OAD's 2023 Recommended Restaurants in Asia: 128 Picks

An OAD-ranked casual international restaurant in Repulse Bay, Limewood has climbed from a 2023 recommendation to #140 in OAD Casual Asia by 2025 under chef Malcolm Wood. Worth the 30-minute journey from Central for a relaxed beachside lunch, especially for groups. Easy to book with a few days' notice.

A 1930s former British Consulate turned Shanghainese restaurant, YongFoo Elite is the right booking if you want classic recipes; braised pork belly with pu'er tea, seasonal hairy crab; in a heritage setting that most Shanghai restaurants cannot match. Ranked on OAD Top Restaurants in Asia three years running and holding 75 La Liste points in 2025, it earns a return visit, especially in autumn hairy crab season.

A Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant on the 5th floor of Rosewood Hong Kong, The Legacy House earns its $$$ price point through Chef Li Chi-wai's focused Shun Tak cooking and consistent critical recognition; OAD Top 213 in Asia (2025), Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025). Book 3–4 weeks out minimum for dinner. Lunch is your best short-notice option.

Elements, Inspired by Ciel Bleu holds a 2024 Michelin star and an OAD Top Asia recommendation, offering French contemporary tasting menus with a clear Japanese sourcing identity; including Akita Wagyu; built on a formal connection to Amsterdam's two-starred Ciel Bleu. At ฿฿฿฿, it is the strongest argument for French fine dining in Bangkok. Book three to four weeks ahead minimum.

Paul Pairet's accessible Shanghai bistro earns its Michelin Bib Gourmand two years running with credible French cooking at ¥¥ pricing. Open daily 10 am to 10 pm in Huangpu, it is the strongest value case for serious French food in the neighbourhood. Book easily for weekday lunch if you want the room at its best.

Bukhara at ITC Maurya is New Delhi's reference point for North West Frontier tandoor cooking, recognised by La Liste (76pts in 2026) and Tatler Asia's Best Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025. Book it for the Dal and the fire cooking, not the wine program. Weekday lunch is the quieter, more conversational option; weekends fill fast and carry a celebratory energy that suits special occasions.

A Michelin one-star sushi counter in Tsim Sha Tsui with strong Opinionated About Dining credentials and a sourcing program built around wild-caught Japanese fish. The kitchen runs a single omakase menu daily, with the red-vinegar Yamagata rice as its clearest point of difference from peers. Hard to book; plan three to four weeks ahead minimum, ask about seasonal availability when you reserve.

Varq, inside the Taj Mahal Hotel on Man Singh Road, is Delhi's most reliable hotel fine dining option for guests who want OAD Asia-ranked quality (Top 333 in Asia, 2025) with easy booking. The international menu leans on Indian technique at its strongest. Book weekend dinner for occasions; weekday lunch for a more relaxed return visit.

Aqua in Torbole earns its OAD top-25 European ranking and 2025 Michelin Plate through disciplined, ingredient-led Italian contemporary cooking; not the lake view alone. Chef Andrea Mura's veranda dining room on Lake Garda is the strongest special-occasion choice at €€€ in the area. Book two to four weeks ahead in summer; booking difficulty is low relative to the award profile.

Rùn at the St. Regis Wan Chai is one of Hong Kong's most complete Cantonese propositions at the $$$ price point; Black Pearl Diamond recognised, with serious dim sum at lunch, full-range Cantonese at dinner, two private dining rooms that handle group occasions better than most comparable rooms in the city. Book well ahead; availability is tight.

Balwoo is Seoul's most credentialed vegetarian restaurant, serving Korean Buddhist temple food in the historic Jongno District. Ranked in OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia three years running (2023–2025), it is a clear recommendation for a special occasion lunch or dinner; particularly for diners who want a meal rooted in Korean culinary heritage rather than the city's more familiar tasting-menu formats.

