Hong Kong is the top destination in Asia for foodies this year, according to new rankings released by the 50 Best organization.
The city is home to 16 of the region’s “best” 100 restaurants, as shown in the list, released in two parts in March.
Thailand and Japan tied for second place, each with 13 restaurants on the list. The small city-state of Singapore punched above its weight with 12 establishments named among Asia’s best.
William Drew, director of content for William Reed Business Media, which organizes the awards, told CNBC that Hong Kong had an “unusual experience” this year since it was largely closed to foreign visitors.
“However, restrictions aside, many restaurants have been very busy on a local level,” Drew said.
“It’s likely that local voters dined in a wider variety of restaurants in the city, spreading the vote amongst a wider range of establishments,” he added.
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Singapore restaurants take a hit
Burnt Ends, an Australian barbecue restaurant, dropped 27 places from No. 14 to No. 41.
Lolla is Singapore’s highest ranking new entry this year at No. 75.
How the list is made
This is how voting works, according to the 50 Best organization.
Restaurants are chosen by more than 300 industry leaders, referred to as “the academy.” They are food writers, critics, chefs and restaurateurs from across the region. The academy regularly changes and has a 50-50 gender balance, and each voter must have visited a restaurant it votes for at least once in the last 18 months.
The “Fallen Fruit” dish from Lolla, a Singapore restaurant ranked No. 75 on Asia’s top 100 list.
Source: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022
In 2022, voting rules were amended because of restrictions on international travel. Each member nominates eight restaurants, including up to six from their home country but with no obligation to vote for restaurants outside their home country.
After two years of livestreamed events, this year’s awards presentation was hosted live in three cities: Bangkok, Macao, and Tokyo. Events were also streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
The 50 Best organization publishes several lists to highlight excellence in the food industry, including “The World’s 50 Best Bars” and regional listings such as “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.”
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/01/best-restaurants-in-asia-hong-kong-bangkok-tokyo-singapore.html