The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 rankings were announced at a ceremony held in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday. Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious global restaurant rankings, the list is often compared to the Michelin Guide for its influence on the international dining scene.
This year, Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, a small village in Spain’s Basque region, was named the world’s best restaurant. Nestled amid mountains and beautiful landscapes, the restaurant draws diners from around the world for chef Bittor Arguinzoniz’s distinctive, grill-focused cuisine. Every course, from appetisers to desserts, is touched by fire, including dishes such as anchovy on toast and milk ice cream paired with beetroot.
Several restaurants showcasing Indian cuisine also secured spots on the coveted list. In fact, this is the first time that two restaurants based in India – Masque and Naar – have made it together to the 50 Best global list.
In 2004, one restaurant in India – Â Bukhara at ITC Maurya in New Delhi – made the ranking.
Leading the pack of Indian cuisine restaurants on the list is Bangkok-based Gaggan, which ranked second overall.
Gaggan, Bangkok (Rank 2)
Photo Credit: the50.com
Gaggan was also crowned the Best Restaurant in Asia 2026.
Founded by Kolkata-born chef Gaggan Anand, the restaurant is known for delivering an immersive dining experience that blends flavour, emotion and theatricality. His unconventional style is reflected not only in the presentation of the food but also in the restaurant’s playful visual identity and digital presence.
The menu centres on progressive Indian cuisine while drawing inspiration from French, Thai and Japanese culinary traditions. Music, colour and creativity are woven throughout the experience.
Anand is also known for challenging fine-dining conventions. Guests are often encouraged to use their hands while eating and, in some cases, lick the plate. In 2026, the restaurant introduced a no-phones-at-the-table policy to help diners stay present and focus on the meal.
Across both its original and current iterations, Gaggan has claimed the top position on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list five times, most recently in 2025.
Another Indian cuisine restaurant to feature on the global ranking is Mumbai’s Masque. Making its debut on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, it secured the 26th spot, ahead of three-Michelin-starred Tresind Studio in Dubai, which ranked 28th.
Read on to learn more about these two acclaimed restaurants.
Masque, Mumbai (Rank 26)
Photo Credit: the50.com
Masque entered The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking for the first time in 2026.
Chef Varun Totlani’s journey with the restaurant began when he joined as a commis chef shortly after its launch in 2016. He was promoted to sous chef in 2021 before taking over as head chef from Prateek Sadhu in 2022.
Since assuming the role, Totlani has shaped the restaurant’s evolving identity with menus that are more adventurous and playful, often drawing inspiration from familiar Indian foods and regional ingredients. One example is his seaweed and ponkh bhel, which reimagines the popular street-food snack using Goan seaweed and ponkh, a young sorghum speciality from Gujarat.
The restaurant operates from a restored textile mill in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi neighbourhood, with interiors that consciously celebrate the building’s industrial heritage.
READ | Masque Mumbai’s Mirelle Pingfu Wins F&B Professional Of The Year At NDTV Food Awards 2026
Tresind Studio, Dubai (Rank 28)
Photo Credit: the50.com
Tresind Studio earned the title of Best Restaurant in the Middle East 2026.
At the helm is chef Himanshu Saini, widely regarded as one of the leading figures driving the evolution of contemporary Indian cuisine in the UAE.
The restaurant’s tasting menu, titled Rising India, explores the country’s 5,000-year culinary heritage while spotlighting the diversity of ingredients found across the subcontinent. Diners are taken on a gastronomic journey through different regions of India.
The Deccan Plateau segment features dishes such as carrot, Guntur chilli sambal, rojak bhel and koshimbir broth. The Northern Plains course includes tortellini, goat’s cheese raita and slow-cooked turnip curry, while dessert inspired by the Himalayan region combines hazelnut praline parfait, black apple ice cream and artichoke twig.
Another newcomer to the list is Naar, an Indian restaurant in Kasauli, which debuted at Rank 49.
READ | Tresind Studio Becomes First And Only Indian Restaurant To Retain 3 Michelin Stars
Naar, Kasauli (Rank 49)
Photo Credit: the50.com
Naar, led by chef Prateek Sadhu, received the Sustainable Restaurant Award 2026 for its strong focus on local sourcing, community participation and environmentally conscious cooking practices.
Reaching the restaurant is considered part of the experience itself. Set in the Himalayan foothills, Naar is approximately a 90-minute drive from Chandigarh along winding mountain roads. Tucked amid pine forests, the restaurant blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings and offers sweeping views of ridges and valleys that set the tone for its nature-inspired menu.
The restaurant’s multi-course tasting menu is deeply influenced by the rhythm of the Himalayas’ six traditional seasons: pre-winter, winter, spring, summer, monsoon and autumn. The menu evolves with each seasonal transition, reflecting the region’s landscape, produce and culinary traditions.
The recognition of these incredible Indian cuisine restaurants on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list highlights the growing global appeal of Indian flavours, ingredients and culinary storytelling.
