Second Born brings laidback drinking, birria tacos, and lived-in charm to a Delhi rooftop

Swapping his desk at KPMG for a kitchen apron wasn’t part of Sangram Singh Samra’s long-term plan. “I called in sick at work and landed in a restaurant kitchen the very next day,” laughs the corporate professional turned restaurateur. 

In 2018, Samra slid into chef Thomas Zacharias’s DMs (then at The Bombay Canteen), asking for an internship. “I spent a few months there before finally deciding to take the plunge and go to Le Cordon Bleu in London,” he recalls. His is the kind of story that sparks conversations among friends, retold in living rooms over drinks. 

Samra and his partner, Anushka Chaturvedi, set out to bring this exact lived-in vibe into Second Born, a rooftop bar in Delhi’s GK-II, which is officially in its bar era right now. Why Second Born? The choice of name is deliberately whimsical—the founders are both second-borns, and the rooftop bar is a sibling to Staple Bar and Bistro, which the duo launched two years ago on the floor below.

“The timing of my return to India after Cordon Bleu was terrible, as Covid had hit India. So, I started a cloud kitchen, Birria, thinking all along that I would eventually turn it into a restaurant. But nothing in my life is planned,” he says. Birria eventually shut its operations, but a few of the tacos on its menu found a place at Second Born.

Second Born does not have your typical bar staples—no catchphrases in neon lights, no shiny boards. What it does have is a cheeky sign at the entrance: “First-borns get the pressure, second-borns get the fun.” And it really is fun. The 40-cover rooftop feels like a friend’s terrace hangout—laidback, a little unpredictable, and full of character. Low seating, tall bar chairs, a corner tiled seating, perfect for those who like privacy… Each nook has its own vibe.

The real magnet, though, is the community table in the centre of the room, which captures the bar’s energy and brings it into focus. Framed above it is an impossible-to-miss illustration of two dogs clinking drinks at a spot that could only be Second Born. It’s playful, irreverent, and somehow sets the tone for the space’s vibe. “Our dogs, Luca and Auggie, are a part of our family. One was gifted, the other adopted, so there’s no way of knowing who’s the second-born, but we could not leave them out,” says Chaturvedi with a laugh.

This “sibling theory” carries over to the cocktails, in a compact menu of 11 signature drinks. Each has a primary ingredient and its derivative. Think Wood and Charcoal, Cacao and Chocolate, or Grapes and Raisin.

I kicked off the evening with Water and Salt, a picante-style drink with asparagus tequila, tomato, basil-flavoured water, and a whisper of green apple and passion fruit agave. The umami chilli tincture on the rim hits just right, enough to make you sit up and take notice. Then came Milk and Yoghurt, a drink that may sound rich and heavy but is light and fruity with toasted multigrain gin, milk liqueur, yoghurt-washed Italian aperitif, and a strawberry-balsamic tonic. And somehow, it all comes together beautifully. 

For whisky fans, Wood and Charcoal impresses with a silky, smoky finish to a toasted cedar-wood-infused whisky. If you want something light and bright, Coffee and Cascara is your jam. Guava-infused gin, coffee, mandarin cordial, hibiscus liqueur, and cascara tonic make it citrusy, fizzy, and dangerously easy to sip.

Food is just as focused as the drinks. The tacos and sandos hit the sweet spot between playful and serious. Mutton birria is the bestseller here—chipotle-spiced meat, cheddar, coriander, and onion. It’s so good it barely needs the consommé on the side. Eggplant crisp taco and fiery Baja prawn are other picks you must try, but if spice isn’t your thing, skip the prawns.

Sandos hold their own in a room full of contenders. The homemade milk bread is pillowy, almost melt-in-your-mouth. The Meatballing sando, with rosemary-spiced meatballs, romesco sauce, and mozzarella, feels like a hug between two slices of bread. The all-day breakfast toastie nods to the Japanese tamago sando, while the Royal prawn roll comforts with butter-poached king prawn, garlic-paprika mayo, and crispy potato slices.

They’ve also got a few desserts on the menu. I cannot recommend the Phiti coffee tiramisu enough. This one doesn’t overload on mascarpone. Instead, here the beaten coffee and light mascarpone cream strike the perfect balance—just sweet enough to satisfy without going overboard.

By the time the evening winds down, you realise this rooftop isn’t about trying too hard—it’s just enough to let the second-borns have all the fun.

Meal for two: ₹4,000 + taxes

Timings: 5 pm to 1 am (open all days)

Address: M-82, 4th floor, GK-II M Block Market, New Delhi

Reservations: Call +91 73037 43833