In the dynamic world of hospitality and beverage excellence, few names command as much respect and recognition as Yangdup Lama. As the co-founder and visionary behind Sidecar, one of Delhi’s most celebrated cocktail destinations, Yangdup has not only redefined the Indian bar scene but has also consistently demonstrated what it means to create truly exceptional customer experiences that resonate on a global scale.
Sidecar’s recent achievement in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025, climbing an impressive 22 spots to secure the No.62 position in the extended 51-100 list, is far more than just another accolade—it represents a masterclass in customer experience excellence that has been years in the making. This remarkable ascent in one of the industry’s most prestigious rankings, sponsored by Perrier, speaks volumes about Yangdup’s unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and the relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction.
With over two decades of experience in the beverage industry, Yangdup Lama has established himself as one of India’s most influential figures in hospitality. His journey from being named Indian Bartender of the Year in 1996 to becoming a regular fixture on Bar World’s 100 Most Influential Figures list (2020/2021/2023) reflects not just personal achievement, but a deep understanding of what customers truly value in their hospitality experiences. As a published author, entrepreneur, and the co-owner of multiple award-winning establishments including Cocktails & Dreams Speakeasy and The Brook, Yangdup brings a unique perspective to customer experience that bridges traditional hospitality values with contemporary innovation.
What Makes Yangdup’s Approach So Compelling
What makes Yangdup’s approach to customer experience particularly compelling is his ability to create spaces that function as more than just bars—they become cultural hubs, learning centers, and community gathering places. Sidecar’s innovative two-floor concept, featuring a daytime bookstore and coffee collaboration with Subko on the ground floor and an intimate cocktail experience upstairs, demonstrates his sophisticated understanding of how different customer touchpoints can work together to create a holistic experience journey.
The recognition Yangdup has received extends far beyond regional boundaries. His appointment as American Whiskey Ambassador India 2017 by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) and as India Attaché by Tales of the Cocktails (New Orleans) in 2017 positions him as a global ambassador for Indian hospitality excellence. His role as Regional Committee Member APAC for Tales of Cocktails, New Orleans, further reinforces his influence in shaping international standards for customer experience in the beverage industry.
At CXQuest.com, we believe that the most powerful customer experience insights come from leaders who have consistently delivered excellence while navigating the challenges of building and scaling premium hospitality brands. Yangdup’s journey with Sidecar—from concept to becoming a regular fixture on Asia’s most coveted bar rankings—represents exactly the kind of transformative customer experience story that our readers value and can learn from.
Philosophy Of Creating “Bartenders’ Bars”
His philosophy of creating “bartenders’ bars” while maintaining broad appeal showcases a sophisticated understanding of segmentation and experience design. The fact that Sidecar has been recognized as #26 in World’s 50 Best Bars and #18 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars, while also being the first Indian bar to break into the prestigious 50 Best Bars list, demonstrates the global relevance of his customer experience strategies.
In this exclusive interview, we delve deep into the methodologies, philosophies, and strategic approaches that have enabled Yangdup to create consistently exceptional customer experiences across multiple venues and market segments. From his early days shaping cocktail culture in India to his current role as a mentor and industry leader, Yangdup’s insights offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to elevate their approach to customer experience excellence.
CX Philosophy Behind Sidecar’s Success
Q1. What’s the customer experience philosophy that drives Sidecar’s success?
YL: The customer experience philosophy that drives side car success is purely based on the fact that we believe in delivering great customer service, not based on a particular formula. So it’s not based on the 10 things that you must do or you mustn’t do. It’s purely best based on the fact that we like to connect with our customers at the human level. That’s the key. So when we look at hospitality from a Sidecar’s point of view, it is not about following a certain formula. It is about believing in what we can bring to the table as a human being. The human connect is very, very important. Every person that comes to a bar or restaurant isn’t just coming for their food or drinks, they’re actually coming there because there’s something more than just food and drinks.
Understanding Customer Needs
What we describe as service or service culture is not based on 10 things that we must do. It is purely based on understanding customer needs by putting yourself, putting yourself into their shoes and then being able to deliver it even before the customer asks for it. So it’s all about being able to inculcate that strong service culture within the team. All of this can only happen through a strong human connect. In all of our trainings and our briefings, in the interactions that we have with the team, we like to give them or empower them with the fact that they could, they should connect with each customer at the human level l. The drink only becomes a medium. The whole place, the bar, only kind of facilitates that connect for each one of us with the customers.
