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Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019: Singapore’s Odette Unseats Gaggan to Take the Top Spot

PUBLISHED March 26th, 2019 11:32 pm

Nobody could really tell if Asia’s four-time champion, Gaggan in Bangkok, was going to hold on to its crown as it enters its last year of emoji-led dining, but Chef Julien Royer’s exquisite French restaurant has managed it. So you see, fine dining is not yet dead in Singapore, especially since six other restaurants in our lion city – Burnt Ends (No. 10), JAAN (No. 32), Les Amis (No. 33), Nouri (No. 39), Waku Ghin (No. 40), and Corner House (No. 49) – join Odette on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Kanzuri risotto, carabinero, 25 year old balsamic and nasturtium leaf – Nouri

The luckiest foodies, though, have to the ones living in Japan, since Japanese restaurants dominate with 12 establishments in the top 50. Besides La Cime in Osaka (No. 14) and La Maison de la Nature Goh in Fukuoka (No. 24), the 10 in Tokyo are led by the innovative dining at Den, coming in at No. 3. The only two new entries this year also call Tokyo home;  Sazenka (No. 23) serves Chinese cuisine with Japanese precision while Sugalabo (No. 47) is an introduction-only restaurant (in other word, you have to know somebody to dine there).

Sazenka

Bangkok and Hong Kong tie with eight restaurants each; after Gaggan at No.2, modern German restaurant Sühring rings in at No. 4. Familiar names including Bo.Lan (No. 19), Le Du (No. 20), and Nahm (No. 22) were bested by Gaggan’s protege Garima Arora, who helms Gaa (No. 16) and took the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef.

Unfortunately, though Hong Kong fell out of the top 10 with the city’s best coming in at No. 11 (contemporary Cantonese restaurant The Chairman), Neo-Parisian bistro Belon clinches the Highest Climber Award by moving up a full 25 spots to No. 15. Other Hong Kong restaurants that retained its spot on the list includes stalwarts like 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (No. 12) and Amber (No. 21). For something new, check out the traditional recipes of Seventh Son (No. 44) or indulge in French-Japanese fusion at Ta Vie (No. 50).

Ta Vie

See the full list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants this year below:

  1. Odette, Singapore
  2. Gaggan, Bangkok
  3. Den, Tokyo
  4. Sühring, Bangkok
  5. Florilège, Tokyo
  6. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai
  7. Mume, Taipei
  8. Narisawa, Tokyo
  9. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo
  10. Burnt Ends, Singapore
  11. The Chairman, Hong Kong
  12. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
  13. Mingles, Seoul
  14. La Cime, Osaka
  15. Belon, Hong Kong
  16. Gaa, Bangkok
  17. Indian Accent, New Delhi
  18. Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo
  19. Bo.Lan, Bangkok
  20. Le Du, Bangkok
  21. Amber, Hong Kong
  22. Nahm, Bangkok
  23. Sazenka, Tokyo
  24. La Maison de la Nature Goh, Fukuoka
  25. Sushi Saito, Tokyo
  26. L’Effervescence, Tokyo
  27. Jade Dragon, Macao
  28. Paste, Bangkok
  29. Fu He Hui, Shanghai
  30. Raw, Taipei
  31. Shoun RyuGin, Taipei
  32. JAAN, Singapore
  33. Les Amis, Singapore
  34. Vea, Hong Kong
  35. Ministry of Crab, Colombo
  36. Wing Lei Palace, Macao
  37. Neighbourhood, Hong Kong
  38. Lung King Heen, Hong Kong
  39. Nouri, Singapore
  40. Waku Ghin, Singapore
  41. TocToc, Seoul
  42. Locavore, Bali
  43. Toyo Eatery, Manila
  44. Seventh Son, Hong Kong
  45. Quintessence, Tokyo
  46. Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur
  47. Sugalabo, Tokyo
  48. Sorn, Bangkok
  49. Corner House, Singapore
  50. Ta Vie, Hong Kong

For more details, please see Asia’s 50 Restaurants’ website.

Top Image: Odette


Chief Editor

Emily is a stickler for details, a grammar Nazi, and a really picky eater. Born and bred in Singapore, she loves cats, the written word, and exploring new places. Can be bribed with quality booze across the board.