Overview

On Wednesday, 16 September 2026, EazyDiner hosted the Delhi edition of its Foodie Awards at The LaLiT, New Delhi. The event celebrated the city’s dining landscape, with more than 850 restaurants nominated across 102 categories and over 300,000 diners casting votes to determine the winners. Leadership honours were presented by EazyDiner Founder Kapil Chopra, Mastercard India Division President Gautam Aggarwal, and Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh.

Leadership Honours

  • Hospitality Trailblazer of the Year – Deeksha Suri, Executive Director of The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group, recognised for expanding the brand to new cities and pioneering inclusive hiring programmes.
  • Hospitality Leader of the Year – Kush Kapoor, CEO of Roseate Hotels & Resorts, honoured for growing a single Delhi property into a design‑led luxury portfolio across India and the UK.
  • The Voice of Hospitality – Bibhor Srivastava, Managing Director of ITP Media India, acknowledged for providing a platform for Indian hospitality professionals.
  • Leadership in Hospitality Workforce Development – Natwar Nagar, Founder of The People Network and The Job Plus, celebrated for training and placing thousands of young people in hospitality roles.
  • General Manager of the Year – Abhimanyu Lodha, General Manager of The Lodhi, New Delhi, noted for achieving a Michelin Key and consecutive FHRAI GM awards.
  • F&B Head of the Year – Atul Tiwari, Director of Operations at The Leela Palace, New Delhi, a former Indian Sommelier Champion who rose from restaurant manager to F&B lead.
  • Chef of the Year – Chef Manish Sharma, Executive Chef at The Oberoi, New Delhi, praised for blending classical technique with contemporary flair.
  • Editorial Excellence in Hospitality Journalism – Shafquat Ali, Publisher of Hospitality Horizon and CEO of Trikaya Media Group, recognised for three decades of hospitality storytelling.

Hotel and Restaurant Awards

  • Food & Beverage Hotel of the Year – ITC Maurya, New Delhi, noted for its historic role as a diplomatic dining venue and its flagship restaurants Bukhara, Dum Pukht and Avartana.
  • Restaurant Opening of the Year – Nisaba (Chef Manish Mehrotra’s first independent restaurant within the Humayun’s Tomb Museum Complex) and Raga (Chef Gaggan Anand’s return to Delhi).
  • Most Inclusive Hotel Chain in India – The LaLiT.
  • Best Indian Restaurant in a Hotel – Kheer at Roseate House, New Delhi.
  • Best Sunday Brunch – Farmers Basket at Pullman New Delhi Aerocity.
  • Best Japanese Restaurant in a Hotel – MEGU at The Leela Palace, New Delhi.
  • Additional category winners spanned cuisines and formats, including best European, Mediterranean, vegetarian, vegan, buffet, cocktail bar, microbrewery, and nightlife experiences across venues such as The Imperial, JW Marriott Aerocity, Grand Hyatt Gurgaon, and many others.

Legacy and Popular Brands

  • The Legacy of Indian Dining – Haldiram’s.
  • The Pride of Indian Dining – Bikanervala.
  • The Nation’s Favourite Indian Dining Brand – Punjab Grill.- Legacy Legend of the City – Kwality and United Coffee House (Connaught Place).

Partners and Platform Reach

The awards were made possible by hospitality partner The LaLiT, associate partners UNOX, BMW Bird Automotive and Byufuel, and experience partners Johnnie Walker, Grover Vineyards, Bad Monkey and Lion Brewery. EazyDiner’s platform now serves over 40,000 restaurants in more than 150 cities across India and the UAE, offering table‑booking, payments via PayEazy, and 425+ credit‑card offers, with Prime members receiving a guaranteed 25 % discount at 2,000+ premium venues.

Closing Remarks

Founder Kapil Chopra emphasized that the awards belong to Delhi’s diners, noting the city’s diverse culinary scene from historic chains like Haldiram’s to emerging concepts such as the microbrewery Downtown.