A small, chef-driven French room in Wan Chai with three consecutive years of Opinionated About Dining recognition; ranked #327 in Asia for 2025. Jean May is not a formal dining-room experience, but for a food-focused diner who wants serious French cooking without the ceremony, it is one of the more interesting bookings on Hong Kong's current French list. Booking is easy; lunch is the stronger slot.

Alto is a credible steakhouse choice for business dinners and celebrations in Causeway Bay, ranked #415 in OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia 2024. On the 31st floor of V Point, the room earns its occasion-dining brief. Booking is easy, lunch is the better-value slot, the wine list deserves attention before you order.

Hanabi is a serious Japanese restaurant on Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui, with an Opinionated About Dining top-400 Asia ranking for 2024. The fourth-floor room is quieter than its street-level surroundings, making it a practical choice for a date or business meal. Booking is easy; a weekday lunch is the lowest-friction entry point.

Ranked #91 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants (2025) and scoring 91 points on La Liste 2026, The Bombay Canteen is one of Mumbai's most decorated dining destinations; and one of the hardest to book. Chef Hussain Shahzad's regional Indian cooking in a relaxed Kamala Mills setting delivers serious food without the formality. Reserve well in advance; weekday lunch is your best entry point.

Phénix is one of Shanghai's most credible French kitchens, holding a Michelin star, Black Pearl Diamond, a La Liste ranking. Chef Ugo Rinaldo's modern French cooking; grounded in Chinese produce; is best experienced via the 12-course Expérience menu. Book three to four weeks out minimum; this is not a walk-in restaurant.

Michelin-starred French Contemporary inside the Peninsula Beijing, with a Basque-inflected tasting menu and a wine list of 405 selections. Chef William Mahi's seafood-forward cooking earned a Black Pearl Diamond in 2025 and an OAD Asia ranking. Book two to three weeks ahead minimum; weekday lunch is the easiest entry point at this ¥¥¥ price tier.

Seul & Seul is a serious French kitchen in Jing'an ranked #440 on OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia (2025), with consistent year-on-year recognition since 2023. Chefs Bill Hu and Johnny Jiang deliver technically grounded French cooking in a quiet third-floor room that rewards food-focused diners over those seeking spectacle. Easy to book and well-positioned for a focused lunch or understated special occasion dinner.

Bicena holds a Michelin star and an OAD Asia ranking (#429, 2025) for its focused Gyeongsang-do regional Korean tasting menu on the 81st floor of Lotte World Tower. Chef Jun Kwangsik's in-house dry-aged Hanwoo beef and seasonal meat preparations are the technical headline. Book three to four weeks out and request a window table; this is one of Seoul's harder reservations to secure.

Shisen Hanten holds a Michelin star and consistent Opinionated About Dining recognition for a specific reason: its Chūka Sichuan cooking, shaped by the head chef's 12 years at the Tokyo branch, is technically precise in a way that few Singapore restaurants match at the $$ price point. Book ahead; demand is sustained; and go for the mapo tofu and Hokkaido Mangalica pork.

Aji is Macau's only serious Nikkei tasting menu, holding a Michelin star and a World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation. Chef Sihui Pan builds around premium Japanese sourcing and French technique, with aged pantry ingredients that justify the $$$$ price. Book four to six weeks ahead for counter seats; dinner only, Wednesday through Monday.

La Vache! is a focused steak restaurant on Peel Street in SoHo, Central, with three consecutive years on the Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia list. It is the right call for a date night or relaxed celebration when you want consistent quality without the overhead of a tasting menu. Booking is easy and the room suits both counter dining and table service.

Blue Elephant holds consecutive Michelin Plates (2024–2025) and an Opinionated About Dining Asia ranking, making it Phuket Town's clearest case for formal classical Thai dining at the ฿฿฿ tier. Led by chef Nooror Somany Steppe, it suits travellers who want kitchen credentials and a structured dining experience rather than a casual beach restaurant. Book with a few days' notice; availability is generally easy outside peak season.

