The list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 has just been announced at the awards ceremony held at Wynn Palace in Macau. Here are the winners:
In advance of hosting The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony this year in June, it will be a big celebration for Singapore, who have taken the top spot for the first time with Odette. This is especially exciting for Hong Kongers hoping to try the cuisine of Chef Julien Royer – he announced only last week that he is opening a restaurant at PMQ (in the old Aberdeen Street Social space) this coming June. Albeit touted as a more casual French bistro than Odette, the new eatery, called Louise, will still give those in the city a chance to try the food from the chef of the best restaurant in Asia.
Each of the top three on the list was also awarded an Individual Country Award, with number 2 going to Gaggan (closing next year), finally dethroned from the number 1 spot for four years running for his progressive Indian restaurant in Bangkok, and number 3 going to popular Den in Tokyo. The number 4 spot was again awarded to Sühring in Bangok for the second year, with Florilége in Tokyo at number 5 and number 6 going to Shanghai’s Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet. Number 7 went to MUME in Taiwan, with number 8 going to Tokyo’s Narisawa and 9 to Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo for a second year running. Number 10 was won by Burnt Ends in Singapore to round out the top 10 list, which is voted for by “an influential group of more than 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia”.
The top 10 list:
1) Odette (Singapore)
2) Gaggan (Bangkok)
3) Den (Tokyo)
4) Sühring (Bangkok)
5) Florilége (Tokyo)
6) Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (Shanghai)
7) MUME (Taiwan)
8) Narisawa (Tokyo)
9) Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo)
10) Burnt Ends (Singapore)
The nine Hong Kong restaurants on the list include the city’s Chinese favourite, The Chairman, which rose from number 22 to number 11, 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana at 12, also taking home the Art of Hospitality Award, and BELON at 15, which entered the list for the first time last year and also earned the Highest Climber Award this year, and Amber at 21. Newcomer to the list, coming in at 34, is VEA, and Neighborhood is at 37, followed by Lung King Heen at 38, new-to-the-list Seventh Son at 44 (a Foodie Forks honorable mention winner 2016) and Ta Vie at 50. Notably absent were Ronin and Caprice from the list last year.
Hong Kong restaurants:
11) The Chairman
12) 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
15) BELON
21) Amber
34) VEA
37) Neighborhood
38) Lung King Heen
44) Seventh Son
50) Ta Vie
Macau achieved a spot for Jade Dragon at 27, along with new entry Wing Lei Palace at 36.
The Sustainable Restaurant Award was given to Indonesia’s Locavore, located in Bali, which heralds a no-plastic policy and champions local produce and finding new ways to create dishes from food that would otherwise be wasted.
Asia’s Best Pastry Chef 2019 was named Fabrizio Fiorani of Il Ristorante Luca Fantin in Tokyo.
Check out the awards given out in advance and the complete list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019.
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