The best restaurants to book in Asia when you want to impress your guests

For exquisite French cuisine with a sense of place 

It has been 10 years since modern French restaurant Odette opened its doors at National Gallery Singapore, and yet it still remains one of the top establishments to book for many reasons. For one, chef-owner Julien Royer and his culinary team offers exquisite French fare with a sense of place. Shares Royer: “While we will always remain French in our DNA… we learnt to work with our terroir, exploring native ingredients, rare varieties of citrus and spice around the region.” 

While the menu always changes depending on the seasons, diners can expect delightful iterations of his signature dishes such as the pigeon dish. While it is cooked in the classic French way, Royer coats the bird in a blend of green, red and black Kampot peppers to give it a nice peppery crust. The experience is elevated by an exceptional wine list and interiors that exude refined elegance without ever feeling overdone.

For an exquisite dinner that blends chef Sun Kim’s heritage with global culinary influences and seasonal ingredients

Korean cuisine is having its moment in Singapore, as more diners look beyond the quintessential Korean barbecue, Korean fried chicken and bibimbap to satiate their cravings. At Meta, chef-owner Sun Kim looks to his heritage to present the dishes of his homeland in new and imaginative ways. Take, for instance, the Jeju abalone inspired by the classic abalone porridge but served with grilled chicken hearts and lily bulb. Or, the marinated Wagyu beef finished on the binchotan grill and accented with burnt onion purée, mushroom ragu and celtuce kimchi.

Savour Kim’s creations in a modern space that seamlessly fuses contemporary sophistication with traditional Korean elements. The design thoughtfully incorporates details like a reception counter patterned after the onggi (traditional Korean earthenware) and sliding panels inspired by the hanji paper-lined screens of a hanok (traditional Korean house). 

For a gastronomic sojourn through the Malaysian continent

Sojourn through the Malaysian continent at Akâr Dining, chef-patron Aidan Low’s gastronomic tribute to his homeland. “Malaysia has one of the world’s most diverse natural resources, there’s just so much more out there we have yet to discover. Why go so far away, when there’s so much wealth to begin with?” expresses Low, whose tasting menus are an amalgamation of his French culinary training and love for local ingredients.

The experience here is akin to “your friend eating at your grandmother’s house,” shares Low and begins with a display of the season’s bounty  such as engkabang (Borneo tree butter), belimbing buluh (sour fruit), and kantan (torch ginger flower). The team starts by sharing their origins and how these are used in Low’s creative dishes. Highlights include the kabu (Japanese turnip) which is a reflection of the chef’s formative years in Japan, as well as the ketupat, which draws from the authentic flavours of Malay culture. 

For a one-of-a-kind fusion of Chinese ingredients and French culinary artistry

Chinese and French are two of our favourite cuisines, so why choose one when you can have both at lauded chef Vicky Cheng’s restaurant in Hong Kong? At Vea, Cheung follows the Chinese x French philosophy which sees him combining the “precision and aesthetics of modern French techniques” with his Hong Kong roots.

“I experiment with flavours, textures and cultures… every dish tells the story about Hong Kong,” shares Cheung, whose mouth-watering creations include the buttered fish maw, abalone pithivier, and roasted sea cucumber. Each dish seamlessly bridges the two contrasting cuisines with remarkable finesse the chef is known for. 

For authentic Italian cuisine within an opulent setting

What else can you say about this Italian restaurant that hasn’t already been said? Yes, the Macau outlet offers one of the most exceptional fine-dining dining experiences with its  exquisite cuisine and fancy interiors that will impress even the most discerning palates.

Executive chef Marino D’Antonio maintains the high standards that its founder, Umberto Bombana, has set for his culinary empire. This means that only the finest seasonal bounty are used in creations such as the homemade tagliatelle with beef cheek and Wagyu beef cecina; delicately roasted veal tenderloin drizzled with natural jus and accompanied by seasonal greens; and Brittany blue lobster enhanced with a spiced lobster sauce.

For Singaporean flavours presented in imaginative ways

Jimmy Lim is proudly representing Singapore on the global stage with his award-winning restaurant, JL Studio, in Taichung. “At JL Studio, I hope to share with you the flavours of my love, my memories and my roots,” shares Lim, whose Experience and Discovery menus comprise beloved hawker dishes crafted using Taiwanese ingredients and presented in modern ways without forgetting the authentic flavours.  

The Hainanese chicken rice, for example, comes in the form of a chicken pie puff pastry filled with chicken broth and chilli sauce. Meanwhile, the kaya toast is reimagined as a dessert named “yaw kun” and made with kaya ice cream, burnt toast, salted butter espuma, espresso and whisky. 

For delectable Japanese cuisine with Taiwanese accents 

Taiwan has a lot of exciting restaurants offering a breadth of cuisines suited for every occasion. For a fusion of Japanese and Taiwanese heritage, chef Ryogo Tahara’s Logy (the sister restaurant of Florilège in Tokyo, Japan) delivers on all fronts. Staying true to his heritage, Tahara mostly uses produce from his home prefecture of Hokkaido, and with his background in European and Japanese cooking, transforms them into delectable contemporary dishes laced with Asian accents.

Seasonality is at the heart of Tahara’s tasting menus, which means his offerings change  every two months. But you can always look forward to new rifts of his signature dishes, such as the velvet chawanmushi inspired by Japanese and Taiwanese flavours.   

For a celebration of lauded chef Pam’s Thai-Chinese heritage

In the heart of Bangkok’s vibrant Chinatown lies Potong, chef-owner Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij’s award-winning restaurant that masterfully weaves her family’s Thai-Chinese heritage with daring innovation that earned her and the restaurant multiple accolades. 

The 20-course tasting menu from Soontornyanakij is guided by her “five-element philosophy,” using salt, acid, spice, texture and the Maillard reaction to produce well-crafted dishes anchored by familiar flavours. Highlights include the black chicken bathed in an umami-packed broth flavoured with Chinese herbs, Atlantic sea bass with a velvety beurre blanc sauce, and a modern version of pad Thai with Nakhon Si Thammarat shrimps. Diners will enjoy her creations in a meticulously restored century-old shophouse that once housed  her ancestors’ traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy. 

For an ever-changing modern Korean menu that celebrates the chef-owner’s heritage

Chef-owner Eom Taejun brings a rich and varied culinary journey to the table, but it’s his deep-rooted connection to Korean traditions that shapes the soul of Solbam. Guided by his core inspiration—an “Awe for Nature”—Taejun creates a thoughtful, ever-evolving menu that celebrates the rhythms of the seasons and the beauty of simplicity. His dishes are modern in presentation, but grounded in time-honoured Korean techniques and ingredients.

At the heart of Taejun’s cooking is a deep respect for the land and the people who cultivate it. He works closely with local farms, choosing ingredients at their seasonal peak, and supports small-scale artisans and producers. His love for Korean culture also shines through in the curated selection of regional spirits he shares with guests—each one a story, a place, a tradition. This commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship, and quiet innovation makes dining at Solbam feel not just refined, but deeply personal.