The Uttar Pradesh government's Excise Policy 2025–26 has brought a wave of relief and excitement for cafes and restaurants in Noida and Ghaziabad. Under the new rules, eateries can now serve beer and wine without needing a full bar licence—a move that significantly cuts down operational costs for small and mid-sized outlets.

Earlier, only restaurants with a full bar setup could offer alcoholic beverages, which meant a heavy investment. With this updated policy, even small cafes and fine-dining spots can now enhance their guest experience by offering light drinks like beer and wine—perfect for a relaxed outing.

The Excise Department has also introduced composite shops, merging beer and foreign liquor outlets into one, and for the first time in 7 years, the allocation of liquor and cannabis shops will be done through an e-lottery system, ensuring greater transparency.

To add to this, the licensing fee structure has been revised and categorized based on location:

In metro cities like Noida and Ghaziabad, the licensing fee is ₹65,000 for country liquor shops, ₹90,000 for composite shops, ₹1,00,000 for model shops, and ₹25,000 for cannabis shops. These fees reduce slightly in other urban and semi-urban areas, and are lowest in rural regions, where fees are ₹40,000 for country liquor, ₹55,000 for composite, ₹60,000 for model shops, and ₹25,000 for cannabis outlets.

This new policy is expected to not only support the growth of the hospitality industry but also benefit local entrepreneurs and farmers involved in fruit-based liquor production. The government plans to set up dedicated outlets at district headquarters to promote these homegrown products.

In short, this progressive step by the UP government is creating more opportunities for businesses and better experiences for customers. So the next time you’re at your favourite café in Noida or Ghaziabad—yes, you might just be sipping a glass of wine legally and guilt-free!