And I think that’s the key to great hospitality and great experiences at Sidecar.
Consistency While Climbing The Rankings
Q2. How you’ve maintained consistency while climbing the rankings?
YL: As regards consistency, I think, consistency is not based on just performance. It’s all about going back to the drawing table every single day and trying to see how one could continue to improve and evolve as we progress. So every day is a new day. Just because we had a great day today does not mean that tomorrow’s going to be the same. So we go back to the basics, keeping the foundation very strong and making sure that training is the key. We talk about the same points, the same topics, the same importance of the basics of hospitality with our team each and every day. Whether it is basics of drinks making, whether it is basics of service, or whether it is basics of hospitality, it applies everywhere.
There’s No Relaxing
It’s very important that we go back to the drawing table and keep doing what we are doing on a regular basis. It’s there’s everyday. Skipping no single day. There’s no relaxing. If we’ve had a great day today, that’s great, that’s wonderful. But then tomorrow is a new day for all of us. Therefore, it’s important that we go back to the basics and keep the foundation really, really strong when all of this happens.
You can see it in the consistency of the place, not just in terms of drinks and service, but overall. And, I think, that’s very, very important. We as the drivers of the business. We ourselves are very involved and very connected to what’s happening on the ground. Most importantly, we aren’t sitting in our homes and offices and just looking at reports. I think for us the P&L is the last thing that we would like to see.
What we’d like to make sure is on the ground there’s great customer experiences that is being taken care of.
Building Memorable Experiences
Q3. Please share your insights on building memorable experiences in the hospitality industry.
YL: As regards insight on making or creating memorable experiences, I think we’ll have to take each and everything into consideration right from, you know, the overall concept. When we kind of conceptualize the place, it starts from there. It isn’t about just the drinks or the menu or the service or the manpower or the training. It starts from the very first day that we kind of visualized Sidecar. I think that is the key. Because when you do that, you have a certain concept in place and when the physical place is ready, you are then bringing all of the rest together.
Creating Memorable Moments
Whether it is in the form of drinks, whether it is in the form of music, the look and feel, the layout, the programming, the manpower, the training, the people, the team building, all of that comes into play. So, creating memorable experiences are not just based on one thing. Every single thing is really, really important. As simple as ice or as simple as the comfort, how comfortable the bartender is behind the stick. At the same time, it’s also the comfort of the people, not just in front of the house, but also people who are working at the back of the house, right?
All of these things come into play and that’s very, very important, especially in a business, business like hospitality where it’s purely human to human. I think these things matter a lot. If my employees are in a comfortable position or in a comfortable atmosphere, they all can deliver the goods when it comes to front of the house. And at the same time, you know, the other smaller sensory experiences are very, very important, keeping in mind the level at which we deal with the customers.
Little Things That Comes Into Play
So, yeah, memorable experiences are based on each and every little thing that comes into play. You know, like I said, the comfort of the chairs, the furniture, to the layout, to the music that we play, to how it is in terms of the comfort at the back of the house, front of the house. All of these things are very important. And last but not the least, of course, the menu, the training, the manpower, the people, all of these things make a difference and it’s something that we all need to work towards.
As drivers of the business, as people who run Sidecar, for us, we naturally feel the importance of all of these things. And I like to listen to good music. We like to curate a certain type of music. That too goes well with the atmosphere of Sidecar. At the same time, we are very much involved. We were always very involved when we were building Sidecar, very closely working with the architect, the interiors guys.
We were always very clear in terms of what kind of furniture we wanted. So we were measuring each and everything. The lighting was very, very important. So we wanted to make sure that lighting was correct. I think it purely is driven with passion and when we as leaders drive it with passion, it kind of resonates with each and every employee that we have in the team.
Future Plans
Q4. What are your future plans for expanding Sidecar’s unique customer experience model?
YL: As regards future plan, I think it is not just about expansion of Sidecar and the ideology of Sidecar. It is us as the people who drive this business. Our passion would be the key in terms of being able to inculcate all of this in our team, in the bars that we create, in the different concepts that we work towards. When we ourselves, as the founders, if we ourselves are very convinced of the particular concept, if the excitement levels that we have are very high, I think it will definitely resonate with the team as well. So in terms of expansion, we would definitely love to create more bars like Sidecard. Our DNA still remains as a nice casual neighborhood bar where comfort plays a very important role. And you know, you could always strike a conversation with a stranger.
