Behind the Velvet Curtain
Bengaluru’s ZLB23 unveils The Theatre, a cocktail experience where the art of mixology takes center stage.
By Deepali Nandwani
In the labyrinthine depths of The Leela Palace Bengaluru lies ZLB23, a speakeasy that’s less a bar and more a portal to a bygone era of clandestine sips and velvet-draped secrets of the Prohibition era. Tucked behind a hidden entrance, this Kyoto-inspired den has already snagged the title of India’s Best Bar and climbed to No. 31 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for 2025.
But now, ZLB23 is upping the ante with The Theatre, a pint-sized performance chamber where cocktails star in their own quirky drama.
Picture this: a cosy 10-seater cocoon, evoking a plush living room of a luxury home, crossed with a magician’s lair. No sprawling bar counters here, no cacophony of clinking glasses, no music overwhelming conversations. Instead, it’s an intimate stage where the mixologist—in this case, Head Mixologist Rajib Mukherjee and his team—commands the spotlight. They work from an industrial-looking space with a steel bar counter, just opposite to the living room-like space. Behind him, a screen showcases the story of the drink he is making, from its origin to his inspirations, much like a movie playing out in a theatre.
It’s like a personal show, where the mixologist is performing a soliloquy with spirits. After all, this is a space where they might steep ingredients into alcohol to extract flavour, add smoke aromas via herbs or spices, or project live footage of their hands at work onto the screen, zooming in on the alchemy like a close-up in a great cooking video.
“This isn’t just another drink menu refresh—it’s a fully immersive sensory experience where mixology meets performance. The mixologist is also a storyteller and performer, guiding guests through a narrative rather than just serving drinks,” says Mukherjee.
Much of the work on the cocktails happens before guests even arrive, in prep and creative experimentation. “I had asked for a proper prep room when I joined ZLB23, and that idea gradually evolved into something much bigger, ultimately contributing to the concept of The Theatre.”
The concept came from Madhav Sehgal, Senior Vice President Operations - South and Head of Sales. The idea, then, was to create an immersive experience that had to be booked in advance. The Leela Palace Bengaluru team says it can seat up to 20 people, but in my opinion, it will best fit in 10 to 12 people, unless the group wants to rub shoulders and elbows with each other.
Nishant Agarwal, General Manager, The Leela Palace Bengaluru, describes it as a natural yet deliberately concealed offshoot of the bar. “It’s an extension of ZLB23 because it’s in the same place, but still hidden. There’s a hidden door inside a hidden door kind of a thing,” he says. “We wanted this to be a laboratory—a place for the best mixologists to come and display and perform artistry through mixology.”
The space is whimsical: velvet curtains that open to reveal the mixologist at work and the movie being screened behind him, over-the-top chandeliers, a sink-in couch, comfortable chairs and bar stools, though at the launch, the white light seemed too clinical-—a detail The Leela Palace Bengaluru team promises to change.
The cocktails themselves? Forget printed menus; they’re as elusive as the speakeasy’s entrance. The inaugural Sequence of Taste unfolds like a four-act play: bitter to sour, salty to sweet. “Somebody might like sweet first,” Mukherjee explains, “but we start with bitter to build the journey. We may open with an aperitivo-style cocktail, then move into bright and acidic expressions, segue into savoury notes, and end with a sweet finale.” It’s a palate adventure, where a pickle might kick off sour notes.
The team also hopes to host workshops and master classes in the space, turning guests into co-mixologists. Music sets the mood without stealing the scene: straightforward house beats with limited vocals.
While it seems all fun, The Theatre taps into something deeper: showcasing the artistry of mixology, often overlooked in noisy bars. Here, it’s spotlighted, literally, with sound levels fine-tuned (and visuals syncing seamlessly). In a world of quick pours, the experience invites you to linger, laugh, and hold a conversation as you interact with the mixologist.
