bazaar and Haddo, and many places use the standard green and red dot marking system. Jain food is harder to find, but several restaurants in the main market area will prepare Jain meals on request if you ask in advance. The bars themselves are not primarily food destinations, but their menus almost always include vegetarian snacks and mains.
Are there dress code requirements for visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, or heritage monuments in Port Blair, and are entry restrictions common for non-Hindus?
The Cellular Jail, the most visited heritage site in Port Blair, has no dress code or religious restriction. Temples and mosques in the city generally request modest clothing, covered shoulders and knees, but enforcement is relaxed. Non-Hindus are welcome at most temples. The mosque near Aberdeen Bazaar asks visitors to remove shoes and cover their heads, and women are welcome but should dress conservatively. There are no formal entry bans based on religion at any major site in Port Blair.
What is the one must-try local dish or street food that Port Blair is genuinely famous for, and where is the best place to eat it?
The dish that defines Port Blair's food identity is fish curry rice, made with locally caught fish, coconut milk, and a blend of spices that reflects the islands' Bengali and Tamil culinary influences. The best versions are found at small, unmarked eateries in Aberdeen Bazaar, particularly the stalls near the main market that cater to local workers. Expect to pay ₹80–₹150 for a full plate. The fish is usually caught that morning, and the curry is made fresh, which makes all the difference.
Is tap water safe to drink in Port Blair, or should travelers rely on sealed bottled water, and is filtered water readily available at dhabas and restaurants?
Tap water in Port Blair is not safe for drinking by most visitors. The municipal supply is treated but can cause stomach issues for people not accustomed to the local mineral content. Sealed bottled water is available everywhere, ₹20 for a liter, and most restaurants and bars will provide filtered water on request. The bars in this guide all serve filtered or bottled water, and you should not hesitate to ask for it.
Is Port Blair expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget in ₹ for mid-tier travelers covering accommodation, food, and local transport.
A mid-tier daily budget for Port Blair, covering a decent hotel or guesthouse, two meals at a proper restaurant, local transport by auto or scooter, and a few beers, would be approximately ₹2,500–₹4,000 per person per day. A mid-range hotel room costs ₹1,200–₹2,500 per night, a meal at a restaurant like the ones in this guide runs ₹300–₹700, and local transport for a full day, including scooter rental, is ₹400–₹700. Craft beer adds a premium of ₹300–₹550 per pint, so a beer-focused evening can push the daily total toward the higher end of that range.
Enjoyed this guide? Support the work