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Kerala Canteen Launches New Leeds Bar with Kerala Spice-Infused Cocktails by Bobby Geetha – and 50% Off Throughout August
27th July 2026
One of the UK’s Top 100 Indian Restaurants brings Kerala’s Spice Coast to the cocktail bar, with chef-created twists on the Margarita, Mojito, Old Fashioned and Pornstar Martini.
Kerala Canteen is giving Leeds another reason to discover the flavours of India’s Spice Coast with the launch of its new bar menu: a collection of Kerala spice-infused cocktails and handcrafted mocktails created by Bobby Geetha, known from MasterChef UK and Great British Menu.
To celebrate the new bar, Kerala Canteen is offering 50% OFF all cocktails and mocktails throughout August, Sunday to Thursday, for guests with a valid booking.
The idea behind the drinks is unmistakably Kerala Canteen: don’t lose the identity of a classic—take it somewhere new.
A Pornstar Martini becomes the Canteen Star, combining vodka, passion fruit liqueur and pineapple with ginger and jaggery syrup and Prosecco. The Gunpowder & Turmeric Margarita brings tequila together with turmeric, lime and triple sec, finished with gunpowder masala salt. The Tender Coconut & Ginger Mojito reimagines the Cuban classic with tender coconut water, ginger and mint, while the house-favourite Hibiscus & Jaggery Old Fashioned combines whiskey, hibiscus-jaggery syrup and orange bitters.
The alcohol-free collection follows the same approach. Mango Tango combines mango, coconut and lime in a drink inspired by lassi; Virgin Star brings together ginger and jaggery, passion fruit, pineapple and lemonade; Tender Coconut Cooler uses coconut water, ginger and mint; and the Ginger & Jaggery Nojito transforms the mojito with lime, soda and house ginger-jaggery syrup.
Why Kerala Canteen Has Become One of Leeds’ Most Talked-About Indian Restaurants
The new bar comes as Kerala Canteen continues to build a reputation for doing Indian dining differently.
Kerala Canteen has been recognised among the UK’s Top 100 Indian Restaurants, while guest feedback provides perhaps the clearest explanation of why the concept has connected with diners.
Online guests consistently praise the restaurant’s combination of authentic spice, atmosphere, hospitality and distinctive regional dishes. Diners have highlighted favourites including Beef & Bone Marrow Curry, Chilli Tamarind Cauliflower, porotta, mocktails, biryani and curries, while describing the restaurant as a must-visit in Leeds and praising its confidence in serving genuinely spiced food rather than toning flavours down.
From Kerala Tapas to Kerala Cocktails
Kerala Canteen’s philosophy is rooted in regional authenticity.
Rather than building another conventional Indian restaurant menu, the concept takes inspiration from Kerala’s toddy shops, coastal cooking and social style of eating, transforming it into a modern Kerala tapas experience.
Signature dishes include Trivandrum Fried Chicken, Beef & Bone Marrow Curry, Green Pepper Lamb Chops, Fried Idli & Butternut Squash Sambar and Gunpowder Potatoes.
Now the bar is being given the same identity.
“Kerala is the Spice Coast. Pepper, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, coconut and countless other ingredients are part of our food culture, so I wanted the drinks to feel as connected to Kerala as the kitchen,” says Bobby Geetha.
“Rather than simply creating another cocktail list, we looked at classics people already know and love and asked: what would this drink taste like if it came from Kerala?
“That’s how a Margarita gets turmeric and gunpowder masala salt, an Old Fashioned gets hibiscus and jaggery, and a Mojito gets tender coconut and ginger. They’re recognisable cocktails, but with a completely different personality.”
A Chef’s Approach to the Cocktail Bar
The drinks have been approached as food pairings rather than simply standalone cocktails.
The collection is designed to complement Kerala Canteen’s bold South Indian dishes, using ingredients including turmeric, jaggery and cardamom to refresh and balance the palate.
That means the Gunpowder & Turmeric Margarita can sit alongside Trivandrum Fried Chicken or Curry Leaf Calamari, while the deeper flavours of the Hibiscus & Jaggery Old Fashioned can accompany dishes such as Beef & Bone Marrow Curry.
For guests who prefer beer, the bar continues the Kerala story with The Malabar Giant IPA, a tropical pale ale dedicated to Kerala’s giant Malabar squirrel, with 50p from each sale donated to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Kingfisher Lager and Kingfisher Ultra Premium also feature on the menu.
It is another expression of the restaurant’s wider philosophy: Kerala in flavour, Yorkshire at heart.
More Than a Curry House
For Bobby Geetha, the ambition has always been to showcase how diverse Indian food can be.
Kerala Canteen serves dishes such as Curry Leaf Calamari and Trivandrum Fried Chicken alongside Beef & Bone Marrow Curry, while creations such as its Beef Curry Pie and Kerala Sunday Roast with curried T-bone steak in a giant Yorkshire pudding bring Kerala recipes into conversation with Yorkshire food culture.
The result is a restaurant where the food, cocktails, mocktails and atmosphere tell the same story.
50% Off Every Cocktail & Mocktail Throughout August
To launch the new bar and encourage diners to explore the drinks collection, Kerala Canteen is offering:
50% OFF ALL COCKTAILS & MOCKTAILS
Every Sunday to Thursday throughout August
Valid Kerala Canteen booking required
Guests can use the offer to discover everything from the Canteen Star and Gunpowder & Turmeric Margarita to the alcohol-free Mango Tango and Tender Coconut Cooler.
For Kerala Canteen, the new bar isn’t intended to sit separately from the restaurant. It’s another way to tell the story of Kerala.
One plate. One glass. One spice at a time.
About Kerala Canteen
Kerala Canteen is a modern Kerala tapas restaurant and bar in Leeds, recognised among the UK’s Top 100 Indian Restaurants. Its concept celebrates authentic recipes and flavours from Kerala through contemporary small-plate dining, Yorkshire produce and a chef-created drinks programme inspired by India’s Spice Coast.
The restaurant’s guest feedback regularly highlights its distinctive food, bold spicing, friendly service, mocktails and atmosphere.
For bookings and further information: keralacanteen.com