Food fads come and go, but good food is here to stay. To ensure that everyone knows the best places for fine dining, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants annually lists down the best food establishments from every corner of the globe. The list is compiled based on the votes of 1,080 international restaurant industry experts, including food journalists, chefs, restaurateurs and gourmands from 27 regions of the world, ensuring a fair and balanced selection of voters who can represent the tastes and preferences from their part of the world.
Five eateries from Southeast Asia made the list, four of which are from Thailand and one from Singapore. And while other SEA countries are not represented in the list, the featured restaurants alone are enough to fill us with pride as fellow neighbors in the region. Here are the food establishments from Southeast Asia that are part of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024.
Le Du (Bangkok, Thailand)
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Opened in 2013 by chef and co-owner Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn, Le Du was named as the best restaurant in Asia last year, and returns this year at number 40 to show what Thailand has to offer. The Michelin-starred restaurant serves Thai cuisine in a creative way—using seasonal ingredients to reimagine local staples, hence the name “Le Du,” which is Thai for “seasons.” An eye-catching dish featured by the restaurant is khao chae—a typical summer meal in Thailand made out of rice soaked in water. Le Du transforms the dish with creamy jasmine-scented ice cream, pairing it with pork pate, shrimp and pickled radish, for a one-of-a-kind tasting experience.
Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand)
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Owner and executive chef Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri and head chef Yodkwan ‘Yod’ U-Prumpruk join forces to bring a cultural tour de force of Thai cuisine at number 38. Sorn celebrates the regional delicacies of Southern Thailand and influences from Chef Ice’s childhood. The restaurant is located in a century-old house in Bangkok, showing just how far tradition influences Sorn’s food. Their signature dish is khao uum, prepared using traditional cooking methods—served with torch ginger, wing bean, lemongrass and toasted coconut.
Odette (Singapore)
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Journeying further south of Thailand, we reach Odette—Singapore’s lone entry in the list at number 24. Founded by chef Julien Royer, the modern French restaurant was named after his grandmother and serves French cuisine with an Asian twist. Coming from a family of farmers, Royer carefully sources ingredients from artisanal producers, using a selection of regional ingredients and focusing on a timeless dining experience. Royer also won the Chefs’ Choice Award 2023 for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, showing just how well-admired he is in the culinary world.
Suhring (Bangkok, Thailand)
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Going back to Bangkok, Suhring takes the 23rd spot in the list. The brainchild of twins Mathias and Thomas Sühring, the restaurant combines flavors and techniques from their native Germany and travels to the Netherlands, Italy and Thailand to produce unique culinary experiences. Their featured dish includes Leipziger Allerlei, a regional German dish with a twist, using Brittany lobster, white asparagus, peas and morels.
Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand)
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Coming at number 9, the highest rank among Southeast Asian restaurants, is Gaggan by Indian chef Gaggan Anand. The restaurant offers a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience by serving Indian cuisine with French, Thai and Japanese influences. Aside from the adventurous food and flavor combinations, the restaurant also encourages guests to go out of their comfort zones with unique ways to consume dishes like using hands to eat food directly or licking the plate. Gaggan pushes the boundaries of fine dining, earning it the title of The Best Restaurant in Asia 2024 at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
This just goes to show the ingenuity and creativity of Southeast Asians, and the rich gastronomic traditions that we have in the region.
What fine dining restaurants would you like to try? Let us know in the comment section!