25 September 2026

What Is Nannari Soda?

Nannari soda takes a drink that has always been made fresh and cold, and puts it in a bottle. The result is not an attempt to replace the traditional preparation — it is a different way of reaching the same flavour when you want one that is ready to drink.

Where it comes from

Nannari itself is the Indian sarsaparilla, Hemidesmus indicus, and the root of that plant is the flavour base. Traditionally, the root was prepared at home and served as a chilled drink we now call nannari sarbath. Our nannari guide covers that background in more detail.

Carbonation is the step that changes the character. Still nannari is herbal and gentle; the same flavour with fizz is lighter, more lifted, and easier to drink in quantity. That is the appeal of the format.

What it tastes like

Expect an earthy, botanical note first, with a gentle sweetness underneath and carbonation carrying the aroma. It does not taste like a typical sweet fizzy drink, and if you enjoy sarsaparilla or herbal sodas you will recognise the family immediately.

Because the flavour is distinctive rather than sugary, nannari soda works particularly well alongside savoury food, and it gives a table a non-sweet option that still feels like a soft drink.

How to serve it

• Chilled, straight from the bottle — that is how it is intended to be drunk.
• With a slice of lemon or a squeeze of lime, if you want a sharper finish.
• Alongside meals and savoury snacks, where the nannari flavour comes through most clearly.
• At gatherings, as a fizzy option for people who do not want something very sweet.

Nannari soda or nannari syrup?

They suit different situations. Nannari soda is the choice when you want to open a bottle and drink something cold, with no preparation involved. Nannari syrup is the choice when you want to make the drink yourself and control how strong and sweet it is — and it also lets you make lassi, falooda-style drinks and mocktails.

If you are still weighing the formats, the nannari drinks guide compares them directly.