At Sora, the bar is not just an extension of the kitchen—it is a narrative in itself. Helmed by Sanyog Nikharge, Head Mixologist at The Primo by Mann & Salwa, the beverage program reflects a thoughtful blend of discipline, creativity, and cultural dialogue. From his training with B.Art.Tenders to earning a WSET Level 2 in Spirits, Nikharge brings both structure and sensitivity to his craft.

In this conversation with InterBev, he dives into the philosophy behind Sora’s drinks: where Asian and Peruvian influences intersect, non-alcoholic beverages receive equal attention, and every ingredient carries a story. The result is a bar program that is as intentional as it is expressive, rooted in technique yet driven by emotion.

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You’ve trained under B.Art.Tenders and earned your WSET Level 2 in Spirits. How have these experiences shaped your approach to crafting cocktails that balance technique and emotion?

Honestly, those two things taught me very different sides of the craft. Learning under B.Art.Tenders gave me structure, technique, discipline, and respect for method. WSET Spirits opened my palate! It taught me how to taste, understand the flavours, aroma, not just drink. But somewhere in between those two worlds, I realized that cocktails aren’t just products of techniques, but they’re expressions.
So now, when I create, I balance precision with feeling. The method gives the drink clarity, but emotion gives it soul.

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The menu at Sora blends Asian and Peruvian influences, two cuisines known for depth and complexity. What inspired this cross-cultural exploration in your beverage philosophy?

For me, Asia and Peru share a similar spirit. Bold flavors, deep traditions, and a lot of emotion in the food culture. The inspiration wasn’t to fuse cuisines, but to explore the conversation between them.
Both cultures embrace acidity, fermentation, spice, and contrast; and that creates a playground for creativity. SORA is where those worlds meet without losing themselves.

Your non-alcoholic menu feels as expressive as a craft cocktail lineup. What’s your thought process behind designing mindful beverages that don’t compromise on creativity?

Honestly? Making non-alcoholic drinks has been way harder for me than making cocktails. The entire structure changes… the balance, mouthfeel, depth, the emotional weight of the drink. With alcohol, you already have a backbone, a canvas. Without it, you have to build a soul from scratch.

For the longest time, I watched non-alcoholic beverages being treated like an afterthought; quick mixes, sweetened shortcuts, no intention. And that always bothered me. I kept thinking: Doesn’t a teetotaller deserve the same passion, the same craft, the same respect in a glass? So, I made this a personal challenge, and trust me, it challenged me back!

We did countless trials. Failed a bunch. Reworked flavours again and again until I could look at a drink and say, “Yes… this feels complete.” Especially in a state like Gujarat, where the shift towards mindful drinking is real, it became even more important to get this right. For me, creating non-alcoholic cocktails isn’t about subtraction, but it’s about intention. It’s about making sure the person holding that glass feels seen, not like they got the consolation prize.

So if there’s one rule I work by, it’s this: No shortcuts. No halfhearted versions. If it goes on the menu, alco or non-alco, it deserves the same love, technique, and storytelling.

The Sora menu speaks of ingredient-led storytelling. How do you decide which ingredients deserve the spotlight in a drink narrative?

Some ingredients have personality. They carry memory or identity. Sometimes it’s the humblest component like a mushroom, a mint stem, a grain of salt that carries the loudest story or a memory or a cultural hook.
If an ingredient makes me pause or reminds me of a story, that’s usually where it starts. Sometimes the ingredient whispers. Sometimes it demands attention. My job is just to listen and not force it.

You’ve previously worked as a brand ambassador for Indian craft spirits like Doja Gin and Nomad Rum. How has that experience influenced the way you now lead a beverage program?

Being a brand ambassador taught me two things:
Communication with restraint and being approachable.
You learn how to tell a brand’s story with respect and without over-complicating it. When you’re representing a brand, you learn how to explain taste, technique, and culture in a way that feels approachable; not intimidating. It also showed me the power of identity: if a spirit knows who it is, people connect with it. Same goes for a bar program. Today, leading SORA’s bar, I build drinks the same way: tell the story clearly and let the product shine.

The Indian cocktail scene is maturing fast. What shifts have you observed in consumer preferences, especially regarding flavor acceptance and global exposure?

Indian guests today are curious, not cautious. People are way more open now. Couple of years ago, bitterness and savoury notes scared people. But now they’re willing to try savory, bitter, fermented, clarified, and even umami-forward profiles.
People aren’t just ordering drinks anymore; they’re seeking experiences. The awareness level has gone up, and guests now care about craft, provenance, and story as much as taste. The biggest shift? Curiosity! People want to try new things instead of sticking to the usual suspects.

Many of Sora’s drinks experiment with umami and savory elements. How do guests respond to such bold flavor choices?

Surprisingly, the reactions are beautiful.
There’s always a moment: the first sip, the raised eyebrow, the pause, and then the slow nod. Sometimes even that stank face which to me is one of the best compliments I could get!
Even when a drink is bold, if it’s balanced, people lean in instead of backing away.

Sustainability and local sourcing are often buzzwords in the F&B world. What do these terms mean to you, and how do you apply them practically?

For me, sustainability simply means not being wasteful and being thoughtful.
We ferment skins, reuse citrus in powders or salts, rethink garnishes, try using local, if not hyper local produce and choose ingredients that make sense to the climate and culture around us. Sustainability, to me, is respect for product, process, people and being responsible for the same.

Sora’s drink experience feels almost cinematic — smoke, aroma, presentation. How do you balance visual theatrics with flavor integrity?

I don’t add an element unless it has a reason.
If smoke enhances aroma, great. If a foam adds texture or emotion, amazing. But if it’s just decoration, it doesn’t belong. Theatre should never become the star. Everything that goes into a drink must have a reason, must have a purpose.

Looks are great, but flavour has to win.

You’ve built your career from competitions to helming a top beverage program. What’s your advice to young mixologists trying to find their signature?

Learn the basics. Learn them well. Then travel, taste, taste everything, love what you do, make mental notes, fail, fail again, fail some more, but learn from those mistakes. Be a good person first, the skills can be learnt.
Your signature won’t come from copying trends, it will come from understanding who you are as a creator. Technique builds confidence, curiosity builds identity, and humility keeps you growing. And while doing all this, don’t forget the real you!

From a business perspective, how crucial is a strong beverage identity in shaping a restaurant’s brand today?

It’s essential. A strong beverage program doesn’t just complement food, but it completes the experience! Guests today remember storytelling, not just seasoning. A distinct bar identity creates loyalty, differentiation, and emotional recall.

Lastly, if you had to define Sora’s beverage program in one phrase, what would it be, and why?

“Quietly unforgettable.”
Because the drinks don’t shout, they stay with you.

Sora’s beverage philosophy stands as a reflection of where India’s cocktail culture is headed—curious, confident, and deeply experiential. Whether it is pushing boundaries with umami-forward profiles, elevating non-alcoholic offerings, or building a strong narrative through ingredients, the focus remains clear: authenticity over excess.

For Nikharge, the goal is not just to create drinks, but to create lasting impressions. In a rapidly evolving alco-bev landscape, Sora positions itself as “quietly unforgettable”—a space where every sip carries intention, and every experience lingers beyond the glass.