10: Nusara, Bangkok/Thailand

Chef: Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn
Must try: 12-course tasting menu
Price: tasting menu without drinks approx. €100

 

 

 

 

 

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Kicking off the list of the 10 best restaurants in Asia – chosen by the jury of the World's 50 Best Restaurants – is Nusara. Chef Tassanakajohn returns to his roots here, serving authentic Thai cuisine. The culinary concept was inspired by his grandmother, who passed away in 2020, but whose name lives on at her grandson's restaurant.

22 Maha Rat Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand, nusarabkk.com

 

9: Neighborhood, Hong Kong/China

Chef: David Lai
Must try: Chicken baked in salt with morels
Price: Tasting menu without wine pairing approx. €130

 

David Lei serves up exceptional hearty cuisine. There are about 20 dishes on the menu, and the desserts are not to be missed. © Neighborhood Restaurant

Unconventional is the best word to describe this first-class restaurant. It's hidden among run-down bars, but the chef was a student of Alain Ducasse. Lai serves tapas-style fare with a Western twist, and seasonally changing menus. Unusually cool: guests can bring their own wine.

61 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong

 

8: Odette, Singapore

Chef: Julien Royer
Must try: Crab with wasabi oil and nashi pear
Price: Tasting menu (dinner) without wine pairing from approx. €330

 

Avocado French style, or rather "au naturel." © Odette

French chef Julien Royer prepares timeless cuisine from the best ingredients he can find around the world. Seasonal? Local? Alien concepts. Quality takes center stage here. Opened in 2015, Odette is also a tribute to the chef's grandmother. We're certain she would have liked the powder pink interior of the restaurant.

1 St Andrew's Rd, 04 National Gallery, Singapore 178957, odetterestaurant.com

 

7: Sühring, Bangkok/Thailand

Chefs: Thomas & Mathias Sühring
Must try: Blue lobster & scallop
Price: Tasting menu without drinks approx. €180

 

The Sühring brothers showcase just how beautiful Frankfurt green sauce, nestled up against smoked eel, can be. © Sühring

You can tell that the two brothers are from Germany by their cooking. However, there's a clever twist; typically German red berry pudding might be on the menu, but it's refined with 37 percent white chocolate. They even serve "spaetzle" ( billed as "soft egg noodles"). Dinner is served in four dining rooms. The most spectacular part of the restaurant is the glass house overlooking the kitchen.

No. 10, Yenakat Soi 3, Yannawa, Chongnonsi, 10120 Bangkok, Thailand, restaurantsuhring.com

 

6: La Cime, Osaka/Japan

Chef: Yusuke Takada
Must try: Boudin Dog (blood sausage in batter)
Price: 13-course tasting menu without wine pairing €200

 

Since its opening in 2010, Le Cime has been a culinary staple in Japan. © Le Cime

Takada, himself from a small southern Japanese island, creates unusual fare. He draws inspiration from his roots, using traditional Japanese ingredients. However, he infuses them with techniques from haute cuisine. The results are surprising dishes that score with unexpected flavor profiles.

3-2-15 Kawaramachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan, la-cime.com

 

5: The Chairman, Hong Kong/China

Chef: Kwok Keung Tung
Must try: Boiled crab with rice noodles and ShaoXing wine
Price: Dinner menu without wine pairing from approx. €105

 

Chef Tung's creations could be described as "contemporary Cantonese cusine." © The Chairman

When the chef puts his primary focus on the ingredients and the concept (in this case, wholly contemporary fare), the result is often something entirely new. Such is the case at The Chairman. Ranked No. 5 among the best restaurants in Asia, it's famous for Cantonese specialties that no one has ever prepared before. Last year, the restaurant was awarded first place in a ranking of the "Best Restaurants in Asia," sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.

18 Kau U Fong, Central, Hong Kong, chairmangroup.com

 

4: Le Du, Bangkok/Thailand

Chef: Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn
Must try: Khao Kluk Kapi (freshwater shrimp risotto)
Price: 6-course tasting menu without wine pairing approx. €100 

 

Khao Chae, a type of rice soaked in cold water, was once considered a royal dish because it's relative complexity. © Le Du

The name of the restaurant is Thai for "seasons." Fitting, as Ton changes his menu seasonally. One thing that's always on it, however, is Kaho Kluk Kapi, which has become one of the restaurant's signature dishes. Splurging for the wine pairing is worth it – the chef is also a trained sommelier. And if his name sounds familiar, that's because you've heard it before: Nusara (no. 10 on this list) is also under his culinary supervision.

399/3 Silom Soi 7, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand, ledubkk.com

 

3: Florilège, Tokyo/Japan

Chef: Hiroyasu Kawate
Must try: "Sustainability Beef" Carpaccio
Price: 11-course tasting menu without wine pairing from approx. €110

 

The carpaccio from the mother cow is the signature dish at this restaurant; the meat is obtained at the end of the animal's life cycle. © Florilège

Two Michelin stars and third place among the best restaurants in Asia: things could hardly be going better for Chef Hioryasu Kawate. No wonder, since he's absolutely in tune with the zeitgeist. The cooking at Florilège is hyper-seasonal, meaning that the menu changes frequently, depending on what's currently available. The signature dish is the "Sustainability Beef" Carpaccio. It comes from 13-year-old mother cows. 

B1 Seizan Gaien, 2-5-4, Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, aoyama-florilege.jp

 

2: Sorn, Bangkok/Thailand

Chef: Supaksorn "Ice" Jongsiri
Must try: Kan Chu Piang (crab)
Price: Menu without wine pairing approx. €180

 

One of the menus: "The Forest Meets the Sea," served at the ideal temperature to add an extra dimension of flavor. © Sarun Kulsing

The best restaurant in Thailand, two Michelin-stars and number 2 on the Asia list. Chef "Ice" and his love of southern Thai cuisine have made it to the top. Every dish on the menu has a story; Jongsiri's memories find their way into the flavors. 99.9 percent of the ingredients come from the south. Another unique feature is the way the dishes are served. At Sorn, each dish has its own perfect serving temperature, adding another dimension of flavor.

56, Sukhumvit 26, Bangkok 10110, Thailand, instagram.com/sornfinesouthern

 

1: Den, Tokyo/Japan

Chef: Zaiyu Hasegawa
Must try: Dentucky Fried Chicken Wings
Price: Tasting menu without wine pairing approx. €130

 

The restaurant has a column for guests to immortalize themselves with their words of gratitude. Among other things, for the red snapper (pictured). © Shinichiro Fujii, Jesto

It's a relief to see how delightfully uncomplicated Chef Hasegawa is. He poses for official photos with his Chihuaha Puchi, calls his most popular dish "Dentucky Fried Chicken Wings," and is usually in a good mood. It's no wonder, then, that many of his guests have become regulars. Hasegawa's cuisine – which has been awarded two stars – is innovative and always creative. The basis is kaiseki, the Japanese hyper-seasonal dining tradition. But he finds inspiration from everywhere and everything. Most of the time, the food also has a surprise or two in store.

2-3-18 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, jimbochoden.com

 

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