So everybody who comes to a bar like ours does not necessarily have to think too hard. You can just come as you are. So that’s going to be the philosophy and that always will be the philosophy as far as we are concerned and the bars that we create in the near future.
Closing
As our conversation with Yangdup Lama draws to a close, it’s clear that his success with Sidecar and his broader impact on the hospitality industry stems from a deep understanding of what truly matters in customer experience: authenticity, consistency, and genuine care for the people who walk through his doors.
Yangdup’s journey from being named Indian Bartender of the Year in 1996 to becoming one of the most respected figures in the global bar scene offers valuable insights that extend far beyond the hospitality industry. His approach to customer experience—characterized by meticulous attention to detail, innovative thinking, and an unwavering commitment to excellence—provides a blueprint for any business leader looking to create meaningful, lasting relationships with their customers.
The remarkable 22-spot climb in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 that brought Sidecar to the No.62 position is not just a testament to exceptional cocktails and ambiance; it’s proof that when customer experience is approached with strategic thinking and genuine passion, recognition and success naturally follow. This achievement, alongside Sidecar’s previous rankings as #26 in World’s 50 Best Bars and #18 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars, demonstrates the global relevance of Yangdup’s customer-centric approach.
Commercially Successful, Socially Conscious
What makes Yangdup’s philosophy particularly compelling is his ability to balance multiple seemingly contradictory elements: creating spaces that serve as both intimate gathering places and vibrant cultural hubs, offering experiences that are both deeply rooted in tradition and refreshingly innovative, and building businesses that are both commercially successful and socially conscious. His integration of sustainability practices, from using seasonal ingredients to repurposing bottles, shows how environmental responsibility can be seamlessly woven into premium customer experiences without compromise.
The multi-faceted nature of Sidecar—combining a daytime bookstore and coffee experience with Subko, an evening cocktail destination, and a platform for cultural activities—reflects Yangdup’s sophisticated understanding of modern customer expectations. Today’s discerning customers seek more than just products or services; they want experiences that align with their values, engage their interests, and create lasting memories. Yangdup’s approach delivers on all these fronts while maintaining the operational excellence that has earned him recognition as one of Bar World’s 100 Most Influential Figures.
His role as a mentor and trainer for major hotel chains and bartender programs across India demonstrates his commitment to elevating industry standards beyond his own establishments. This dedication to knowledge sharing and industry development speaks to a leadership philosophy that views customer experience excellence as a collective responsibility rather than a competitive advantage to be hoarded.
Future of Hospitality
As we look toward the future of hospitality and customer experience, Yangdup’s insights offer a roadmap for businesses across industries. His emphasis on authenticity, his integration of sustainability practices, his approach to staff development, and his ability to create spaces that serve multiple customer needs while maintaining a cohesive brand identity are all principles that can be adapted and applied across various sectors.
The continued success of Sidecar and Yangdup’s other ventures—Cocktails & Dreams Speakeasy and The Brook—demonstrates that customer experience excellence is not a destination but a continuous journey of learning, adapting, and improving. His willingness to evolve, experiment, and embrace new partnerships while staying true to core values provides a masterclass in sustainable business growth.
For our readers at CXQuest.com, Yangdup’s story serves as both inspiration and practical guidance. Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, technology, or any other industry, the principles he’s shared—from the importance of creating emotional connections with customers to the value of measuring success through multiple lenses—offer actionable insights that can transform your approach to customer experience.
Shaping The Future
As Yangdup continues to shape the future of hospitality through his various roles and ventures, his journey reminds us that exceptional customer experience is not about grand gestures or expensive implementations—it’s about consistently delivering value, creating meaningful connections, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to excellence in every customer interaction.
The hospitality industry, and indeed the broader business world, needs more leaders like Yangdup Lama—individuals who understand that true success comes not from what you take from the market, but from what you give to the customers and communities you serve. His continued influence as a mentor, trainer, and industry leader ensures that the principles and practices that have made Sidecar a global success story will continue to inspire and guide the next generation of customer experience professionals.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Yangdup on Sidecar’s latest achievement and look forward to following his continued journey in redefining what’s possible in customer experience excellence. His story is a powerful reminder that with vision, dedication, and a genuine commitment to serving others, it’s possible to create businesses that not only succeed commercially but also contribute meaningfully to their industries and communities.
