Culinary Culture Unveils India's First Restaurant Star Rating System

Culinary Culture Unveils India's First Restaurant Star Rating System

By Author

Published on February 12, 2024

Culinary Culture, a leading name in India’s gastronomy scene, has rolled out the first-ever 'Culinary Culture Ultimate Restaurant Ratings'—a groundbreaking star rating system for restaurants across India. This innovative system marks a significant milestone, aiming to redefine standards of culinary excellence with a focus on authenticity, creativity, and quality. Backed by Lavazza, this initiative stands out as India’s most authoritative, independent, and unbiased culinary rating platform.

A New Benchmark for Culinary Excellence

For three years, Culinary Culture has meticulously worked behind the scenes, deploying anonymous food referees to evaluate over 3000 restaurants and taste more than 12,000 dishes across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, and Goa. This extensive and impartial review process ensures that the stars awarded reflect the highest culinary achievement, free from any external influences or biases.

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How It Works: A Multi-Tier Evaluation Process

The Culinary Culture Ultimate Restaurant Ratings employs a rigorous evaluation process:

Nomination: Culinary experts from the Culinary Culture Academy nominate standout restaurants.

Screening: Anonymous food referees verify these nominations through personal visits, paying for their meals to ensure unbiased reviews.

Debate: A comprehensive discussion follows to narrow down the potential awardees.

Distillation: The final step involves a detailed review to decide the ultimate star recipients.

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Restaurants achieving these standards will receive 3, 4, or 5 Ultimate Stars, along with a plaque symbolizing their culinary prowess. This transparent, objective, and comprehensive coverage ensures that only the best of the best are recognized, spanning various cuisines and price points.

The launch event, set for 1st February 2024 in Mumbai, will be an exclusive gathering to unveil the first recipients of these prestigious ratings. Culinary Culture’s commitment to elevating India’s F&B industry is further underscored by strategic partnerships, including a significant investment from Diageo, highlighting a shared vision for promoting excellence and sustainability in the culinary world.

Founded by Vir Sanghvi and Sameer Sain, Culinary Culture stands as a beacon of culinary innovation and excellence in India. Beyond restaurant ratings, it celebrates the nation’s top chefs, street food vendors, and hosts global Culinary Exchanges with world-renowned chefs, fostering a vibrant culinary ecosystem.

With the Culinary Culture Ultimate Restaurant Ratings, India’s culinary scene is set for a transformative journey towards global recognition and excellence, offering diners an unparalleled guide to the country’s finest dining experiences.


SOCIAL Oktobeerfest 2025: Bigger Buckets, Bolder Bites, and Brew Bingo Fun!

SOCIAL Oktobeerfest 2025: Bigger Buckets, Bolder Bites, and Brew Bingo Fun!

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 1, 2025

SOCIAL, India’s favorite neighborhood café-bar, is back with its much-awaited Oktobeerfest 2025, running from 6th to 19th October. This year’s edition promises bigger buckets, bolder bites, and playful new experiences designed to bring people together over food, beer, and festive cheer.

Buckets, Platters & Pairings

Beer takes the spotlight with bucket deals offering up to 20% savings on 3, 6, and 9 pints, perfect for sharing with friends. Making a comeback is SOCIAL’s popular Sausage Platter, the perfect companion to chilled brews. Guests can also indulge in exclusive bucket-and-platter pairings crafted to spark camaraderie and turn group hangouts into memorable beer-filled feasts.

SOCIAL’s Brew Bingo

Adding a quirky SOCIAL twist, each table will feature Brew Bingo, a beer-inspired challenge card with fun prompts like “chugged a pint in one go,” “spilled beer on yourself and kept drinking,” or “paired beer with dessert.” Guests can tick off their challenges as they go, creating laughter-filled moments to remember.

Festive Vibes All Around

All SOCIAL outlets nationwide will transform with buntings, quirky décor, and festive energy. True to SOCIAL’s spirit of being a second home for communities, the festival combines good beer, hearty food, and togetherness.

Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, shared, “Oktobeerfest at SOCIAL has become a custom our communities look forward to every year. It’s our way of raising a toast to togetherness with buckets to share, a hearty platter to dig into, and playful experiences that bring people closer. Every year, we add a new SOCIAL twist to the global Oktobeerfest tradition, making it uniquely ours and something our guests can truly call their own.”

With bigger buckets, flavorful pairings, and engaging activities, Oktobeerfest 2025 is set to turn October into a month-long celebration of flavor, fun, and friendship, reaffirming SOCIAL’s place as the go-to neighborhood destination for unforgettable gatherings.


Santé Spa Cuisine Opens Third Pune Outlet at Law College Road

Santé Spa Cuisine Opens Third Pune Outlet at Law College Road

By Hariharan U

Published on October 1, 2025

Santé Spa Cuisine, the award-winning health and wellness dining brand, has strengthened its presence in Pune with the opening of its third outlet at Law College Road. Known for its commitment to fresh, preservative-free, and plant-based cooking, the brand continues to champion mindful dining with dishes that balance taste, nutrition, and sustainability.

The new outlet, set in the backyard of a century-old home surrounded by greenery, features both indoor and outdoor seating for up to 120 guests. With cane, bamboo, copper, and recycled accents, the space reflects Santé’s eco-conscious philosophy while encouraging guests to relax and connect with nature.

Santé’s menu remains true to its wellness-driven ethos. Guests can choose from vegetarian, vegan, Jain, and gluten-free options including millet bowls packed with superfoods, Levantine-inspired protein-rich dishes, gluten-free multigrain pizzas, high-fibre casseroles, and indulgent yet healthy desserts made with jaggery, date sugar, and erythritol. Cold-pressed juices, detox beverages, and carefully paired wines and sangrias complement the food experience.

Founder Sonal Barmecha shared her vision at the launch, “Our aim is to provide a space where people can sit peacefully and nourish both body and mind. With the Law College Road outlet, we are creating more than a dining space, we are building a community that values health, sustainability, and mindful living.”

She added, “The vibrant greenery and open spaces beautifully complement our ethos of simplicity and nourishment. We hope this space inspires people to adopt healthier lifestyles and to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, while also caring for the planet.”

With outlets already at Koregaon Park and Baner in Pune, along with three locations in Mumbai, Santé Spa Cuisine is rapidly expanding its reach in the health food space. Soon to be available on Swiggy and Zomato, the brand is making nutritious and sustainable dining more accessible to urban diners.

Santé’s seasonal menus, like the current Monsoon Menu featuring Himalayan Thukpa soup with momos, keep the experience fresh, relevant, and comforting.

About Santé Spa Cuisine

Founded by Sonal Barmecha and led by Chef Shailendra Kekade, Santé Spa Cuisine has been redefining India’s health dining landscape for over a decade. With a philosophy of ‘less-is-more,’ the brand focuses on plant-based, preservative-free meals rooted in sustainability. Its outlets across Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Ahmedabad reflect a vision of mindful eating that nurtures both the body and the environment.


The Den Bengaluru Launches Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays

The Den Bengaluru Launches Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays

By Hariharan U

Published on October 1, 2025

 The Den, Bengaluru, a 5-star luxury property known for its innovative dining experiences, has launched “Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays”, a weekend culinary festival celebrating the best of India’s flavours.

Every Friday evening from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, The Den transforms into a gourmet destination where succulent kebabs inspired by cities across India meet five distinct variations of biryanis, prepared with traditional methods and authentic spices. Guests can also opt for an unlimited beverage package to complement the lavish buffet.

This experience goes beyond dining—designed to bring people together, it encourages families and friends to enjoy food, flavours, and celebrations under one roof. The restaurant’s elegant setting and warm ambience enhance the festive vibe, making it a perfect start to the weekend.

Details:

  • What: Kebabs & Biryanis

  • When: Every Friday

  • Where: The Creek at The Den, Bengaluru

  • Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

With “Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays,” The Den Bengaluru promises a feast that blends tradition, indulgence, and togetherness, a true celebration of India’s rich culinary heritage.

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