zeezest

Pho real, this is good! A fine-dine restaurant that has mastered the art of banh mi, bun cha and rice paper rolls, while evoking the vibrant vibes of Vietnam.

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

A restaurant with 5+ years of operations within a five-star hotel that has been a trendsetter and innovator in introducing cuisines with its ever evolving menu and focus on ingredients.

Best Restaurant in a 5 Star

Like the lovable grandparent who tells the finest stories, this restaurant celebrates that old is definitely the gold standard -  in terms of taste, experience and guiding the present to appreciate the past.


Best Legacy Restaurant

When you are not just a  'New' Restaurant but 'Neo' -The One, who despite being less than 6 months old has already grabbed the eyes, ears and tastebuds of the  cognoscenti, press, critics and social media.


Best New Restaurant 

Rebel with a cause! These are culinary establishments who offer a modern take of traditional Indian fare. Innovation means separating genius from the gimmicky. Shedding off its old avatar, the dish needs to be creatively reinterpreted and aesthetically presented  without losing its soul.


Best Progressive Indian Restaurant 

Our culinary cousins form the hood! An establishment that truly celebrates Asian culture with the most aromatic curries to the finest  cooked meat cuts. The menu is a ticket for a tantalising gastronomic journey for  discerning diners.

Best Asian Restaurant

RRR - Rich, Regional, Ravishing.
Like regional cinema, regional cuisine too is making waves across the country. Restaurants that place value on hyper-local and feature lesser-known regional cuisines

Best Regional Indian Restaurant

No 'beet'ing around the bush! Lettuce celebrate the menu with the green dot and find the G.O.A.T.  minus the meat!

Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Deals, dates or diaries - a lot happens over a cuppa here! Apart from offering a variety of options and skilled execution in beverages, the food is well-paired with the beverage menu to offer a complete dining experience in a comfortable and cozy setting.


Best Cafe

Sounds Fishy yet Tasty! A restaurant that consistently delivers fresh, flavourful seafood dishes and not makes any bones about impressing its diners with its commitment to quality, innovation, and exceptional service.

Best Coastal Restaurant

Say Hello to Planet-Positive Plates!  A favourite among eco-conscious foodies, a restaurant that's setting the standard for sustainable dining with their commitment to reducing waste, supporting local farmers, and minimising their environmental impact.


Best Sustainable Restaurant

Three Cheers to the Modern Maharaj! From intricate mithais to decadent halwa, a brand that has truly put Indian desserts on the map with the finest ingredients.

Best Indian Gourmet Dessert Brand

Mille(t) sur mera tumhara! Championing the ancient grain revolution, a restaurant that showcases the versatility and nutritional benefits of millets, from savoury dishes to sweet treats thus contributing to a healthier and more environmentally friendly food system.

Best Ingredient Focussed Restaurant

Raising the bar - literally! An establishment which focuses on its bar before food. The bar and mixologists should be masters of classic cocktails as well as have an evolving beverage menu that focusses on customization, innovation and exemplary service. There should also be a focus on food that complements the drinks.

Best Cocktail Bar

Ale is well! A craft beer assessed according to parameters of flavour, quality, aroma, colour and mouthfeel.

Best Indian Craft Beer 

Jack and Master of all! A versatile and innovative mixer that transforms ordinary drinks into extraordinary concoctions. Whether it's a complex syrup, a unique bitters blend or a groundbreaking infusion, the mixer has inspired bartenders and delighted cocktail enthusiasts with its ability to enhance flavours and add depth.

Best Mixer

‘A Royal Rum-ble, this. From the subtle sweetness of molasses to the complexity of oak ageing, an Indian rum brand with a distinctive character that sets it apart.

Best Indian Rum

‘Shaken, Stirred and everything in between!’ A vodka that stands out for its meticulous distillation process, superior quality ingredients, and innovative approach to tradition with exceptional clarity, smoothness, and a neutral flavour profile that allows the subtle nuances of botanicals or ageing to shine through.

Best Indian Vodka

We heard it on the grapevine!  An Indian wine brand meticulously chosen for its body, colour, clarity, bouquet, balance, complexity and grape blend.

Best Indian Wine

Have a Ginder-bender! Only the finest spirits assesed for flavour, quality, aroma, colour, finish and botanicals shall be put to taste and test.


Best Indian Craft Gin

Liquid gold to 'whisk' you away!  A homegrown whisky brand known for its ​well-rounded and ​d​istinct flavour among ​a​lcobev enthusiasts and has gained international recognition and praise for its craftsmanship and taste​ in recent times.


Best Indian Whisky

‘A Kaapi that conquers’ Coffee that demonstrates exceptional quality, complexity, and authenticity—one that tells a story of its origin, from the lush plantations of the Western Ghats to the estates of Karnataka and beyond.

Best Indian Coffee Brand

It's all in the Concept! A restaurant that has made an attempt to attract the audience in a unique manner, through its decor, location and the experience. A distinct idea that could be thoughtful, fancy or utterly shocking.

