Design is the silent host of any great dining experience, it is the first thing we notice, the texture we touch, and the atmosphere that lingers long after the plates are cleared. For the category of the “Best Designed Restaurant” at the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026, we celebrate the spaces where beauty meets function, and where architecture doesn't just house a kitchen, but breathes life into a narrative.
From high altitude glamour to quiet, heritage filled sanctuaries, these nominees are redefining the visual language of Indian hospitality.
1. Call Me Ten, Delhi
Conceived by the visionary Architecture Design Interiors, Call Me Ten in Vasant Vihar is a minimalist’s dream wrapped in Japanese sensibilities. The space plays with the duality of its name, where Level 0 is a warm, beige-washed sanctuary for all-day dining, while Level 1 ascends into a dramatic charcoal-grey nighttime mood. With natural limestone plaster, shoji-inspired partitions, and a monolithic brushed stainless steel bar, the design here feels both primal and futuristic. Every curve and shadow in this restaurant is a deliberate step towards a kind of Zen-like precision.
2. Bastian At The Top, Mumbai
Perched on the 48th floor of Kohinoor Square, Bastian At The Top takes Mumbai’s glitterati dining to literal new heights. Designed by Minal Chopra, this 10,000 sq ft space feels like a luxurious escape to a modern day Cappadocia. With its cavernous high ceilings, rustic finish walls, and a stunning plunge pool reflecting the city skyline, this restaurant is a masterclass in scale. The giant laughing Buddha and levitating light fittings ensure that every corner is a high octane visual spectacle that is worthy of its Supper Club status.
3. Kalpaney, Bengaluru
Kalaney translates to imagination, and this JP Nagar gem by Studio Camarada lives up to its name by reimaging a traditional South Indian home through a whimsical lens. Step through a century old refurbished wooden door to find a ceiling dancing with the reflections of a central water installation, which is a wooden shikhara boat. With walls adorned in Panchatantra-inspired allegories like Brinjal Baba and light fixtures that resemble Alabaster bangles, the design here bridges adult sophistication with childhood wonder.
4. The Sarvato, Jaipur
Located within the historic City Palace of Jaipur, The Sarvato is a collaboration between Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh and Abhishek Honawar. The design here resembles that of a living museum that honors Rajasthan’s royal heritage without feeling like a relic. The ceiling, clad in hand beaten stainless steel to resemble the rippling waters of a lake, perfectly complements the intricate Pichhwai art on the walls. It is a space of neoclassical mouldings and regal gold accents, where the architecture serves as an exquisite vessel for the region’s culinary folklore.
5. Primitive, Jaipur
True to its name, Primitive celebrates the pracheen or the ancient style of cooking over open fire, and its design reflects this raw and elemental energy. The maximalist and eclectic interiors feature adaptations of paintings from the Ajanta and Ellora caves, set against a backdrop that smell faintly of woodsmoke. With its live robata grill as the focal point, the architecture here bridges the gap between rustic hearths of the past and the redefined luxury of the present, creating a smoky aesthetic that is entirely unique to the Pink City.
6. 1932 Trevi, Jaipur
A passage through time, 1932 Trevi captures the romance of a well travelled Indian royal returning home from Italy. Designed by Shantanu Garg, this sprawling 14,000 sq ft space is anchored by a magnificent fountain reminiscent of Rome’s iconic Trevi. The design expertly weaves Indian motifs like the Padma and peacock-shaped woodfire ovens with Italian grandeur. Whether it's the Vanity Room inspired by Maharani's boudoir or the al fresco Baghan with its red piano, this restaurant is a breathtaking celebration of two cultures in perfect harmony.