The first Asian outpost of the Burgundy institution, Maison Lameloise sits 68 floors above Pudong with 180-degree views of The Bund and a tasting menu that pairs French technique with Yunnan mushrooms and Sichuan pepper. It holds a Michelin 1 Star (2024) and Black Pearl 2 Diamond (2025). Book well in advance; this is one of Shanghai's harder reservations at the ¥¥¥¥ tier.

Yazawa Yakiniku is Singapore's most consistently recognised yakiniku specialist, ranked in Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia three years running. The structured grill progression makes it a practical choice for a celebration dinner or business meal. Booking is easier than the accolades suggest; dinner only, seven nights a week at Millenia Walk.

O Pedro is Mumbai's most credentialled Goan restaurant, holding Opinionated About Dining recognition since 2023 and ranked #47 in the Casual Asia category for 2025. Chef Hussain Shahzad's kitchen in Bandra Kurla Complex treats Goan cuisine with genuine seriousness. Booking is easy relative to its award profile, the 1:30am close makes it one of the few serious restaurants in the city that also works late.

Zero Complex holds one Michelin star and an OAD Asia Top 200 ranking for 2025, with Chef Choonghu Lee applying French bistro technique to Korean ingredients at ₩₩₩₩. Book four to six weeks out minimum; this is a Hard reservation. The Korean-French approach is precise and ingredient-led, making it the right call for food-focused diners who want technical depth over tradition.

Sushi Ginza Onodera Shanghai is the city's most credentialled dedicated sushi counter, with Opinionated About Dining Asia rankings three years running and a Black Pearl 1 Diamond in 2025. The Tokyo-rooted group's sourcing standards set it apart from local omakase alternatives. Booking is relatively easy for the tier; a practical advantage over comparable rooms in Hong Kong or Tokyo.

Da-Wan is Taipei's most credentialed yakiniku option at the $$$ price tier, ranked by Opinionated About Dining among the top restaurants in Asia every year from 2023 to 2025. The focus is Miyazaki Wagyu grilled tableside by skilled servers, with thick-cut ox tongue as the standout. A solid choice when you want an awarded, format-driven beef experience without the full tasting-menu commitment.

Baan Rim Pa Patong is Patong's most credentialled Thai restaurant, holding Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia recognition since 2023 and reaching #300 in 2024. Chef Khun Wan's kitchen delivers classical Thai cooking; bold, well-structured, far removed from resort-adjusted menus. Open daily noon to 11 pm; easy to book, with dinner on the cliff-side setting the better experience.

Saneh Jaan holds a Michelin star and an OAD Top Restaurants in Asia ranking, serving heritage Thai cooking rooted in royal and regional archives. At ฿฿฿ it is priced a tier below its closest Bangkok competitors. Book 2–3 weeks ahead for dinner; river prawn dishes are best November–February when seasonal availability peaks.

Lerouy is a Michelin-starred French contemporary restaurant on Mohamed Sultan Road, serving omakase-format lunches and dinners Tuesday through Saturday. Ranked in OAD's Asia top 400 and priced at $$$, it delivers inventive, chef-driven French cooking in a relaxed open-kitchen room. Book at least three weeks out; availability is tight and walk-ins are not realistic.

Crystal Jade brings the long-running Crystal Jade group's Cantonese and broader Chinese repertoire to the basement level of Jung District, Seoul, where it has held a Michelin Plate across consecutive years and ranked among Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia. At the ₩₩ price tier, it occupies a different bracket from Seoul's starred Chinese rooms, making sustained recognition at this access point the more notable signal.

Henry is an OAD-ranked American restaurant on Stanley's waterfront strip, recognised in the Top Restaurants in Asia list for three consecutive years. Easy to book and open until 10:30 pm nightly, it suits food-focused diners willing to travel outside Central for a kitchen operating with genuine ambition. Chef Jorge Vera leads a room that trades scene for substance.

