Bandra Restaurant Papa's Ranks Third in Condé Nast Traveller Awards 2026
Bandra restaurant Papa's has been named the third best dining establishment in the country in the seventh edition of the Condé Nast Traveller x District Top Restaurant Awards 2026. The prestigious annual list, which celebrates India's finest 50 dining establishments, placed the neighbourhood venue right at the top of national rankings behind Colaba landmark The Table in second place and NAAR in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, which claimed the coveted number one spot.
Led by chef Hussain Shahzad, Papa's earned high honours for its intimate setting and unconventional 12-course menu. The Bandra establishment seats just 12 guests at a time. Due to the limited capacity, reservation slots at the restaurant are known to fill up almost instantly whenever bookings are released each month.
The national recognition for Papa's contributed to a major milestone for Mumbai, which cemented its position as one of India's leading culinary destinations. Mumbai secured 13 dining venues in the overall Top 50, sharing the highest number of entries on the list with Goa, which also recorded 13 establishments.
Alongside Papa's, fellow Mumbai dining landmark The Table took second place overall, marking the biggest highlight for the city right at the top of the awards. Operating in Colaba since 2011, the venue was recognised for its globally influenced menu and farm-to-table culinary approach.
Beyond Mumbai and Goa's shared lead of 13 entries each, the awards highlighted dining destinations across the country. Bengaluru followed with six entries, while Chennai and Kolkata secured four spots each. New Delhi had three entries, Shillong had two, and Kasauli, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Gurugram and Karaikudi each secured one spot in the Top 50.
The final rankings followed an extensive evaluation process that began with an initial shortlist of more than 1,000 restaurants across India, compiled through curations by Condé Nast Traveller as well as open nominations where restaurants could nominate themselves.
A 105-member jury drawn from across the country then voted privately in two rounds to determine the final 50 establishments. The voting panel comprised food critics, writers, chefs, designers, artists, curators and other tastemakers.
