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.”
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.
