The prestigious recognition for this acclaimed pioneer of modern Indian gastronomy highlights
the restaurant’s exceptional dining experience
10 February 2026 – Masque in Mumbai, a leading pioneer of modern Indian gastronomy, has won the Art of Hospitality Award 2026. Pre-announced today in the run-up to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the prestigious award recognises an exceptional establishment which the 350-plus members of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy believe has provided the best hospitality experience in Asia over the past 18 months.
Founded in 2016 by Aditi Dugar, a prolific home cook and entrepreneur, Masque has earned global recognition as one of India’s most innovative restaurants. Set in an industrial-chic former textile mill in Mumbai, its pioneering 10-course tasting menus blend tradition and innovation, spotlighting seasonal, locally sourced and foraged ingredients for a unique and interactive dining experience.
A spokesperson for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants says: “Masque’s win recognises more than exceptional service – it celebrates how the restaurant has built a complete ecosystem of hospitality around modern Indian gastronomy. The team’s dedication to sourcing across India, their experimental approach to both food and cocktails and their ability to create intimate, interactive dining moments all demonstrate that at Masque, hospitality is inseparable from innovation.”
On winning the Art of Hospitality Award 2026, Aditi Dugar says, “It feels incredible to bring home this award in our tenth year. It’s been a dream for as long as we can remember. It only reaffirms what we’ve been trying to achieve since Masque opened its doors – to treat every guest with care, generosity and the utmost humility. And of course, it goes without saying that this recognition belongs to the brilliant team at Masque, who shows up every day with unwavering commitment and the rigour to be the best. I’m deeply grateful to them, to everyone who has believed in our journey and to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for recognising hospitality as something soulful and deeply human.”
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Led by head chef Varun Totlani, Masque’s kitchen team travels across India – from the forests of Kashmir to the shores of Goa – to source hyperlocal produce and extract maximum flavour through modern gastronomic techniques. Menu development is anchored by the Masque Lab, an R&D kitchen that bridges traditional Indian cooking with global techniques and influences. It also acts as a separate, intimate and interactive private dining space for just 14 guests.
Offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus, Masque presents a distinctive vision of contemporary Indian cuisine, from prickly pear with nagphani and coconut malai to a refined take on the winter favourite Gujarati snack ponkh bhel enriched with Goan seaweed. Its rich cocktail programme approaches mixology as an experiment, with seasonal ingredients, techniques and flavour combinations designed to pair perfectly with modern Indian flavours of the tasting menus.
The Art of Hospitality Award recognises restaurants that deliver exceptional dining experiences, where seamless, knowledgeable and highly personalised service is the key ingredient that enhances the overall experience. Masque joins an esteemed line-up of previous winners, including Toyo Eatery in Manila, which was celebrated for elevating service into an art form, Nusara in Bangkok by chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn and Zén in Singapore by chef Bjorn Frantzen.
The Art of Hospitality Award is the second of three pre-announced awards ahead of this year’s
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, held for the first time in Hong Kong at the Kerry
Hotel on 25 March 2026.
50 Best works with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner to help protect the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026. See more details on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants voting process here.
Media contact:
Grace Chan, GHC Asia
asias50bestrestaurants@ghcasia.com ; +852 5564 7972
For media centre access, please visit:
https://mediacentre.theworlds50best.com
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How the voting works
The list is compiled by votes from the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of more than 350 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia, each selected for their expert opinion of Asia’s restaurant scene. The Academy is divided into seven regions: India & Subcontinent; South-East Asia – South; South-East Asia – North; Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau; Mainland China; Korea; and Japan. Each voter casts ten votes based on their best restaurant experiences of the previous 18 months, with at least four of these from outside their home country/SAR. Voters are required to remain anonymous and voting is confidential, secure and independently adjudicated by professional services consultancy Deloitte.
About the host destination partner: Hong Kong Tourism Board
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is a government-subvented body tasked with maximizing the
contribution of tourism to Hong Kong’s economy and upholding Hong Kong as a world-class travel
destination. The HKTB works in partnership with relevant government departments and organisations, the travel-related sectors, and other entities related to tourism, to market and promote Hong Kong
worldwide, while enhancing visitors’ experiences through providing diverse and high-quality tourism
products and services. The HKTB has a worldwide network of 15 offices and has representatives in seven different markets.
About the main partner: S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the main sponsors of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. S.Pellegrino & Acqua
Panna are the leading natural mineral waters in the fine dining world. Together they interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of excellence, pleasure and well-being.
Our Partners:
● Hong Kong Tourism Board – Official Host Destination Partner
● S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna – Main Partner & Official Water Partner; sponsor of The Best
Restaurant in Asia
● Inedit Damm – Official Beer Partner; sponsor of the Inedit Damm Chefs’ Choice Award
● Sevenrooms – Official Booking Platform Partner; sponsor of the Sevenrooms Icon Award
● Doordash – Official Delivery Partner
● Aspire Lifestyles – Official Concierge Partner
● Lee Kum Kee – Official Sauces & Condiments Partner; sponsor of Highest Climber Award
● Valrhona – Official Chocolate Partner; sponsor of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award
● Vik – Official Wine Partner; sponsor of Asia’s Best Sommelier Award
● Nongshim Shinramyun – Official Partner; sponsor of The Best Restaurant in South Korea
● Maison Kaviari – Official Caviar Partner
● Dassai – Official Sake Partner
● Langjiu – Official Baijiu Partner
● Woodford Reserve – Official American Whiskey Partner
● Cinco Jotas – Official Iberico Ham Partner
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