It looks like our clubbing days are done. Goodbye Cosmopolitans and sticky dance floors. This is the age of the serious Chennai cocktail bar. 

Ignna by Midnight Sun, a Morocco-inspired bar set on Sterling Road, with a rooftop that makes you feel like you are on holiday, has shifted moods over the years to suit a changing audience. Launched in 2023, when the world was in the post-pandemic ‘YOLO’ phase, it aimed to be a Mediterranean escape but quickly morphed into a party space. The last Saturday night I spent at Ignna featured fire dancers, thumping music and flair bartending: a slice of Ibiza in Nungambakkam.   

Now, it is quieter and more grown-up, with a strong focus on food and cocktails. Creative director and founder, Thirukumaran Roopkumar, has decided it is time for a shift, returning to their original relaxed Mediterranean escape avatar.  

“I think the market is finally maturing. More people now appreciate cocktails that require a lot of work, and pay attention to what goes into their drinks,” he says, adding, “We are going back to what we really wanted Ignna to be when we launched, but somewhere along the way we got diverted. This is going to be a space that focusses on conversation, memories and  personalised service.”  

As we talk, bartender Harish Veda starts shaking up and serving their new range of cocktails, starting with a tall, refreshing midnight basil spritz, which is crisp with botanical notes and gin.  

The menu offers a bit of everything, probably in an attempt to please big groups of people that inevitably include picky eaters. We try pulled chicken wings, hearty saffron dijaj kebabs and stuffed mushrooms that are so moreish, we promptly order a second plate.  

Playing with molecular gastronomy, which seems to be more popular in bars than kitchens now, Harish and Thirukumaran have focussed on extracting flavour from fresh ingredients, using technology and patience. The toddy-inspired, rum-based fermented bloom, stained a pretty pink with guava and dragon fruit, takes four days to make and carbonate. As a result flavours merge seamlessly. Similarly, with the Legolasar Picante, made with tequila, jalapeno brine and fresh coriander, the pleasing burn of the jalapeno is deftly tempered by sweet agave.  

I am not a fan of dessert cocktails, as I tend to find them a bit overwhelming. Hence I limit myself to a couple of sips of the Tiramisu Kaapi, Harish’s take on an espresso martini, using coconut for an audience that he says has been “brought up on filter coffee and Mysore pak”. 

Not everyone will like every cocktail, though. And that is the whole point. The new range attempts to offer something for everyone. Even those of us who miss the sparkle of our party days: order Nebula No. 5, a cream-topped, fruit-forward drink with vodka, sage leaves, grapefruit, and edible golden glitter. Harish puts on his phone camera so we can admire the sparkle. “It represents the night,” he says, with a smile. “Its like a trail of baby stars.” 

The dance floor is fading. But, sitting under the stars, sipping on glitter, feels like a fair trade.

Ignna Cocktail Bar & Rooftop Restaurant is at 58, Sterling Rd, Nungambakkam, Chennai. A meal for two including alcohol costs ₹3,999 For reservations, call 9047643786