Last night, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia, in association with Macao Tourism, brought the whole culinary world to a standstill. Literally, all the leading chefs and hoteliers in the country had flown down for the first edition of Delicious Food Awards held at Andaz Delhi. The winners were announced on a glitzy evening coupled with great food and liquor. Here are the winners—as voted by readers—at the first edition of Travel+Leisure India’s Delicious Food Awards!
In 2018, food is no longer just a catalyst to conversation but a complete guest experience. It is a platform to showcase innovation in hospitality and an important slice of holistic wellness. From the presentation of food to the setting it is served in, each contributory factor is as important as the other. Essentially, it is also one of the core reasons why Indians travel today and why global leaders in the food business are drawn to India for inspiration.
With this thought, Travel+Leisure India and South Asia came up with its first edition of Delicious Food Awards to celebrate the best culinary experiences in the country. Over the past two months, readers were invited to vote online for their favourite dining options across 28 categories. Ultimately, 53 top-notch restaurants, bars, patisseries, and hangouts took the top spots to clearly outline the lifestyle choices that affluent gourmands are making. Thursday, 9th August 2018 marked the awards night at Andaz Delhi, Aerocity; guests got together to raise a toast to Indian gastronomy which is bringing the world to the table through innovation.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the awards, Editor Aindrila Mitra shared, “Travel+Leisure India & South Asia is proud to present our very first readers’ choice food awards—Delicious 2018—in the domestic market. After two months of voting, today we finally have our list of the best in the hospitality industry in India. Delicious 2018 is all about acknowledging and rewarding those who take culinary experiences and travel to the next level.”
The awards included cuisine categories such as Chinese, Continental, Japanese, Bengali, and Thai, and innovation categories such as Best Cocktail Bar, Best Wine Collection, Best Farm-to-Table, and Best Sunday Brunch. Winners in these categories came from leading hospitality groups like Hyatt Hotels, ITC Hotels, The Oberoi Group, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Accor Hotels, to name a few. Winners among standalone restaurants, bars, and patisseries include the likes of Nara Thai, Bombaykery, Farzi Café, The Pantry Café, among others.
At the event, Björn Rettig, CEO India, Burda International said, “At Travel+Leisure India & South Asia, the Delicious Food Awards represent a natural extension to our luxury travel brand and a franchise we are genuinely excited about. Excited to celebrate the gastronomic landscape and diversity of India and the world around us. Excited to applaud the skills and dedication of our many partners throughout the food and beverage sector, and judging by the hundreds of thousands of votes cast across the Delicious Food Awards platform, excited that our readership shares the same passion.”
Gracing the occasion with their presence on the glitzy evening, were television host and tech guru Rajiv Makhni, eminent designer Charu Parashar, celebrated chef Michael Swamy, and former Indian cricketer and presenter, Atul Wassan, among others. The evening also hosted senior representatives of Macao Government Tourism Office, Liebherr, Classic Coffee (Harley Coffee LLP), and Andaz Delhi, who presented the awards to the winners.
Let’s take a look at who’s the best at what.
- BEST AMBIENCE The Flying Elephant, Park Hyatt, Chennai | Eau de Monsoon, Le Meridien, New Delhi
- BEST SERVICE Dum Pukht, ITC Maurya, New Delhi | P&C, Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner
- BEST THEMED RESTAURANT Chaikash, Khyber | Bukhara, ITC Maurya, New Delhi
- BEST WINE COLLECTION Aza, Fairmont Jaipur | Vetro and Enoteca, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Mumbai
- BEST CAFÉ STANDALONE Farzi Café, Delhi | The Pantry, Mumbai
- BEST CAFÉ IN A HOTEL Café Pluck, Pullman Hotels and Resorts, New Delhi | Pondicherry Café, Sofitel Mumbai
- BEST PATISSERIE STANDALONE Bombaykery, Gurgaon | Toshin, Mumbai
- BEST PATISSERIE IN A HOTEL Leela Patisserie, Gurgaon | Re:Cess, Hilton Bangalore
- BEST FARM TO TABLE AnnaMaya, Andaz Deli | Odyssey, The Serai
- BEST COCKTAIL BAR Nero, Le Meridien, New Delhi | Three Sixty Degree, The Oberoi
- BEST ROOFTOP BAR Asilo, St. Regis | Capella, AltAir Boutique Hotel, Kolkata
- BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH Verandah, The Park, Hyderabad | 1911, The Imperial, New Delhi
- BEST FOOD APP UberEats
- BEST NEW RESTAURANT Hong Kong Club, Andaz
- BEST ITALIAN CUISINE Le Cirque, Leela Palace | STAX, Hyatt Regency Mumbai
- BEST THAI CUISINE Lukjin, Hyatt Regency Lucknow | Nara Thai, Mumbai
- BEST JAPANESE CUISINE Wasabi By Morimoto, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi | Akira Back, JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity
- BEST FRENCH CUISINE Slink & Bardot, Mumbai | Le Bistro Du Parc, New Delhi
- BEST CONTINENTAL CUISINE Pratha, Namah, Jim Corbett | Latest Recipe, Le Meridien Goa
- BEST PAN-ASIAN CUISINE Spice Traders, W Goa | Baan Tao, Hyatt Pune
- BEST MUGHLAI CUISINE Chulha, Grand Hyatt Goa | Baluchi, The LaLit New Delhi
- BEST SOUTH INDIAN CUISINE Ettukettu, The Kumarakom Lake Resort, Kerala | Avartana, ITC Grand Chola Hotel, Chennai
- BEST CHINESE CUISINE Imperial China, Hilton Mumbai International Airport | The China Kitchen, Hyatt Regency Delhi
- BEST BENGALI CUISINE Bhoomi, Vedic Village, Kolkata | Oh! Calcutta, Delhi
- BEST COASTAL CUISINE KoKoMMo, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, Chennai | Palms, Park Hyatt Goa
- BEST DESSERTS Gourmet Store, Grand Hyatt Mumbai | Pune Sugar Box, Conrad Pune
- POPULAR CHOICE AWARD Baoshuan, The Oberoi, New Delhi
This event was in partnership with: