Una Villa Continental Cuisine, Nungambakkam, the food division of Kothari Industrial Corporation Limited (KICL), has been named Best Retailer of the Year – Restaurant & QSR at the India Retail Awards 2026, held at ITC Grand Chola, Guindy, Chennai.
The recognition adds another milestone to Una Villa’s growing presence in Chennai’s restaurant and food-service landscape, with the brand being recognised for its focus on continental cuisine, customer experience, ambience and service.
Recognition at India Retail Awards
Basheera Rafiq, Business Head, Una Villa Restaurant & Bakery, received the award at a ceremony attended by senior representatives of the retail industry.
The award was presented by Kumar Rajagopalan, Executive Director & CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), and Hitesh Bhatt, Director – Marketing & Communications, Retailers Association of India and Editorial Director, STOrai Magazine, in the presence of Bijou Kurien, Chairman, Retailers Association of India and Strategy Board Member, L Catterton Asia.
Una Villa said the award recognises the team’s efforts to create a differentiated dining experience built around continental food, hospitality and ambience.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate Una Villa, Nungambakkam as the Best Retailer of the Year winner. We dedicate this award to the hard work put in by our team and will continue to work hard towards delivering the best and true essence of continental cuisine to our guests, backed by delicious food, warm service and beautiful ambience,” the management said.
Customer experience at the core
Una Villa’s approach places customer service and employee engagement at the centre of its operations.
The restaurant follows an employee-centric philosophy, with its traditional-cum-continental approach aimed at creating a distinctive dining environment. The company said considerable emphasis is placed on training employees to be both friendly and knowledgeable, enabling them to better understand customer requirements and provide personalised service.
This focus on service has helped Una Villa build a base of repeat customers, with regular guests visiting the restaurant as part of their weekly dining routines.
Backed by KICL legacy
Una Villa is part of Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd, a diversified business group with a history spanning more than a century in South India.
The restaurant business represents KICL’s presence in the food and hospitality segment, with Una Villa seeking to combine its continental food proposition with a customer-centric dining experience.
The India Retail Awards recognition comes as the restaurant industry continues to evolve around experiential dining, service quality and differentiated food concepts. For Una Villa, the award is expected to further strengthen its positioning in Chennai’s competitive restaurant market.