Ranked: The top 50 restaurants in Asia

Charismatic Japanese chef Zaiyu Hasegawa is sure to be in high spirits today, with his Tokyo restaurant Den – home of the famous ‘Dentucky Fried Chicken’ dish – claiming the top spot in the annual rankings of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants overnight.

Now in its 10th year, the mouth-watering list is a showcase of the culinary diversity and quality across the region, giving diners local insights and recommendations, as well as shining a light on up-and-coming trends and talent.

Tokyo restaurant Den secured first place in the annual ranking

The 2022 round-up includes a record 16 new entries, with Japan dominating the gastronomical scoreboard, claiming 11 of the top 50 spots, closely followed by Thailand with nine.

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is decided by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, a group of over 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia, each selected for their expert opinion of Asia’s restaurant scene.

Bangkok institution Sorn, described as the ‘hottest restaurant in town’ for its spicy Southern Thai menu, jumped nine places to take out No.2. It was followed by the highly-acclaimed Florilège in Toyko, which creates imaginative French-inspired dishes such as manju dumplings stuffed with pigeon and simmered in port wine.

Restaurant Sühring in Bangkok puts a modern spin on German classics

Le Du in Bangkok, which infuses Thai flavours with modern French techniques, and upmarket Cantonese venue The Chairman in Hong Kong took fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Singapore icon Odette has nabbed two honours this year, securing both eighth place and the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award in recognition of operations director Steven Mason and his team’s “combination of ultra-professionalism and warm individuality”.

Singapore staple Odette received two prestigious honours this year

South Korean favourite Mingles (No.16) has been hailed the country’s best restaurant for the seventh year in a row, besting fellow Seoul-based venues Joo Ok, Mosu and Onjium, which make their debuts on the list at No.18, No.27 and No.30.

Other notable mentions include Masque in Mumbai, earning its place as the best restaurant in India at No. 21, narrowly succeeding seven-time title holder Indian Accent at No.22.

Masque in Mumbai claimed the title of India's best restaurant for 2022

William Drew, Director of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants proudly continues the tradition of rewarding culinary excellence and guiding diners to the most unique gastronomic experiences across the continent.”

“This year, Den has been crowned No.1 in Asia in recognition of its unique blend of tradition, innovation, flavour, hospitality and playfulness. We are delighted to celebrate Zaiyu-san and the Den team, as well as showcasing all the restaurants on the 2022 list and the individual award winners, who inspire us with their creativity, resilience and skill.”

Indulge with French-inspired tasting menus at Florilège in Tokyo

The top 50 restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa were named for the first time earlier this year, while the Top 50 Bars in Asia for 2022 have also been revealed.

Yesterday’s hotly-anticipated reveal of Asia’s top 50 joined the list of 51 to 100, which was released a week prior, and featured 10 names from Hong Kong, six from mainland China, seven from India and three each from Malaysia and the Philippines.

Top 50 Restaurants in Asia

1. Den – Tokyo
2. Sorn – Bangkok
3. Florilege – Tokyo
4. Le Du – Bangkok
5. The Chairman – Hong Kong
6. La Cime – Osaka
7. Suhring – Bangkok
8. Odette – Singapore
9. Neighborhood – Hong Kong
10. Nusara – Bangkok
11. Sazenka – Tokyo
12. Fu He Hui – Shanghai
13. Ode – Tokyo (Highest Climber Award)
14. Villa Aida – Wakayama, Japan (Highest New Entry Award)
15. Narisawa – Tokyo
16. Mingles – Seoul
17. Sezanne – Tokyo
18. Joo Ok – Seoul
19. Ensue – Shenzhen
20. Meta – Singapore
21. Masque – Mumbai
22. Indian Accent – New Delhi
23. Les Amis – Singapore
24. Caprice – Hong Kong
25. Blue by Alain Ducasse – Bangkok
26. Seventh Door – Seoul
27. Mosu – Seoul
28. Da Vittorio – Shanghai
29. Sushi Masato – Bangkok
30. Onjium – Seoul
31. Samrub Samrub Thai – Bangkok
32. Mono – Hong Kong
33. Gaa – Bangkok
34. Wing – Hong Kong
35. Ministry of Crab – Colombo, Sri Lanka
36. La Maison de la Nature Goh – Fukuoka, Japan
37. Zen – Singapore
38. Logy – Taipei
39. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet – Shanghai
40. Labyrinth – Singapore
41. Burnt Ends – Singapore
42. Ete – Tokyo
43. Cenci – Kyoto, Japan
44. Cloudstreet – Singapore
45. JL Studio – Taichung, Taiwan
46. Raan Jay Fai – Bangkok
47. Wing Lei Palace – Macau
48. Otto e Mezzo Bombana – Hong Kong
49. Megu – New Delhi
50. Dewakan – Kuala Lumpur