As we await the release of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list tomorrow, let’s take a moment to reflect on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants lists from 2013 to 2024. This list has become essential to the continent’s dynamic and evolving food scene. It is not merely a ranking; it celebrates the incredible talent, creativity, and hard work that define Asia’s culinary world. Each year, this respected list showcases restaurants that are pushing boundaries, reinventing flavors, and providing unforgettable dining experiences.
Achieving the top spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is a significant achievement and demonstrates a restaurant’s dedication to excellence. These culinary masters have perfected their skills and are at the forefront of Asian cuisine. They know how to mix tradition with fresh ideas, using local ingredients while still playing with global styles, which is what makes them stand out. This list highlights their journey, showcasing what makes each of them unique and their lasting influence on the food scene in Asia.
How They Vote
When discussing the voting process, The Academy is structured into 27 regions, and each panel consists of 40 members supervised by a chairperson. They modify at least 25% of their members each year to introduce new viewpoints. Voters, which include food critics, writers, and chefs, each submit 10 votes. The regional boundaries are revised annually to accurately capture the current dining landscape, ensuring a fair evaluation of leading restaurants.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, managed by William Reed, upholds fairness by maintaining a distinct separation between the organizers and the voting Academy. Staff members of William Reed and sponsors are not permitted to vote, while a varied group of 1,080 restaurant professionals puts the list together, ensuring a balanced representation of genders.
A Look at The No. 1 Restaurants Over the Years
Narisawa – Tokyo (2013)
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Narisawa is a well-known restaurant that appears on both Asia’s 50 Best and World’s 50 Best Restaurants lists. It is praised for its commitment to sustainable dining and won the first Asia’s 50 Best Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2013. Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa uses a cooking style, Satoyama cuisine, which focuses on local, seasonal Japanese ingredients combined with European cooking methods. One of the restaurant’s famous dishes is the “Bread of the Forest,” representing this philosophy. You can enjoy his dish with regional wines like Nagano Pinot Noir and Iwate Riesling, highlighting Narisawa’s focus on innovative and eco-friendly restaurant experiences.
Nahm – Bangkok (2014)
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Nah “‘s culinary narrative took a new direction in 2018 with the appointment of Pim Techamuanvivit, previously known for her Michelin-starreNarisawa’s in San Francisco, marking a historic moment as the restaurant’s first female cheNahm’sle still focusing on the authentic flavors of Bangkok, Techamuanvivit has made it a point to get ingredients from local Thai artisans and small-scale producers, showing off the country’s diverse restaurant’s This way, Nahm continues to shine as a top restaurant, regularly appearing on the World’s and Asia’s 50 Best lists, and it was even named Asia’s top restaurant in 2014.
Gaggan – Bangkok (2015 – 2018)
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Gaggan Anand’s restaurant has been ranked No.1 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants four times from 2015 to 2018. Eating here is more like watching a food performance than a regular meal. Classic dishes like ‘Lick It Up’, a colorful Holi gulal made from vegetable dyes. New signature dishes include Channa Masala Paper, which is made with chickpeas and frozen pomegranate. After booking, you will fill out a unique questionnaire that asks for your favorite band, favorite swear word, and a position from the Karma Sutra. This quirky introduction adds to a memorable experience.
Odette – Singapore (2019 – 2020)
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Julien Royer’s restaurant, Odette, named for his grandmother, achieved Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ top ranking in 2019 and 2020. This establishment distinguishes itself through a fusion of modern French cooking with subtle Asian flavors, emphasizing seasonal ingredients and a meticulous approach. While classic recipes receive contemporary updates on the rotating menu, Royer’s pigeon dish maintains a consistent presence, its garnishes reflecting seasonal changes. Located within Singapore’s National Gallery, Odette provides a fine dining experience that balances technical excellence with an approachable ambiance.
The Chairman – Hong Kong (2021)
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The Chairman was named the top restaurant in Hong Kong on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2019, beating 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana and Amber. This milestone marked its tenth anniversary. In 2021, it earned the number 1 spot, recognizing Chef Kwok Keung Tung’s dedication to authentic Cantonese cuisine. Notable dishes include steamed flowery crab in aged Shaoxing wine and camphor wood-smoked seven-spiced goose. The restaurant sources ingredients from its organic farm in Sheung Shui and collaborates with producers across China.
Den – Tokyo (2022)
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When Zaiyu Hasegawa opened Den, it quickly grabbed the spotlight from Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants voting Academy, making its first appearance at No. 37 in 2016. By 2022, Den made history by becoming the first Japanese restaurant named The Best Restaurant in Asia since 2013. Hasegawa has a fresh approach to kaiseki cuisine, mixing playful twists with a focus on seasonal ingredients, all to bring joy to the traditional multi-course dining experience. This mix of creativity and fun has created a vibe that sticks with guests.
Le Du – Bangkok (2023)
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Le Du has been climbing the ranks of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants since 2017 and finally hit the top spot in 2023. Even though the name sounds French, it actually comes from the Thai word for ‘season.’ So, it makes sense that they use seasonal Thai ingredients with French cooking techniques. Chef-owner Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn created this place, and you can choose between a four or six-course tasting menu. One of the most favorite, ‘khao cha,’ is shrimp and pork pâté served with pickled radish and jasmine ice cream.
Sézanne – Tokyo (2024)
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Daniel Calvert’s Sézanne, located in the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, has quickly made a name since it opened in 2021. This neo-French spot takes inspiration from a French town and stands out by blending classic French cooking with some Asian twists. This unique style helped it snag the 17th spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2022 and climb to the top in 2024. Calvert’s seasonal menu features some impressive dishes, like Akkeshi oysters served with rice and wild sorrel, a rich truffle and champagne cream dish, and a super popular gougère that showcases the delicate flavor of its 48-month-aged Comté cheese.