Best Concept Restaurant

Beauty with function. Design is integral, the first thing we notice, engage with... it tells a story and stays long after we leave a place. From the door to the furnishing to the light fixtures that give you warmth and privacy to the architecture that doesn't disturb the past but merges with the fuctional needs of the present.


Best Designed Restaurant

‘Roll the red carpet for the red eyes’. Offering everything from classic comfort food to innovative fusion dishes, a spot that satisfies any craving, any time of day. Their food is delicious, their atmosphere is inviting, and their service is impeccable. It's the place where you can truly enjoy a meal without worrying about the clock.

Best All Day Dining Restaurant

‘Country - cousin no more’. A restaurant that proves great food isn't just for the big city. Showcasing local flavours and innovative techniques, their menu is a delightful surprise and is for anyone who appreciates exceptional dining experiences, no matter where they're located.

Best Restaurant in a Non-Metro

The ultimate grow-getter! A restaurant franchise that has proven to be a success, delivering extraordinary dining experiences to customers across India while maintaining its commitment to quality and consistency.

Best Restaurant Franchise

Quaint over Quantity! A ​luxurious stay with limited rooms that ​excels ​in creati​ng a personalised, immersive and unique experience with its distinct design, ​intimate atmosphere, ​and allows guests to savour the local ​culture through its art, food, culture and community.

Best Boutique Hotel

Zen Mode On! A retreat where the focus is towards wellness and holistic wellbeing. The wellness resort needs to approach spa or wellness from 360 degrees, which means there is a positive impact on a guest, inclusive of treatments, cuisine, experiences and activities.

Best Wellness Resort

Green is the new black! A hotel or resort that goes above and beyond lip-service sustainability practices to inculcate and innovate practices that work with the changing consumer and environment. Brownie points for international accreditation and certification.

Best Sustainable Resort

#InMyBucketList. A resort/hotel that is located amidst nature and has assimilated the surrounding resources and taken inspiration from the setting regards ambience, and architecture.

Most Stunning Location

Where the wild things are! A luxurious stay amidst a forest that lets guests experience and appreciate nature and wildlife while prioritising sustainable practices to minimise their impact on the environment.

Best Wildlife resort

Luxe Alert! A resort that excels in every aspect—from personalised service and state-of-the-art amenities to exquisite design and gourmet dining.

Best Luxury Resort

Gear ware 2.0
Whether it's a clever gadget, a stylish accessory, or a must-have piece of luggage, an innovative product cutting-edge technology and design that's revolutionising the way we travel and is a game-changer for any adventurer.

Best Travel Gear

Mooning over this location?  With its stunning scenery, luxurious accommodations, and endless activities, this hotel/resort offers everything you need to create unforgettable memories. From secluded beaches to charming villages and everything in between, this destination has it all.

Best Honeymoon Destination

Ticket to Roam! A travel agency that excels in curating unforgettable journeys by combining deep destination knowledge with bespoke itineraries tailored to each traveller’s unique desires.

Best Indian Travel Agency

Incredible India! A state tourism board that has realised the region's potential and is actively campaigning for better tourist footfall along with a ground up investment to support the initiative.

Best Indian State Tourism Board

Namaste India! A foreign tourism board that has made a splash in India to sell itself as a tourist and investment destination.

Best International Tourism Board

Super, Uber, and truly a stunner -
A SUV that seamlessly combines advanced engineering, opulent interiors, and leading-edge technology to deliver an exceptional driving experience over long distances.

Best SUV for Long Drives

They mean Business! A hotel that reimagines the concept of hospitality with a distinctive blend of comfort, character, and convenience.

Best Business Hotel

Priya runs Red Scarab Travel & Media with her husband Anurag Mallick and creates content for the tourism and hospitality industry as a travel influencer and consultant. As a writer, she contributes to various​ leading national and international publications and has also co-authored several travel books and guides such as Michelin, Rough Guides, and for Outlook Traveller.

Priya Ganapathy

With an experience that spans from Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe to The Oberoi, Delhi, Avinash Martins is one of the most talented chefs in India at the moment. At present, he runs Cavatina Cuchina in Benaulim, south Goa. After being part of kitchens around the world, Martins chose a path that led him to unravel the various culinary secrets from the Saraswat and Portuguese communities in order to present his perspective on a plate. A big believer of "source locally", Martins's aspirations lie in taking Goan food to the rest of the world.

Avinash Martins

From travel to tech, Ashwin has over 20 years of experience as a content specialist and journalist. His expertise lies in food and travel content. He’s a specialist in communicating across cultures and boundaries, and has written for several leading publications.

Ashwin Rajagopalan

With a career spanning two decades, Anurag is one of the leading travel writers in India and the founder of Red Scarab Travel & Media. His contributions as a travel writer and co-author of reputable travel guides have undoubtedly enriched the travel community by providing valuable travel advice, recommendations, and insights for a diverse range of travellers. Some of his co-authored Outlook Traveller guides include 52 Weekend Breaks from Bangalore, Kerala Guide, 100 Holidays in the Hills & Trekking Guide to India.

Zee Zest Unlimit Awards

Jury Panel