A Black Pearl 1 Diamond and Michelin Plate-holding Cantonese restaurant on Orchard Road, Jade Palace Seafood delivers credentialed classical Chinese cooking at a $$ price point that undercuts most hotel competitors. Three consecutive Opinionated About Dining Asia placements confirm consistent kitchen quality under chef Ho Kin Yan. Strong for business lunches, group celebrations, anyone who wants serious Cantonese cooking without a premium room tariff.

Beefbar Saint-Tropez brings the Monaco-born brand's precision meat programme to the French Riviera, operating at the €€€€ tier with a Michelin Plate (2025) and international recognition from Opinionated About Dining's Asia rankings. Under chef Ivan Chan, the focus is on provenance and preparation technique, positioned firmly within Saint-Tropez's tier of destination dining rather than casual harbour-side fare.

Fillets has climbed to #298 on the Opinionated About Dining Asia list in 2025, making it one of Bangkok's most credibly ranked sushi counters. Led by chef Randy Noprapa and positioned inside the landmark One Bangkok development on Witthayu Road, it is the most accessible serious sushi option in central Bangkok right now; easy to book, OAD-recognised, worth the visit for food-focused travellers.

Ziya at The Oberoi, Nariman Point is Mumbai's La Liste-ranked hotel fine dining option for modern Indian cooking, with La Liste scores of 76-77 points and. It earns its place for celebration dinners and business meals where setting matters. For independent, neighbourhood-rooted ambition, Masque is the stronger alternative.

Madam Goose is Shanghai's most recognised specialist roast goose address, holding OAD Top Restaurants in Asia rankings for three consecutive years through 2025. Booking is easy and the format is focused: come specifically for the roast, not a wide menu. For explorers who want a credentialed, single-discipline Chinese dining stop in Huangpu, it earns its place on the itinerary.

Sushi Shin in Redwood City; not San Francisco proper; is a serious omakase counter with three consecutive years on Opinionated About Dining's Asia and Japan rankings and a 2025 Michelin Plate. At $$$$ per head, it earns its price for food-focused travelers who want Japanese sushi at an internationally recognized level. Book six to eight weeks out; this is a hard reservation.

Liqun Roast Duck holds an Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia ranking for three consecutive years and delivers traditional Beijing roast duck in a compact hutong setting in Dongcheng. Booking is easy, lunch is the better session, the appeal is focused entirely on the duck. Not the choice if a drinks program or polished room matters; but strong for the format it commits to.

Sushi Zo Hong Kong is an omakase counter inside the heritage Tai Kwun compound in Central, recognised by Opinionated About Dining in both Asia and North America. The chef-led format suits serious sushi travellers, booking is currently more accessible than comparable counters in the city. Confirm pricing and hours directly before reserving.

Karavalli at the Vivanta on Residency Road is Bangalore's most consistent reference point for coastal south Indian cuisine, with Opinionated About Dining Asia rankings every year since 2023 and. Chef Naren Thimmaiah's kitchen draws from Konkan, Mangalorean, Coorgi, Malabar traditions. Book for depth and regional specificity, not contemporary tasting-menu theatre.

Mio holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025) as the signature Italian restaurant inside Four Seasons Hotel Beijing. The Southern Italian menu runs from charcuterie and oysters to lobster pasta and Wagyu bolognese in a polished marble room that draws executives, embassy staff, hotel loyalists. Weekday business lunches make it one of Beijing's more accessible ¥¥¥¥ options.

Chef Pedro Almeida's kitchen operates in the São Lázaro heritage district, making this a natural choice for a considered dinner away from the resort belt. Booking is easy; go for a table of two and pace through the meal properly.

San Xi Lou is a consistently OAD-recognised Cantonese restaurant in Causeway Bay, ranked on the Opinionated About Dining Asia list for three consecutive years through 2025. Easier to book than Hong Kong's top Cantonese rooms, it's a practical choice for food-focused visitors who want credible cooking without the months-ahead reservation. Open daily 11am to 10pm on Percival Street, Lee Theatre Plaza.

