Delhi Food Awards 2026

The fourth edition of the Delhi Food Awards was held on March 28, 2026, marking the most ambitious celebration of Delhi’s culinary heritage since the event's inception in 2018. The ceremony brought together over 300 guests including renowned chefs, legendary street food icons, food historians, and digital storytellers. Under the banner of "Community First, Always," the event celebrated the city's pluralism, honoring traditions ranging from Old Delhi’s Mughlai mastery to Buddhist and Sindhi culinary legacies.

Event Highlights & Cultural Showcases

Anubhav Sapra’s Opening

The founder of Delhi Food Walks reflected on the awards' growth from a street-level initiative to a comprehensive platform for the city's entire gastronomic landscape.

Legacy & Cinematic Tributes

The ceremony formally instituted the Vinod Dua Lifetime Achievement Award to honor the late journalist’s legacy of documenting food as a cultural narrative. The emotional high point featured a standing ovation during a tribute to Dua , accompanied by specially produced cinematic short films profiling each recipient of the newly established honor.

Introduction of Specialty Cuisine (Home Chef Edition)

A dedicated award was established to honor the preservation of regional culinary heritage within home kitchens, spotlighting diverse traditions including Himalayan, Lucknowi, Chettinad, Jain, and Bihari cuisines.

Cultural Performances

The event featured a compelling Dastangoi (storytelling) performance by Nadeem Shah Suhrawardy and a special narration titled Zabaan aur Zaiqa by Saba (@thewordmuse_).

Gala Dinner

The evening concluded with a showcase of award-winning dishes, celebrating nearly a century of spice craftsmanship.

In-Depth Panel Discussions

Food and Tourism

A discussion on the connection between food culture and tourism, highlighting how culinary experiences shape travel and hospitality.

Moderator: Sourish Bhattacharyya

Chef Davinder Kumar
Karan Marwah
Kartikeya Shankar

The Evolving Foodscape of Delhi

An engaging conversation on Delhi’s changing culinary identity, emerging food trends, and the city’s dynamic dining culture.

Moderator: Dr. Neha Vermani

Chef Manish Mehrotra
G. Sri Ramya
Dr. Charmaine O'Brien

Responsible Content Creation

Focused on ethical storytelling, authenticity, and the growing responsibility of creators in the digital food and lifestyle space.

Moderator: Triya Gulati

Priyanka Kapoor
Karan Malik
Gitanshu Jetly

2026 Category Winners

Category	Winner
Best Ande Wala	Mithlesh Ande Wala, Tilak Nagar
Best Biryani	Velox Restro Cafe, Daryaganj
Best Bun Maska	Hyd. Irani Cafe, Daryaganj
Best Butter Chicken	Chicken Inn, Pandara Road & Gurugram
Best Chaap	Mitra Di Chaap, Mayur Vihar
Best Chai	Zahra Restaurant and Cafe, Tikona Park
Best Chat	Vaishnav Chaat Bhandar, Kamla Nagar
Best Chole Bhature	Anand Ji Chole Bhature Wale, Lajpat Nagar
Best Chole Kulche	Lotan Ji Chole Wale, Chawri Bazaar
Best Dal Makhani	Pyarelal Sialkot Vegetarian, Krishna Nagar
Best Dosa	Dosa Coffee
Best Fish Fry	Sahni Fish Corner
Best Jalebi	Shiv Misthan Bhandar, Chandni Chowk
Best Kathi Roll	HOD Foods, Shaheen Bagh
Best Kunafa	Arāabaik, Jamia Nagar
Best Lassi	Pahalwan Ji, Zakir Nagar
Best Mithai	Shri Bankey Bihari Brijwasi, Kamla Nagar
Best Momo	Shagun Restaurant, Hudson Lane
Best Mutton Burra	Karim Hotels Pvt. Ltd., Jama Masjid
Best Nihari	Kallu Nihari, Daryaganj
Best Rajma Chawal	Dhaba Food, Connaught Place
Best Samosa	Tilak Munjal-R, Pitampura
Best Seekh Kebab	Colonel's Kababz, Defence Colony
Best Shahi Tukda	Cool Point Shahi Tukda, Jama Masjid
Best Shawarma	Labneh
Best Smash Burger	Al Nihar, Okhla
Best Street Food (Casual Dining)	Bhawan, Gurugram
Best of India on a Plate	Eau De Monsoon, Le Meridien New Delhi
Specialty Cuisine (Home Chef Edition)
Himalayan/Nepali Cuisine	Arati Thapa (Chef Pin)
Lucknowi Cuisine	Mansi Seth Kapoor (Chef Pin)
Chettinad & Mangalorean Cuisine	Rekha Rigo (Chef Pin)
North-Indian Cuisine	Kanan Bala (@mamaktreats)
Jain Cuisine	Alka Jain & Uma (@annam_soulfood)
Bihari Cuisine	Shachi Anand (@baghar_e_magadhbyshacchi)
Special Category Awards
Hall of Fame	Chaina Ram Sindhi Halwai (Since 1901) Kuremal Mahavir Prasad Kulfi Wale (Since 1906)
Vinod Dua Lifetime Achievement Award	Sh. Rahul Verma Sh. Amitabh S. Haji Abdul Ghani Qureshi Sahab (Posthumously) Sh. Vijay Nischal (@dadikirasoi01)
Male Entrepreneur of the Year	Mohd. Farooq & Mohd. Sharooq (Seven Fries) @sevenfriesindia
Female Entrepreneur of the Year	Dickey C. Bhutia (Lha Kitchen)
Content Creator of the Year (Male)	Karan Malik (@karan.malik1)
Content Creator of the Year (Female)	Suhana Nanda (@suhanananda)