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Masque

Mumbai

The best of India across 10 expertly crafted courses

On the Pass

Varun Totlani

Ingredient-led approach: Masque isn't afraid to get granular. Casting a magnifying glass over every corner of India, this mainstay of Mumbai fine dining draws on a dizzying array of indigenous ingredients, working with farmers, fishers and foragers to tell the story of the country's incredible biodiversity. From the underrepresented to the almost forgotten, it's all here: wild berries, grains and regional spices all come together in a succession of dishes that may be modern in technique but never lose sight of their roots.

Seasonality reigns supreme: Spanning 10 carefully crafted courses – and available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian iterations – the restaurant's ever-changing tasting menu follows the rhythms of the seasons, meaning no two visits are quite the same. Depending on what's at its peak, diners might encounter burnt ghee served with saffron and pear toast, duck kebab sausage with roomali and fresh herbs, or lobster with Goan chorizo and seaweed, each dish designed to let its star ingredient shine. 

Who's running the pass? After joining Masque as a commis back when it opened in 2016, Varun Totlani became sous chef in 2021 – and in 2022, he succeeded Prateek Sadhu as head chef. Since then, he's quietly put his own stamp on the proceedings, crafting bolder, more playful menus and dreaming up dishes inspired by memories of everyday Indian staples: take, for example, his seaweed and ponkh bhel, a curious take on a classic street-food snack featuring Goan seaweed and Gujarati sorghum. In 2026, Masque makes its debut on The 50 Best Restaurants list.

Step into the warehouse: Hip rather than high falutin, this innovative eatery is housed in a converted textile mill in Mumbai's Mahalaxmi district – and the space pays homage to its industrial past with gusto. Original steel beams span the soaring ceilings, tables are made from unfussy hardwood, the walls are clad with stone and plaster, and there's a brass bar at the centre that's sure to draw diners' eyes.

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