Chachawan is Hong Kong's clearest recommendation for serious Thai cooking, ranked on the Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia list in both 2024 and 2025. Based on Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, it runs a northeastern Thai programme with enough precision and range to justify a special-occasion booking. Book dinner for the full experience; lunch works well for a tighter business meal.

The Bridge delivers credentialed Sichuan cooking at ¥¥¥ in central Chengdu, with a Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025), Michelin Plate (2024), and consecutive Opinionated About Dining recognition making it one of the better-validated tables in the city. Booking is easy by Chengdu standards, which sets it apart from the top tier. Eat in; the food does not translate well off-premise.

Seventh Son Restaurant Beijing has held an OAD Top Restaurants in Asia ranking three years running, making it one of Beijing's more credible Cantonese addresses. The Hong Kong-origin kitchen delivers classical technique across roast meats, dim sum, dried seafood. Book for the 30-plus variety lunch dim sum sitting or the signature osmanthus egg with crabmeat; and expect a traditional dining room suited to occasions or business meals.

Jade Mansion in Lujiazui, Pudong holds an OAD Top Restaurants in Asia ranking and is easier to book than that credential implies. Chef Ye Weiguang's Chinese kitchen rewards seasonal timing: return visits in hairy crab season or spring produce windows will feel like a different restaurant. A solid Pudong option for occasion dining and business meals.

Azur by Mauro Colagreco is Beijing's most accessible French fine dining tasting menu, with Opinionated About Dining recognition placing it in Asia's top 500. Based inside the Hotel in Haidian District, it delivers a composed European-format dinner with easy booking and strong service infrastructure. The right choice when you want French tasting menu pacing in Beijing; not the choice for the city's most distinctive regional cooking.

La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie at City Walk 2 is Dubai's most credibly ranked French bistro below the fine dining tier, with Opinionated About Dining Asia recognition three years running and. Chef Anne-Laure Morisset Dutel runs a kitchen that delivers French bistro fundamentals in an accessible, licensed neighbourhood setting. Easy to book, worth returning to for group dining.

Armani-Amal is the Italian restaurant inside the Burj Khalifa's Armani Hotel, ranked #267 on OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia in 2024; a meaningful credential for a non-Italian city. Open for dinner only, seven nights a week, it delivers classical Italian cooking in a composed, low-key room. Easy to book and worth it for a credible upscale Italian evening in Downtown Dubai.

Lei Garden in Central is a consistently recognised Cantonese address, ranked #226 in the OAD Top Restaurants in Asia 2025 after climbing steadily from a recommended listing in 2023. It suits business dinners and special occasions where serious Cantonese cooking matters more than theatrical presentation. Booking is easy relative to its peer set, making it a practical choice for Central diners.

A critically recognized Modern Korean restaurant in Jongno District, 24seasons earns an OAD Asia 2023 recommendation and. Chef Tony Yu organizes the menu around the 24 solar terms calendar, making it a practical choice for seasonal Korean cooking when you want serious food without the tasting-menu formality of Seoul's most decorated tables. Booking is easy.

Qi 27 (Sushi 27) is a serious sushi counter in Da'an District with back-to-back OAD Top Restaurants in Asia rankings (#254 in 2024, #282 in 2025) and one of the latest kitchens in Taipei's sushi tier; running until 23:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. Booking is easy, the counter is the place to sit, late-dinner slots on weekends are the ones to target.

An Nam is one of Singapore's few credible fine-dining Vietnamese options, backed by a consistent OAD Asia ranking since 2023. Under chef Giang Muoi, it operates from Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road with a structured sit-down format suited to business dinners and food-focused travelers. Easy to book, but best experienced in the dining room; this is not a takeout format.

