Masque

Mumbai

Boundary-pushing creativity and a 'guest is God' attitude

One of India's most forward-thinking restaurants, Masque showcases the incredible wealth of produce available in India, from Goan seaweed to Kashmiri chili. With entrepreneurial couple Aditi and Aditya Dugar at the helm, Masque has won a string of accolades since opening in 2016, from the One To Watch Award in 2020 to entering Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2021 and being named The Best Restaurant in India for four consecutive years.

With the attitude that 'guest is God' – an approach to hospitality taken by many Indian households – the leadership team strives to create an environment where all staff members feel at home at Masque. In turn, this allows staff to look after every guest with the same care and personal engagement as they would a visitor in their own home.

Varun Totlani, a Mumbai native who studied at the Culinary Academy of India in Hyderabad and the Culinary Institute of America in New York, joined the Masque ranks as a commis chef when the restaurant first opened. In 2021, he became sous chef and in 2022, he took on the role of head chef. Totlani frequently hosts world-class chefs at Masque, cooking alongside the likes of Gaggan Annand.

Notably, Masque has no à la carte menu, choosing instead to serve a ten-course seasonal degustation menu (with a vegetarian option available). Expect dishes such as prickly pear with nagphani (hawthorn) and coconut malai (coconut cream), sunchoke with ghassi (a type of curry) and smoked pork with Kashmiri chilli and poha (spiced flattened rice). Other highlights are the dosa with koji and the burnt ghee with saffron and pear toast.

In 2020, The Masque Lab opened, an R&D laboratory where the team explore how ingredients age, how flavours contrast and how produce can help bridge food cultures. With 12 seats around an open kitchen, the lab doubles up as a private dining room and hosts regular experimental dinners for those who fancy tasting the future of Masque's culinary potential. The space is also used to host a range of guests, from celebrated names to regional experts (such as women from the Koli fishing community in Mumbai) and even home cooks – including Aditi's mum.

For its marriage of first-class service with genuine warmth and boundary-pushing creativity, Masque is the deserving winner of the Art of Hospitality Award 2026.

Read more about Masque's award-winning hospitality and watch the video.

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