Divine

Divine wine lounge is found in Malabar House.

Unfortunately, procuring a stiff drink in Kochi can sometimes prove difficult. Due to the combination of relatively high alcohol taxes and a scarcity of liquor licenses, there are very few establishments willing to fork out over the goods to offer a substantial drinks menu (though some restaurants can be persuaded into sneaking you a beer under the table). While there are some local bars, most of them are in the neighboring area of Ernakulam, and women and tourists are in the distinct minority. So what to do if you fancy a nice glass of white wine? Head to Divine, the only wine lounge and tapas bar in Fort Kochi. Perched above the restaurant at Malabar House, it offers 15 high-quality Indian vintages from the temperate Nandi Hills of Karnataka and fertile Nashik Valley in Maharashtra—two of the highest-yielding regions for growing wine in the country. Five top wineries are represented here with a range of red, white, sparkling, and rose wines, including the groundbreaking Sula Vineyards, the first vineyard to launch the burgeoning Indian wine scene in 1997 (try their prizewinning Sauvignon Blanc, which has hints of green pepper). You can purchase wines by the glass or the bottle, and there is a small but delicious range of Eastern and Western-inspired canapés including a delectably spiced baby squid filled with seafood masala, cuttlefish sticks served with tangy Spanish-style salsa brava, and the sweet banana cutlet with home-made tamarind chutney on the side. This small but intimate hang-out with clean, bright interiors and red leather banquettes might resemble a hip café more than a bar, but it’s a great place to drink your way through India’s up-and-coming wine scene.

Malabar House, 1/268–1/269 Parade Road; 91-484/2216666; Divine; bottles from US$25