Crystal Jade Golden Palace is the flagship of the Crystal Jade group and the only branch that focuses on Teochew dishes alongside its Cantonese core. Ranked in OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia for three consecutive years and priced at $$, it delivers serious Chinese cooking at a price point that's hard to match on Orchard Road. Book it for a special occasion or business lunch without extended lead time.

A Michelin-starred Huaiyang and Chinese classics restaurant in Zhongzheng, The Guest House holds a rare position: OAD Top Restaurants in Asia recognition at $$$, a full tier below most comparable Taipei fine-dining rooms. Chef Lin Ju-Wei's technically precise, low-oil kitchen and quiet, spacious main room make this the most compelling value case in Taipei's Chinese fine-dining category. Book well in advance.

Fukuro is SoHo's most consistently recognised izakaya, ranked in Opinionated About Dining's top Asia restaurants three years running. The dinner-only format suits food-focused diners who want something more considered than a typical Central bar snack, booking is straightforward. Thursday to Saturday the kitchen runs until midnight, making it one of the better late-dinner options in the neighbourhood.

Mandarin Grill + Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is a sourcing-led European grill with genuine room conviction; champagne trolley, white dinner jacket service, three consecutive years on the OAD Asia list. At $$$$ per head and with a strict dress code, it is the right call for a formal special occasion in Central, though 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana offers more Michelin hardware at the same price.

Sir Elly's sits on the 13th floor of The Peninsula Shanghai with a Bund view that justifies the reservation on atmosphere alone, but the French-Asian kitchen under Chef Charles-Benoit Lacour and a 4,010-bottle wine list with French depth make the ¥¥¥¥ price point defensible on merit. Michelin Plate 2025 and OAD Top 413 in Asia. Book for special occasions or when the room and the food need to work equally hard.

Xindalu is a consistently OAD-ranked tempura restaurant in Shanghai's Hongkou District, appearing on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia list three years running. It is a reliable choice for a serious tempura experience in the city, with easy booking and. Confirm the exact address and pricing before you go; key logistics are not publicly listed.

Il Ristorante-Niko Romito holds two Michelin stars at the Bvlgari Resort on Jumeirah Bay and delivers the most credentialled Italian fine dining in Dubai. The room is calm, the cuisine technically precise, the setting proportionate to a serious occasion. Book well ahead; this is one of the hardest reservations in the city.

An OAD-ranked sushi counter in Central Hong Kong with easy booking; a practical advantage over harder-to-access peers like Sushi Shikon or Sushi Saito. Ranked #427 in OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia 2025, open daily for lunch and dinner. Book for a special occasion or business meal when you need to confirm without a long lead time.

At.Mosphere sits on Level 122 of the Burj Khalifa, holding a 2025 Michelin Plate and the record for the world's highest restaurant. The Modern European kitchen is genuinely strong; wagyu, caviar, a serious tasting menu; and the venue runs until 2 am daily, making it one of Dubai's few $$$$ options for late-night dining with views that justify the spend.

An OAD Asia Top Restaurants listee three years running, Maple Tree House brings serious Korean charcoal barbecue to the composed surroundings of Jongno's Samcheong-dong neighbourhood. It handles groups well and is easier to book than most venues at this recognition level. The best format: four or more people, Saturday lunch or a weekday evening.

Hangzhou's most credentialed Zhejiang dining room, Jie Xiang Lou holds a Michelin Star, Black Pearl 2 Diamond, a La Liste score of 92 points; all at the ¥¥¥ price tier. Set inside Zixuan Resort on the West Lake hillside, it is the strongest case for serious regional cooking in the city. Book three to four weeks out minimum; this is a hard reservation.

A Michelin Plate neo-bistro in Makati ranked #82 in Asia by Opinionated About Dining (2025), Metiz is the pick for food-focused diners who want technically precise cooking; French method, Philippine ingredients; without the ceremony of Manila's more theatrical tasting menus. Booking is easy, making it one of the more accessible serious tables in the city.

