Asia's Top 50 Restaurants in 2016

They say great things come in threes.

This rings true for Thailand's dining scene, as a Bangkok restaurant claimed the prestigious number one spot at the San Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards for the third consecutive year.

Gaggan, Chef Anand Gaggan’s restaurant specializing in 'progressive Indian cuisine,' took the top award for the second year running, surpassing its rival Nahm, which held the title in 2014.

The win was even more special as the awards were hosted in Bangkok for the first time, adding a local touch to the triumph – previous ceremonies were held in Singapore.

Revitalizing Indian Cuisine

In 2010, Anand launched his namesake restaurant in Bangkok with a bold mission: to breathe new life into Indian cuisine by combining modern techniques and molecular twists with classic flavors.

“It’s different because it doesn’t look, feel, or smell the same,” Gaggan shared with Dinogo shortly after earning his latest honor.

“But if you’re from Kolkata, and you close your eyes while tasting it, you’re instantly transported to the streets there, experiencing the very same flavors you grew up with.”

“My culinary foundation comes from street food – it’s about celebrating life in India through food.”

At 35, Gaggan revealed that his win at last year's awards gave him the confidence to trust his own instincts, rather than just catering to customer expectations.

“In 2015-16, we cooked what we truly wanted to cook,” he explained. “Our growing popularity has attracted a wide range of clientele, and it’s reshaped many aspects of our approach.”

“We don’t ask ourselves, 'Will this make that person happy?' We focus on making ourselves happy. If we’re content with our cooking, I’m sure the guests will be too.”

Though Asia's 2014 winner, Nahm, dropped to eighth place this year, Australian chef David Thompson, who also runs Long Chim in Singapore, isn’t likely to be losing sleep over it.

This year, Thompson was honored with the Diner’s Club Lifetime Achievement Award, cementing his legacy that began in 1991 with the opening of Darley Street Thai in Sydney.

A Strong Night for Singapore

For the third consecutive year, Tokyo’s Narisawa secured second place. Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa, who spent eight years honing his craft in Europe, brings French cuisine to life with Japanese ingredients at his award-winning restaurant.

Singapore’s Restaurant Andre climbed two spots this year to claim third place. The restaurant offers a uniquely Singaporean twist on southern French nouvelle cuisine.

The highest new entry was Seoul’s Mingles, a modern Korean restaurant that also earned the title of Best Restaurant in Korea.

Singapore boasts 10 restaurants on the 2016 list, as does Japan, with seven of them located in Tokyo. Hong Kong is represented by nine entries.

Tokyo’s Florilege, a charming French restaurant led by Hiroyasu Kawate, was honored as the 2016 One to Watch.

Margarita Fores was named Asia’s Best Female Chef in recognition of her culinary achievements in Manila, where she oversees a collection of Italian-inspired restaurants.

The awards were determined by votes from over 300 chefs, restaurateurs, and industry experts from six Asian countries.

Top 10 Restaurants in Asia

1. Gaggan (Bangkok)
68/1 Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Bangkok; +66 2 652 1700

2. Narisawa (Tokyo)
Minami Aoyama 2-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo; +81 3 5785 0799

3. Restaurant Andre (Singapore)
41 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore; +65 6534 8880

4. Amber (Hong Kong)
7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2132 0066

5. Nihonryori Ryugin (Tokyo)
Ground Floor, 7-17-24 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo; +81 3 3423 8006

6. Waku Ghin (Singapore)
Level 2-01, Atrium 2, The Shoppes, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore; +65 6688 8507

7. Ultraviolet (Shanghai)
Located at Bund 18, 6th Floor, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Shanghai; +86 21 6323 9898

8. Nahm (Bangkok)
Situated at the Metropolitan Hotel, 27 South Sathorn Road, Tungmahamek, Sathorn, Bangkok; +66 2 625 3333

9. Indian Accent (New Delhi)
Located at The Manor, 77 Friends Colony, New Delhi 110065, India; +91 11 43235151

At The Manor, 77 Friends Colony, New Delhi 110065, India; +91 11 43235151

10. Lung King Heen (Hong Kong)
At the Four Seasons Hotel, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 3196 8888

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 3196 8888

The remaining 40

11. Hajime (Osaka, Japan)

12. Les Amis (Singapore)

13. Otto e Mezzo (Hong Kong)

14. Burnt Ends (Singapore)

15. Mingles (Seoul)

16. L’Effervescence (Tokyo)

17. Corner House (Singapore) *new entry*

18. Fu He Hui (Shanghai)

19. Issaya Siamese Club (Bangkok, Thailand)

20. Quintessence (Tokyo)

21. Shinji by Kanesaka (Singapore)

22. Jungsik (Seoul)

23. Eat Me (Bangkok, Thailand)

24. Takazawa (Tokyo)

25. Ministry of Crab (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

26. Sushi Saito (Tokyo)

27. The Chairman (Hong Kong)

28. Mr and Mrs Bund (Shanghai)

29. Jaan (Singapore)

30. Le Mout (Taichung, Taiwan)

31. La Maison de la Nature Goh (Fukuoka, Japan)

32. Tippling Club (Singapore)

33. Tenku RyuGin (Hong Kong)

34. Fook Lam Moon (Hong Kong)

35. Robuchon au Dome (Macau, China)

36. Iggy’s (Singapore)

37. Den (Tokyo)

38. Wild Rocket (Singapore)

39. Gallery Vask (Manila, Philippines)

40. L'atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hong Kong)

41. Bo Innovation (Hong Kong)

42. Kikunoi (Kyoto, Japan)

43. Cuisine Wat Damnak (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

44. Wasabi by Morimoto (Mumbai, India)

45. Bukhara (New Delhi)

46. Raw (Taipei)

47. Nihoni (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

48. Ta Vie (Hong Kong)

49. Locavore (Bali, Indonesia)

50. La Yeon (Seoul, Korea)

For more details on the winners, visit the official Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants website.

This article was first published in February 2016.