Udaipur has no shortage of rooftop views, but Dore, the newest bar to open atop Manuscript Jhilwara Haveli, offers something rarer: a cocktail menu that reads like a love letter to Rajasthan. Conceptualised by Pranav Sharma of Manuscript and Mumbai-based bar veteran Sagar Neve, Dore takes the state’s flavours, folklore, and traditions and reimagines them, one carefully crafted drink at a time.
The menu spans 20 signature cocktails, each rooted in local produce and storytelling. Scotch fat-washed with kachori masala, bourbon infused with GI-tagged sangri beans, a mezcal riff on the prickly pear, the combinations are adventurous, yet the execution is assured. Standouts include the haunting Kuldhara, built on jasmine, black cardamom, and tamarind in botanical gin, and Janana Mardana, a warm bourbon served tableside over a brass lota, inspired by the legendary laal maas.
The design is equally considered, with block-printed indigo runners, Udaipur-style miniature art, and an accordion-fold menu illustrated by local artisans. With City Palace as the backdrop and a kitchen turning out thoughtful bar bites, Dore sets a new benchmark for experiential drinking in Rajasthan.
