Singapore claims 8 spots on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021

The Lion City lands eight spots on the lauded Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021, just behind Hong Kong with 11 on the list; Odette loses No.1 spot but still provides Singapore’s best showing at No.2.

The Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants results were just released, and there were shocks and surprises for a number of Singapore dining establishments. Julien Royer’s fine dining modern French restaurant Odette, which has held the No.1 spot for two years in 2019 and 2020, is finally dethroned by Hong Kong’s contemporary Cantonese eatery The Chairman. But Singapore establishments claimed a total of eight places this year, compared to seven in 2020, proving the Lion City’s strong and growing gastronomic scene. Hong Kong continues its culinary dominance on the vaunted list, however, capturing a total of 11 places out of a total of 50.

You can find the full Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2021 here.

In summary, the eight Singapore restaurants that entered into top 50 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021 list (vs 2020) are:

• Odette (#2)/(#1)
• Les Amis (#13)/(#11)
• Burnt Ends (#14)/(#5)
• Zén (#23)/(#28)
• Cloudstreet (#31)/- (new entry)
• Labyrinth (#40)/- (new entry)
• Euphoria (#41)/- (new entry)
• Jaan by Kirk Westaway (#42)/(#21)

What’s of particular note this year is the number of new entries from Singapore; Rishi Naleendra’s whimsically progressive Cloudstreet, LG Han’s modern Singaporean Labyrinth, and Jason Tan’s “Gastro-Botanica”-focused Euphoria, all stormed to impressive positions as new entries. On the flip side, aside from Odette, more established establishments such as Les Amis and Burnt Ends have dropped down the ranks. Jaan by Kirk Westaway fell a whopping 21 places from #21 to #42, while Nouri fell out of the top 50 to land at #73. Corner House, which earned the #42 spot in 2020, fell out of the list this year altogether after its former executive chef Jason Tan left to set up Euphoria.

Announced earlier were the winners ranked 50-100. Singapore restaurants who listed include Meta (#60), Nouri (#73), Esora (#77), and Candlenut (#94).

But Meta also picks up the American Express One To Watch Award, with Chef Sun Kim impressing with his modern fusion of Korean culinary traditions and classic French techniques.

Then there’s Labyrinth, which landed the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award. Hometown hero LG Han have not only been advocating the use of locally-grown and sustainably farmed produce, but also championing eco-friendly and waste reduction practices in his fine dining, modern Singaporean eatery. Labyrinth selected by 50 Best’s sustainability audit partner Food Made Good Global for its sustainable sourcing policies and work to support the community during the recent pandemic.

“In the last year, the restaurant sector has faced extraordinary challenges. At such a time, we are proud to support the restaurants in their recovery by showcasing the region’s creative talents, celebrating the industry’s pioneers and recognising culinary excellence,” says William Drew, Director of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

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