Words by Aude Camus
As I switch off the live stream from the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants award ceremony, held tonight (Tuesday, 25 March 2025) in Seoul, I can’t help but wonder—does this list really make sense? Can you truly rank something as subjective as dining and say, unequivocally, that one restaurant is the best?
Now, I won’t pretend to be the ultimate authority on gastronomy, but I’ve had my fair share of extraordinary dining experiences—including at many of the restaurants on this list. My work also allows me to engage directly with chefs and industry insiders, giving me insight beyond just what’s on the plate. And yes, I believe many of the restaurants and chefs celebrated tonight absolutely deserve their spot.
But, let’s talk about that #1 ranking. Seeing Gaggan reclaim the top position is, frankly, disappointing. A chef’s attitude and the way they treat guests should matter—and if you ask me, someone with a history of openly disrespecting diners shouldn’t be celebrated as the best in Asia. Meanwhile, The Chairman in my beloved home city of Hong Kong takes the #2 spot, and I have to say it: I’ve dined there, and I don’t believe it deserves to be ranked as the second-best restaurant in all of Asia. There, I said it.
Was this year’s list frustrating? Yes. Does anyone really care what I think? Probably not. But hey, this is my space, and I’m here to share my honest opinion.
Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some incredibly exciting names on the list, and seeing Chef Ton with both Nusara and Le Du in the top 20, Julien Royer’s Odette in Singapore holding strong, and Chef Son Jong-won’s Eatanic Garden making the highest new entry are all wins worth celebrating. I’m also thrilled to see Hong Kong talents like Guillaume Galliot (Caprice) and Agustin Balbi (Ando) recognised.
At the end of the day, this just reinforces what I already believe: rankings are fun, but nothing beats forming your own opinion. Because when it comes to dining, you are the best judge of what’s worth your time, money, and calories.
So, here’s the full list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 —how many have you dined at, and which ones do you think truly deserve their spot?
As I switch off the live stream from the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants award ceremony, held tonight (Tuesday, 25 March 2025) in Seoul, I can’t help but wonder—does this list really make sense? Can you truly rank something as subjective as dining and say, unequivocally, that one restaurant is the best?
Now, I won’t pretend to be the ultimate authority on gastronomy, but I’ve had my fair share of extraordinary dining experiences—including at many of the restaurants on this list. My work also allows me to engage directly with chefs and industry insiders, giving me insight beyond just what’s on the plate. And yes, I believe many of the restaurants and chefs celebrated tonight absolutely deserve their spot.
But, let’s talk about that #1 ranking. Seeing Gaggan reclaim the top position is, frankly, disappointing. A chef’s attitude and the way they treat guests should matter—and if you ask me, someone with a history of openly disrespecting diners shouldn’t be celebrated as the best in Asia. Meanwhile, The Chairman in my beloved home city of Hong Kong takes the #2 spot, and I have to say it: I’ve dined there, and I don’t believe it deserves to be ranked as the second-best restaurant in all of Asia. There, I said it.
Was this year’s list frustrating? Yes. Does anyone really care what I think? Probably not. But hey, this is my space, and I’m here to share my honest opinion.
Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some incredibly exciting names on the list, and seeing Chef Ton with both Nusara and Le Du in the top 20, Julien Royer’s Odette in Singapore holding strong, and Chef Son Jong-won’s Eatanic Garden making the highest new entry are all wins worth celebrating. I’m also thrilled to see Hong Kong talents like Guillaume Galliot (Caprice) and Agustin Balbi (Ando) recognised.
At the end of the day, this just reinforces what I already believe: rankings are fun, but nothing beats forming your own opinion. Because when it comes to dining, you are the best judge of what’s worth your time, money, and calories.
So, here’s the full list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 —how many have you dined at, and which ones do you think truly deserve their spot?
- Gaggan – The best restaurant in Thailand
- The Chairman – The best restaurant in Hong Kong
- Wing (Hong Kong)
- Sézane (Tokyo)– The best restaurant in Japan
- Mingles (Seoul) – The best restaurant in South Korea
- Nusara (Bangkok)
- Odette (Singapore) – The best restaurant in Singapore
- La Cime (Osaka)
- Chef Tam’s Seasons – The best restaurant in Macau / The Highest Climber Award
- Onjium (Seoul)
- Sürhing (Bangkok)
- Narisawa (Tokyo)
- Potong (Bangkok)
- Meet The Bund - The best restaurant in Mainland China
- Fu He Hui (Shanghai)
- Sorn (Bangkok)
- Florilège (Tokyo)
- Caprice (Hong Kong)
- Masque (Mumbai) - The best restaurant in India
- Le Du (Bangkok)
- Neighborhood (Hong Kong)
- Den (Tokyo)
- 7th Door (Seoul)
- Mono (Hong Kong)
- Eatanic Garden (Seoul) – Highest new entry of the list
- Logy (Taipei) – The best restaurant in Taiwan
- Ling Long (Shanghai)
- Les Amis (Singapore)
- 102 House (Shanghai)
- Crony (Tokyo) – New entry
- Gaggan at Louis Vuitton (Bangkok) – New entry
- Estro (Hong Kong) – New entry
- Sushi Saito – re-entry to the list
- Sazenka (Tokyo)
- JL Studio (Taichung)
- Goh (Fukuoka)
- Labyrinth (Singapore)
- Burnt Ends (Singapore)
- Meta (Singapore)
- Seroja (Singapore)
- Ando (Hong Kong)
- Toyo Eatery (Manilla) – The best restaurant in the Philippines
- Maz (Tokyo) – New entry
- Baan Tepa (Bangkok)
- Myoujyaku (Tokyo) - New entry
- Indian Accent (New Delhi)
- Samrub Samrub Thai (Bangkok) => revisiting nearly forgotten Thai ingredients
- Euphoria (Singapore) => gastro-botanic concept
- August (Jakarta) – The best restaurant in Indonesia
- Lamdre (Beijing) – New entry
