Three restaurants from India make it to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list

SINGAPORE: The 2023 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants stands revealed now. Generated from the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an effective group of over 300 leaders comprising of chefs, food writers, restaurateurs and critics and local gastronomic experts, 2023’s list comprises restaurants from 19 cities across Asia featuring seven new entries and an additional eight re-entries. Indian restaurants Masque from Mumbai, Indian Accent from New Delhi, and Avartana from Chennai made the country proud by securing their slot in the top 50 list.

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ritual resumed its physical splendor at Resorts World Sentosa recently, two years after it missed out on the head-on occasion owing to the pandemic. Content director William Drew revitalised that night by acknowledging the chefs, restaurants, and epicures who congregated at Resorts World Sentosa to participate in this event that applauds the continent’s varied F&B act. 2023 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants sorts restaurants from 19 cities which comprises seven new entries.

Thailand topped the tally with Le Du announced as the Best Restaurant in Asia. In January this year, chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn of the Michelin-starred restaurant presented a pop-up at The Leela Ambience Gurugram. Masque from Mumbai rises from #21 in 2022 to #16 in 2023, becoming the Best Restaurant in India. New Delhi’s Indian Accent rises from #22 last year to #19. Avartana at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai ranked at #30—also won the Highest New Entry Award.

Tokyo and Singapore top the pack with a total of 9 restaurants each on the list. Tokyo’s Sézanne is at #2. Narisawa, Tokyo—the #1 restaurant on the first ever Asia’s 50 Best List—relics in the top ten at #10 this year. The rite also accredited the champions of the individual awards that were given out in the preface to the event. Four of the restaurants from South Korea too i.e. Mosu, Onjium, Mingles, and Born & Bred – all from Seoul, made it to the top 50 list this year.

Chef Shinobu Namae was baptised 2023 Icon for his effort at Tokyo restaurant L’Effervescence, as well as his toil in sustainability as a scholastic and believer. Filipino chef Johanne Siy of Lolla restaurant in Singapore is Asia’s Best Female Chef; while the One to Watch went to Jakarta’s August restaurant, by chef Hans Christian and restaurateur Budi Cahyadi. Odette retains its Singapore’s Best Restaurant status, which moved two spots to No. 6. Odette’s pastry chef, Louisa Lim, was christened the year’s Best Pastry Chef.

Singapore’s Labyrinth rose from #40 in 2022 to #11 this year, winning the Highest Climber Award, Gaggan Anand’s eponymic restaurant in Bangkok revisited to the list after its renewing at #5. Den, Tokyo, which topped the list last year, plunged a few places to #4 in 2023.

The 51-100 list, which was broadcasted preceding week, comprises Mumbai’s The Table and Americano, as well as Bukhara, ITC Maurya from New Delhi. A new contestant to the list this year is Mumbai’s Ekaa (at #93) steered by chef Niyati Rao and restauranteur Sagar Neve. The cuisine-agnostic restaurant makes one natively obtained ingredient the star of each dish, henceforth the name Ekaa, which translates into “the one”.

The ritual also recognized the winners of the special individual awards, that were given out in the runup to the event. Chef Shinobu Namae for his effort at Tokyo restaurant Effervescence, and his focus in sustainability as an academic and advocate was titled 2023 Icon. Filipino chef Johanne Siy of Lolla restaurant in Singapore is Asia’s Best Female Chef this year, while Jakarta’s August restaurant, by chef Hans Christian and restaurateur Budi Cahyadi was given the prestigious One to Watch.

Ten restaurants through Japan made it to the top 50, with seven of those in Tokyo.

 About the author: Akanksha Dean is a Catalyst, Events Specialist, a food & travel writer, and is the first and Only Indian to have trained at Osteria Francescana, in Modena, Italy, rated as the world’s best restaurant in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, in 2016 and 2018