The elite of Asian gastronomy
Asia’s culinary heavyweights gathered in Hong Kong today for the unveiling of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, a list that continues to define dining trends across the continent.
Compiled from the votes of more than 1,000 industry experts, the rankings offer a snapshot of where Asia’s food scene stands right now – bold, diverse and increasingly boundary-pushing.
Cantonese cuisine trailblazer The Chairman in Hong Kong bags the coveted title of The Best Restaurant in Asia. The acclaimed restaurant, which honours forgotten luxury Cantonese ingredients and traditions from southern China, rises from No.2 last year to reclaim the title, which it previously held in 2021.
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Another Hong Kong institution, Wing by chef-owner Vicky Cheng, takes No.2, revolutionising the eight Chinese culinary traditions with French culinary finesse. Gaggan in Bangkok, Mingles in Seoul, and Nusara also in Bangkok round the top five listings of this year.
Hong Kong’s Knockout
Four other restaurant’s from this year’s host city made appearances on the list – ingredient-driven Neighborhood (No.24), Neapolitan restaurant Estro (No.32), elegant Caprice (No.35) at Four Seasons Hong Kong and Latin American-style Mono (No.46).
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Bangkok Dominates
Gaggan, which retains it’s spot as The Best Restaurant in Thailand for its extraordinary experiential Indian gastronomy, accompanies Nusara, offering a creative spin on chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn’s ancient family recipes.
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Bangkok’s line-up also features chef Gaggan Anand’s collaboration with luxury fashion, Gaggan at Louis Vuitton (No.8); innovative southern Thai restaurant Sorn (No.12); contemporary German restaurant Sühring (No.18); progressive Thai-Chinese cuisine at Potong (No.25); Mexican-Indian ‘love story’ Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh (No.27); modern Thai-inspired Le Du (No.36); and new contender, elevating the culture of Khao Gaeng or curry on rice, Wana Yook (No.47).
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Tokyo’s Winners
Tokyo boasts seven restaurants on the list, including neo-French Japanese Sézanne (No.16); Chinese-Japanese fusion at Sazenka (No.21); Peru-inspired Maz (No.28); communal French restaurant Florilège (No.31); French-leaning Myoujyaku (No.33); Nordic-inspired Crony (No.34); and Narisawa (No.37). La Cime in Osaka (No.13) is named The Best Restaurant in Japan.
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Over in China
Shanghai leads representation in Mainland China with five restaurants featured on the list, while Hangzhou returns to the 1-50 rankings this year. Comforting retreat Meet the Bund (No.6) in the Bund Finance Center continues its rise from No.14 last year and is again voted The Best Restaurant in Mainland China. Ling Long (No.9), 102 House (No.29), La Bourriche 133 (No.48) also make appearances.
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The list also recognises neighbouring cities: Hangzhou’s Ru Yuan (No.10) earns the Highest New Entry Award for reinvigorating old-school Hangzhou cuisine, while seasonal plant-based Lamdre in Beijing soars 33 places from No.50 last year to No.17, winning the Highest Climber Award.
Singapore’s Top
Odette (No.19) once again earns The Best Restaurant in Singapore accolade, with Lesley Liu also voted Asia’s Best Sommelier; Seroja at No.20, with Born (No.23) coming in next. Iconic Les Amis (No.38) remains a perennial flag-bearer; modernised Singaporean classics impress at Labyrinth (No.40); and contemporary Seoul cuisine is recognised at Nae:Um (No.45).
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When in Seoul
In Seoul, Mingles (No.4) is again hailed The Best Restaurant in South Korea. Korean heritage restaurant Onjium comes in at No.14, with Cho Eun-hee also honoured as Asia’s Best Female Chef. Eatanic Garden is No.26, while celebrity Korean-American chef Sung Anh’s Mosu (No.41) also returns to the list. Bium (No.43) debuts with vegetarian temple cuisine, and traditional Korean fermentation gains recognition with 7th Door ranking at No.49.
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Notable Others
Jakarta and Ubud each earn a place on the list, with modern Indonesian gastronomy earning August (No.42) in Jakarta the title of The Best Restaurant in Indonesia and Ardika Dwitama also winning the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award. Hyperlocal gourmet playground Locavore NXT (No.44) in Ubud, Bali, marks the city’s debut.
Taipei and Taichung are both represented, with Logy in Taipei (No.22) and JL Studio in Taichung (No.50).
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Masque (No.15) in Mumbai, founded by Aditi Dugar and a pioneer of modern Indian gastronomy, is named The Best Restaurant in India for the fourth time and also receives the Art of Hospitality Award. In a unique entry, the distant foothill town of Kasauli makes its debut with chef Prateek Sadhu’s Naar (No.30), showcasing his passion for Himalayan cuisine.
For the complete list and special award winners, visit here.
Image credit: @masquerestaurant on Instagram
Curious, expressive, and always chasing new ideas, Zainab sees creativity as a way of life. She thrives on discovering new perspectives, connecting with people, and turning inspiration into something tangible. Her work and her world reflect a balance of intuition, imagination, and authenticity.
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