Bencotto is Taipei's most credentialled Italian restaurant, earning a Michelin Plate and three consecutive OAD Asia rankings under chef Emanuele Bergamo. It suits diners who want a structured, course-driven Italian experience with documented critical recognition. Booking is easy relative to Taipei's harder fine dining rooms, it opens seven days a week for both lunch and dinner.

Sushi Kuu in Central has earned three consecutive years of Opinionated About Dining Asia recognition under chef Satoru Mukogawa, making it one of Hong Kong's more consistent sushi counters. Booking is rated Easy, which puts it in a more accessible tier than the city's most in-demand seats. Lunch is the practical entry point; dinner suits business entertaining or a full-length counter experience.

A Vietnamese-French kitchen in Wan Chai with three consecutive years of Opinionated About Dining recognition; ranked #431 in Asia in 2024. Lower booking pressure than Hong Kong's Michelin circuit, with a focused cuisine identity that rewards food-focused visitors. Easy to book, strong on technical consistency, a practical counterpoint to the city's more ceremonial tasting-menu rooms.

A Michelin-starred Taiwanese restaurant in Taipei's Tianmu neighbourhood offering traditional family recipes at $$ prices. The double-fried pork ribs and mullet roe fried rice are the dishes to order. Ranked in OAD's Asia top 500, this is one of Taipei's clearest value cases; but booking is hard and advance planning is required.

A Michelin-starred Cantonese address in Guangzhou's Haizhu District with 32 private rooms, hand-crafted dim sum, double-boiled tonics that require pre-ordering. Recognised by OAD Asia (#300, 2025) and La Liste (76 pts, 2025). One of the most defensible special occasion bookings in Guangzhou at the ¥¥¥ tier; but book well ahead and pre-order at the time of reservation.

A producer-led French bistro in Nishiazabu, Ma Cuisine delivers regional French cooking; cassoulet, beef cheek, Tokushima pork in multiple preparations; at ¥¥ pricing with OAD rankings in both the Casual in Europe and Top Restaurants in Asia categories. One of the easiest serious French bookings in Tokyo, one of the best-value meals the city offers in this cuisine category.

J'AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain is Bangkok's most accessible entry point into French contemporary fine dining, with Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 and a ฿฿฿ price tier that undercuts most of its fine dining competition. Set menus built on Thai ingredients and French technique make it a sound choice for special occasions or business dinners. Booking is easy; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Coya at the Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach is Dubai's most accessible late-night choice at the $$$$ tier, with a Peruvian-Nikkei kitchen running until 12:30 AM and one of the city's more credentialed wine programs. Holding a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, it suits special occasions and business dinners best when booked two to three weeks ahead for an evening table.

A Black Pearl 1 Diamond address inside Tai Kwun's heritage precinct in Central, The Chinese Library earns consistent OAD recognition for a thoughtful approach to Chinese cuisine that rewards returning diners. Booking is easy relative to Hong Kong's most competitive tables. Come for weekday lunch or early weeknight dinner when the kitchen has the most room to show what it does.

On the eighth floor of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, One Harbour Road has held its position among Wan Chai's most serious Cantonese tables for decades, earning a Michelin Plate and a rank of #330 on Opinionated About Dining's 2025 Asia list. The room faces Victoria Harbour, the cooking follows traditional technique with considered seasonal updates, the lunch dim sum program runs seven days a week.

Sushi Aoki at Millenia Walk is Singapore's most accessible serious omakase counter, ranked by Opinionated About Dining in its top Asia list for two consecutive years. Chef Kunio Aoki runs a traditional Edo-style format where seasonal sourcing drives the menu; worth revisiting across seasons. Booking is straightforward, making it a practical first-choice for Japanese counter dining in the city.

