A LANDMARK-YEAR: INDIAN CULINARY STARS WIN GLOBAL ACCLAIM

From global rankings to UNESCO recognition, 2025 marked India's rise on the world food and bar map

- Deep Saxena

This has been a standout year for Indian bars and restaurants, with chefs and culinary entrepreneurs earning global recognition across Asia's best lists and the world’s top rankings. In a landmark moment, Lucknow became India's second UNESCO City of Gastronomy after Hyderabad (2019), underscoring the country’s growing culinary influence. Here's a dekko.

LAIR, NEW DELHI

Ranked eighth on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 list, it was founded in 2019 by Jairaj Singh Solanki and Dhruv Raj Vij. It is known for cocktails that blend regional histories with inventive techniques like edible paint on glassware.

SOKA, BENGALURU

Ranked 28th, SOKA, run by chef Sombir Choudhary and bartender Avinash Kapoli, takes a poetic. The menu features inventive elements like clarified jasmine, sous-vide banana and the pink-hued tequila cocktail, Mofo Don.

BOILERMAKER, GOA