Bagheera Launches Tini Tuesday Program

There’s something unplaceably cool about a spirit-forward martini. That anyone can drink—essentially—pure spirits without pulling a face is a vibe only the cool and mysterious can pull off, like James Bond or, well, Carrie Bradshaw.

It gives the air of someone who’s out on the town, knows their gin brand by taste, knows all the best (or hidden) lounges in the city… which brings us to Bagheera.

If you know about this hip, Chinatown speakeasy—set behind the unassuming facade of Happy Valley Turf Club—then you’re already in.

Bagheera opens up into a dark, narrow cavern lit low and laced with intrigue. It’s a Rudyard Kipling–inspired hideaway with jungle-themed accents and vintage mystique that calls to mind a luxe colonial-era train car headed somewhere tropical and secret.

And now, it’s the new home of Tini Tuesdays, a weekly martini program designed for those who want an after-work drink, but still want to make their morning meetings.

The premise? A flight of four mini martinis, each themed around a body of water from across the globe. But this isn’t just clever branding. Behind the bar, bartenders pour gins aged in clay amphorae sunk in fishtanks with water matched to the salinity of the drink’s namesake region—which are the Port of Southampton, Ariake Sea, Adriatic Sea and Arabian Sea, respectively.

Each ‘tini goes for $9, while full-size martinis clock in at $17. The gins are paired with bespoke vermouths and carefully chosen bitters that match the mood—and mineral content—of their oceanic muse.

The Ariake Sea, for example, comes with a few dashes of Mt. Fuji bitters while the Arabian Sea comes with the woody, floral taste of cardamom bitters.

It’s based on a European model of drinking mini martinis, says Bagheera co-owner Lewis Hart, who helped design the program. According to the Three Kingdoms Hospitality co-founder (which he owns along with Brij Rathi), the move was inspired by a trend he saw growing in London.

“In the age of the sober-curious, people aren’t necessarily drinking less, they’re just drinking less alcohol,” he says.

That’s where the mini martini—or ‘tini—comes in. Small, intentional and full of flavour, these spirit-forward sippers are meant to be savoured, not slammed. And enjoyed with sides of this Indian-English inspired bar’s menu, such as the prawn pakoras (battered and fried prawns dipped in a refreshing coriander mint chutney) or any of the spot’s six curries, complete with naan to dip it in.

Bagheera (behind Happy Valley Turf Club)
518 Main St.
bagheera.bar