TRB holds a Michelin 1 Star and ranks #393 on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia (2025), set inside the courtyard of a historic Beijing temple. The kitchen delivers polished international cooking with two tasting menu formats, including a dessert finale that reviewers single out. Book two to three weeks ahead minimum; tables are limited and demand is high.

Spago Singapore sits on Level 57 of Marina Bay Sands, pairing Wolfgang Puck's Cali-global framework with genuine local touches from executive chef Greg Bess, who has been cooking in Singapore since 2010. Ranked #385 in Asia by Opinionated About Dining (2025) and priced at $$ for food against a $$$ wine list of 1,150 selections, it delivers strong value for a hotel fine-dining room with serious views. Book two to three weeks out for dinner.

Second Draft is the gastropub that Causeway Bay has been missing at a serious level; OAD-ranked three years running (Casual Asia #116 in 2025), with a 4.4 across 708 reviews. May Chow's Fashion Walk operation is loud at peak hours but earns its reputation. Easy to book, no need to plan far ahead.

Jiang-Nan Chun at the Four Seasons Orchard delivers traditional Cantonese cooking at a consistently high standard, with OAD Top 400 Asia rankings across three consecutive years and a Michelin Plate. At $$$, it sits between Summer Pavilion's starred value and Singapore's top-tier splurge options. Book for weekend dim sum lunch if this is your first visit.

Keyaki at Pan Pacific Singapore is a reliable, formally-run Japanese restaurant recognised on the OAD Top Restaurants in Asia list three years running. It earns its place for business meals, group dining, anyone who wants consistent Japanese cooking without a difficult booking. Chef Shinichi Nakatake's kitchen rewards repeat visits as seasonal priorities shift.

Err skips the formal tasting-menu format and goes deep on Thai fermented and preserved cooking; charcuterie, nam prik, pickled vegetables; at a $$ price point that rewards repeat visits. Ranked in Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Asia three consecutive years. Easy to book, closed Wednesdays, a deliberate step outside Bangkok's mainstream Thai fine-dining circuit.

Zuma in Dubai's DIFC is a high-energy, sharing-format contemporary Japanese restaurant with a Michelin Plate, a MENA 50 Best ranking of #19, a booking difficulty that demands three to four weeks' lead time for weekend dinners. Best suited to groups of three or more who want robata grill, sashimi, a room that runs late; not for intimate or solo dining.

Ranked #58 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2025, Ministry of Crab is Colombo's most internationally recognised restaurant and the definitive address for Sri Lanka's mud crab. Chef Dharshan Munidasa's no-freezer kitchen means quality tracks the season and the catch. Book two to three weeks minimum; this is not a walk-in venue. For more on eating in the city, see our full Colombo restaurants guide.

Whisk at The Mira Hong Kong is a wine-serious European restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui with a White Star-designated list of 380 selections and a three-year OAD Top Asia ranking trajectory. At $$$ for food and a cellar anchored in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy, it is the most practical choice in the neighbourhood for a business dinner or celebration that demands a genuine sommelier program.

A Michelin Plate holder ranked #236 in Asia by Opinionated About Dining in 2025, Methavalai Sorndaeng delivers classical Thai cooking on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road at ฿฿ pricing; two full tiers below Bangkok's tasting-menu competition. With three consecutive years of OAD recognition, it is the clearest value play in Bangkok's serious Thai dining category.

Rhubarb Le Restaurant on Duxton Hill is Singapore's most compelling value in Michelin-starred French dining. Chef Paul Longworth holds a 2024 Michelin star and back-to-back OAD Asia Top 400 rankings at the $$ price point; making it the clear first call for serious French cooking before you consider spending more elsewhere. Book at least three weeks ahead.

Garibaldi is one of Singapore's most enduring Italian restaurants, ranked consistently in the Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia list since 2023. The wine list, spanning around 7,000 labels with depth in Piedmont and Tuscany, is the headline reason to book. A broad menu of northern Italian classics makes it a reliable choice for groups, booking is easy with just a few days' notice.