A return to travel may yet be a while away, but Asia’s metropolises continue to offer a tantalising array of culinary options. Our editors pick their favourite food cities in the region and highlight the dishes and dining spots they adore
Asia’s many cities offer a host of gastronomic delights, with the opportunity for diners to feast on cuisines from around the globe or to sample outstanding examples of local cuisines, street food favourites and traditional dishes.
Here, our editors consider the cities in Asia they deem among the finest for food, in terms of both quality and variety, and highlight the best things to eat there, recommend the restaurants and bars to visit, and choose the places––both new and old––that they can’t wait to try when they next get the chance.
Singapore
It sounds biased because I live here but Singapore is probably the best place to be stuck during the pandemic, especially when it comes to food. Why? While the country is only 728 square kilometres, you can travel anywhere through your plate. From authentic local hawkers to amazing French bistros and traditional sushi-yas, Singapore has it all in terms of culinary diversity. My recent favourite finds include the quesadilla Oaxaca, tostadas and churros at newcomer Nixta and basically everything I ordered at Kotuwa, the city’s buzzing Sri Lankan joint. If you’re living it up, there are plenty of award-winning fine-dining restaurants to choose from—we have eight on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2021 List— of which my go-tos are Odette and Jaan. Restaurants aside, Singapore has a world-class cocktail scene and the coffee scene has also noticeably grown. And with its appetite for innovation, Singapore always has something new up its sleeve, whether that’s cultured meat and alternative proteins (most of the food tech companies in Asia are headquartered here) or a once-in-a-lifetime pop-up like the upcoming three-month stint of Mirazur at the Mandala Club.
—Kissa Castaneda, Editorial Director, Homes, Travel and Lists, Tatler Asia