UPDATE: Watch our video report on the awards ceremony:


Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, a regional offshoot of San Pellegrino’s global restaurant award World’s 50 Best Restaurants, announced its winners for 2017 at a ceremony at W Bangkok hotel tonight.

The #1 spot went to Gaggan for the third year in a row. The molecular restaurant headed by chef Gaggan Anand continues to push boundaries by replicating bursts of familiar Indian flavors in completely new formats.

A total of nine Bangkok restaurants made it this year, more than double the number on last year’s list.

Among the familiar faces, Nahm, David Thompson’s longstanding Thai restaurant, jumped to fifth spot from eighth last year. Once a Michelin-star holder at its defunct London location, the restaurant is recognized for reviving rare Thai recipes from around the country.

Bangkok's highest new entry was modern German restaurant Suhring (of which Gaggan is a partner), helmed by twin chefs Mathias and Thomas Suhring, which achieved the number 13 spot within its first year of operation.

Bo.lan made a comeback after a one-year absence from the list at number 19. Chef Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones’ labor-intensive research into making all their Thai dishes from scratch is matched by a dedication to sustainability. Just yesterday at the 50 Best Talks event chef Bo stood up in protest against the use of unnecessary foam boxes and plastic cups.

Issaya Siamese Club, Chef Ian Kittichai’s bright and beautiful restaurant that looks to make Thai classics fresh again, came in at number 21.

The 31st spot went to Eat Me, a multi-cuisine restaurant with influences from America, Mediterranean, Asia and Pacific Rim led by chef Tim Butler, who just launched Esenzi, a new fine-dining seafood restaurant down in Phuket.

Other new entries included The Dining Room, the signature restaurant of the award ceremony’s host venue, which entered at number 36. The lush restaurant is known for Turkish chef Fatih Tutak’s multi-cuisine creations.

Chef Thitid Tassanakajohn’s modern Thai cuisine pioneer Le Du finally made it to the list at number 37 after a several years of loyal diners questioning it's absence. 

At number 40, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Bangkok's branch of the chain from the most lauded French chef in the world, pipped its Hong Kong equivalent by one spot.

This was the second year in a row the ceremony has taken place Bangkok. We can't comment on all the restaurants outside of Thailand that made the cut, but we're proud to see so many amazing Bangkok venues and chef get their due respect on the regional stage. 

For our own panel's views on Bangkok's best restaurants, you'll have to wait for our Top Tables 2017 guide, out this March. In the meantime, here's our 2016 list

Here is the full top 10:
1. Gaggan, Bangkok
2. Andre, Singapore
3. Amber, Hong Kong
4. 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong
5. Nahm, Bangkok
6. Narisawa, Tokyo
7. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo
8. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai
9. Odette, Singapore
10. Burnt Ends, Singapore
 
Bangkok's entries:
1. Gaggan
5. Nahm
13. Suhring
19. Bo.lan
21. Issaya Siamese Club
31. Eat Me
36. The Dining Room
37. Le Du
40. L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon