Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore

According to a new ranking published by the 50 best companies, Hong Kong is the top destination in Asia for food lovers this year.

The city, home to 16 of the region’s “best” 100 restaurants, as shown in the list, was published in two parts in March.

Thailand and Japan are second on the list with 13 restaurants. The small city-state of Singapore has punched its weight with 12 installations among the best in Asia.

William Drew, director of content for William Reed Business Media, which hosted the awards, told CNBC that Hong Kong had an “unusual experience” this year because it was largely closed to foreign audiences.

“However, with the exception of restrictions, many restaurants were very busy locally,” Drew said.

“Perhaps local voters ate at the city’s wide-ranging restaurants, spreading the vote among a wide range of organizations,” he added.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the “50 Best Restaurants in Asia” list. This year’s ranking includes restaurants in 10 locations, including 16 new entrants.

Looking only at the top 50 places, Japan has risen to the top for the second year in a row. It topped the allure – Tokyo Dane’s “The Best Restaurant in Asia 2022” – and 1 in 5 restaurants on the list.

Hong Kong’s chairman, who was No. 1 last year, has dropped four places to No. 5. Singapore’s Audet, which has twice been named the best restaurant in Asia, also lost ground, dropping six places from 2nd to 8th.

Rising nine places to No. 2, Thailand’s Sorn also won the title of “Best Restaurant in Thailand” for the first time. Local chef themed ‘Ton’ Tasanakajan can now count his two restaurants in the top 10 – Le Du (No. 4) and Nusara (No. 10).

Japan’s Dan – No. 3 on last year’s list – is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant that entered the list in 2016. In seven years, it has moved from 37th to No. 1

Opened in 2007, chef and owner Zaiu Hasagawa and his team at Kaiseki – a creative approach to traditional multi-course Japanese cuisine characterized by small, complex dishes – twisted with traditional cuisine.

Take “Dentaki Fried Chicken” for example. It is served in a box similar to KFC’s packaging, but instead of Colonel Sanders, it shows Hasgawa holding two drum sticks. Filled with chicken rice.

Dan is no stranger to success, as it has been named “Japan’s Best Restaurant” for five consecutive years. It is number 11 on the list of “50 Best Restaurants in the World” in 2021.

1. Den (Tokyo, Japan)
2. Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand)
3. Florilage (Tokyo, Japan)
4. Le Du (Bangkok, Thailand)
5. Chairman (Hong Kong)
6. La Sime (Osaka, Japan)
7. Suhring (Bangkok, Thailand)
8. Audit (Singapore)
9. Neighbor (Hong Kong)
10. Nusara (Bangkok, Thailand)
11. Sajenka (Tokyo, Japan)
12. Fu Hi Hui (Shanghai, China)
13. Odd (Tokyo, Japan) – Highest Mountaineering Award (from No. 27 last year)
14. Villa Aida (Wakayama, Japan) – Highest New Entry Prize
15. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
16. Mingles (Seoul, South Korea)
17. Cজzanne (Tokyo, Japan)
18. Xu Oke (Seoul, South Korea)
19. Ensu (Shenzhen, China)
20. Meta (Singapore)
21. Mask (Mumbai, India)
22. Indian Pronunciation (New Delhi, India)
23. Friends (Singapore)
24. Capris (Hong Kong)
25. Blue by Alain Ducasse (Bangkok, Thailand)

26. 7th door (Seoul, South Korea)
27. Mosu (Seoul, South Korea)
28. Da Vittorio (Shanghai, China)
29. Sushi Masato (Bangkok, Thailand)
30. Onjiam (Seoul, South Korea)
31. Samrub Samrub Thai (Bangkok, Thailand)
32. Monkey (Hong Kong)
33. Ga (Bangkok, Thailand)
34. Wing (Hong Kong)
35. Ministry of Crabs (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
36. Goh Nature House (Fukuoka, Japan)
37. Jane (Singapore)
38. Logi (Taipei, Taiwan)
39. Paul Pierre’s Ultraviolet (Shanghai, China)
40. Maze (Singapore)
41. Bern Ends (Singapore)
42. Ete (Tokyo, Japan)
43. Sensei (Kyoto, Japan)
44. Cloud Street (Singapore)
45. JL Studio (Taichung, Taiwan)
46. ​​Ran J Phi (Bangkok, Thailand)
47. Wing Lei Palace (Macau)
48. 8 ½ Auto and a half Bombana (Hong Kong)
49. Meghu (New Delhi, India)
50. Dewakan (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

This is the second year this extended list has been published.

Eleven of Asia’s top 50 restaurants last year dropped to 51-100 rankings this year. Most notably, L’Effervescence dropped from 19th to 52nd.

Nevertheless, Hong Kong has proven to be a hot spot this year, moving from just one restaurant on the 2021 list to 10 this year.

China’s Jin Shao saw the biggest jump, moving up 38 spots from No. 89 to No. 51, close to the top 50 list. Nadodi was close, rising from No. 99 to No. 62 No. 37 rank.

Extended list here:

51. Jin Sha (Hangzhou, China)
52. Adachi Sushi (Taipei, Taiwan)
53. Seventh Son (Hong Kong)
54. Mume (Taipei, Taiwan)
55. Know by Kirk Westway (Singapore)
56. Euphoria (Singapore)
57. Shon Rugin (Taipei, Taiwan)
58. Esora (Singapore)
59. Caravalli (Bangalore, India)
60. Ta V (Hong Kong)
61. Pru (Phuket, Thailand)
62. Nadodi (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
63. Via (Hong Kong)
64. Godenia (Hong Kong)
65. Annan Saigon (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)
66. Bukhara (New Delhi, India)
67. Refer (Beijing, China)
68. Jin Rong Ji (Beijing, China)
69. TIE – Comorin, Gurugram (India)
69. TIE – Cheler Gallery (Manila, Philippines)
71. L’Effervescence (Tokyo, Japan)
72. Independence (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
73. Dum Pukhat (New Delhi, India)
74. Antonio’s (Tagite, Philippines)
75. Lolla (Singapore)
76. Obscura (Shanghai, China)
77. Jin Rong Ji (Hong Kong)
78. Sushi Saito (Tokyo, Japan)
79. Rotation (Chennai, India)
80. American (Mumbai, India)
81. Eat and Cook (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
82. Battard (Hong Kong)
83. Amber (Hong Kong)
84. Golden Flower (Macau)
85. Table (Mumbai, India)
86. Ban Tepa (Bangkok, Thailand)
87. Lordtip Wanghin (Bangkok, Thailand)
88. Flight (Hong Kong)
89. Jade Dragon (Macau)
90. Topaz (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
91. Queens (Bangkok, Thailand)
92. Thevar (Singapore)
93. Cilantro (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
94. Toyo Eatery (Manila, Philippines)
95. Lamelois House (Shanghai, China)
96. Chat (Hong Kong)
97. Eight (Macau)
98. Sushi Hare (Hong Kong)
99. Le Kot LM (Taichung, Taiwan)
100. 8 টো Auto e Mejo Bombana (Shanghai, China)

Nearly half of the Singapore restaurants on both lists have seen a drop in rankings this year.

Meta – short for Metamorphosis – is the only Singapore restaurant that rose 40 spots to 20th position in the rankings. The one-Michelin-starred restaurant won the “One to Watch” award last year.

Chef Sun Kim recommends using his Korean barbecue. “It’s a dish I hold on to because it gives me a feeling of nostalgia,” he told CNBC.

In contrast, Kirk Westway’s Jan Tana dropped to the rankings for the third year in a row, moving from No. 21 to No. 42 this year and finally to No. 55. Euphoria also dropped 15 places to 56th place.

Burn Ends, an Australian barbecue restaurant, dropped from 14th to 41st place in 27th place.

Lolla is ranked 75th in Singapore’s highest rankings this year.

A representative of the Mediterranean restaurant told CNBC that the person behind its success was chef Johan C., who joined less than two years ago. At last year’s World Gourmet Awards, Siy was named the “Chef of the Year”.

This is how voting works, according to the 50 best organizations.

The restaurants are chosen by more than 300 industry leaders, referred to as “academies”. They are food writers, critics, chefs and restaurateurs throughout the region. The academy changes regularly and has a 50-50 gender balance and every voter must visit a restaurant at least once in the last 18 months.

In 2022, voting rules were amended due to restrictions on international travel. Each member nominates eight restaurants, up to six of which are from their home country but are not obliged to vote for restaurants outside their country.

After two years of live streamed events, this year’s awards presentation was hosted live in three cities: Bangkok, Macau and Tokyo. The events were also streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

The top 50 companies publish several lists to highlight excellence in the food industry, including “The World’s 50 Best Bars” and regional lists such as “The 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America.”