Masque, in Mumbai, has been named the recipient of the Art of Hospitality Award 2026, a distinction announced ahead of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026. Sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the accolade honours the restaurant that the 350-plus members of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy believe has delivered the finest hospitality experience in Asia over the past 18 months.
This award is the second of three pre-announced honours leading up to this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony, which will take place for the first time in Hong Kong at the Kerry Hotel on March 25, 2026.
What is the Art of Hospitality Award?
The Art of Hospitality Award celebrates establishments where service, warmth and personalisation elevate the overall dining experience, in addition to the food, of course. In the case of Masque, the recognition highlights not only their attentive service but also an integrated approach to modern Indian gastronomy.
According to a spokesperson for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, “Masque’s win recognises more than exceptional service—it celebrates how the restaurant has built a complete ecosystem of hospitality around modern Indian gastronomy.”
They added, “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.”
The honour places Masque alongside previous recipients, including Toyo Eatery in Manila, Nusara in Bangkok by chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn, and Zén in Singapore by chef Bjorn Frantzen.
About Masque, Mumbai
Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Aditi Dugar, Masque has made a name for itself as one of India’s most progressive culinary destinations, offering a modern gastronomic experience. Housed in a restored former textile mill in Mumbai, the restaurant is known for its 10-course tasting menus that reinterpret Indian ingredients through more interesting, contemporary techniques.
Led by head chef Varun Totlani, a significant part of their claim to fame lies in the ingredients: Masque’s kitchen team sources produce from all across the country, travelling from the forests of Kashmir to the shores of Goa in search of hyperlocal ingredients that define the spirit of India. This exploration feeds into the Masque Lab: the restaurant’s research and development kitchen, which is both an experimental space and an intimate private dining room for 14 guests.
Additionally, Masque offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus. In the past, dishes have ranged from prickly pear paired with nagphani and coconut malai to a more refined interpretation of Gujarati ponkh bhel, contemporised with Goan seaweed. Their cocktail programme also mirrors this philosophy, approaching the art of mixology as an extension of the kitchen’s experimentation, with seasonal ingredients and flavour combinations designed to complement the menus precisely.
On winning the esteemed honour, founder Aditi Dugar said: “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. I’m deeply grateful to the brilliant team at Masque, 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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