Must-see restaurants in Southeast Asia

  • Mee Gaan

    Nakhon Ratchasima Province

    This friendly newcomer has a cafe vibe but with restaurant-quality food and is the best place in town for a meal. The speciality is the delicious pad mee…

  • Soul In A Bowl

    Sanur

    Bringing much-needed style to Sanur's main strip, this new-agey cafe has an appealing mix of tables inside and out. The food is healthy and combines…

  • Le Normandie

    Bangkok

    Le Normandie has maintained its niche in fine-dining-obsessed Bangkok, and is still the only place to go for a genuinely old-world ‘Continental’ dining…

  • L’Elephant

    Chiang Mai

    When you simply can't stomach any more Thai street food, saunter into this elegant oasis and feast on melt-in-your-mouth beef carpaccio, hearty ox tongue…

  • Tangor

    Luang Prabang

    Atmospheric with its low-lit interior of dark woods and tangerine-coloured walls peppered with old travel posters, Tangor boasts a menu of beautifully…

  • Mae Ut

    Nong Khai

    This little place, serving just four items, including fried spring rolls, khâo gee·ab þahk mŏr (fresh noodles with pork), and a Vietnamese take on a…

  • Caravela

    Dili

    Set on a deck right on the beach 2.5km east of the centre, this upmarket restaurant takes advantage of Dili's waterfront like few other places. Portuguese…

  • Merah Putih

    Kerobokan

    Merah Putih means 'red and white', which are the colours of the Indonesian flag. That's perfect for this excellent restaurant, which celebrates food from…

  • Ten Pandan

    West Bali

    This charming beachfront restaurant serves cheap and tasty Indonesian dishes in traditional joglos perched on stilts by the sea. The gado gado (a…

  • Warung Daun

    Jakarta

    This re-imagined warung (food stall) attempts a modern and healthy take on classic dishes. Expect delectable Sundanese and Chinese Indonesian dishes,…

  • Le Broken Plate

    Phnom Penh

    Canadian-Cambodian chef Narith Plong delivers a Khmer twist to the Japanese sushi and sashimi experience. Sourcing only the freshest seasonal ingredients,…

  • Motel Mexicola

    Seminyak

    Not your average taqueria, Motel Mexicola is an extravaganza that channels a tropical version of a nightclub. The huge space is decked out in kitschy neon…

  • Porntip Gai Yang Wat Jaeng

    Ubon Ratchathani

    It looks like a tornado has whipped through this no-frills spot, but the chefs cook up a storm of their own. This is considered by many to be Ubon's…

  • Cuc Gach Quan

    Ho Chi Minh City

    It comes as little surprise to learn that the owner of this place is an architect when you step into this cleverly renovated old villa. The decor is both…

  • Soga

    Solo

    This stylish Indonesian and fusion restaurant is part of the Danar Hadi complex, next to the batik museum and showroom. Mains include meat and pasta…

  • Cafe Eden

    Battambang

    This American-run social enterprise offers a relaxed space for a hearty breakfast or an afternoon coffee. The compact lunch-and-dinner menu is Asian…

  • Nourish

    Yangon

    Vegan restaurants are a rare breed in Yangon, so Nourish comes as something of a blessing – doubly so as its menu of wraps, pitas, 'glo bowls', salads and…

  • Fuego

    Kuala Lumpur

    With its huge open-air deck facing the Petronas Towers, this show-stopping Latin American eatery has a boisterous but convivial atmosphere and is a great…

  • Blackbird

    Manila

    For a romantic night out, you can't beat Blackbird. It's in the art-deco Nielson Tower, a historic 1937 airport control tower, with dining in the old…

  • Privet

    Vientiane

    Dumplings, zakuski (small dishes eaten with vodka), pickled herring, blinis and caviar – peeps, Russian food is really tasty. And even if you don't agree…

  • Ark

    Sarawak

    Nudging the Rejang Esplanade, the Ark has an air-con interior plus outdoor seating upstairs, and is the perfect place to watch the river drift by with a…

  • Le Saint Georges

    Phnom Penh

    Le Saint Georges specialises in the cuisine of southwest France, featuring a number of dishes that don't often turn up on other menus around town,…

  • Shan Ma Ma

    Mandalay

    Plastic stools and chairs? Check. Delicious aroma of food awaiting your inspection? Check. And the friendly sisters who run it will offer you a taste of…

  • Meta

    Chinatown & the CBD

    It's all about French food with a delicate Asian twist at this sleek, one Michelin star restaurant in trendy Keong Saik Rd. The open kitchen runs nearly…

  • Kinlum Kindee

    Chiang Mai

    Meaning 'eat delicious, eat well', Kinlum Kindee aims to elevate northern Thai cuisine by using high-quality, sustainable ingredients from local producers…

  • Root

    Yangon

    This ethnically stylish and spacious restaurant specialises in the food of the Wa people, who live in the conflict-ridden, northern region of Myanmar…

  • Novelty Cafe

    Luang Prabang

    One of the most popular cafes on the main strip, Novelty offers some delectable coffees, novel teas (their pun, not ours!) and delicious fruit shakes. It…

  • Manda de Laos

    Luang Prabang

    This stunning restaurant is set in a beautiful lantern-festooned garden flanking a lily pond that is pretty by day, but enchanting by night. The menu of…

  • 80/20

    Chinatown

    Freshly renovated in 2019, 80/20 continues to excel at what it has always done with perfection – blending Thai and Western ingredients and dishes to…

  • World Cafe

    Pulau Perhentian

    One of the top choices on Long Beach is this open-sided restaurant cooled by a sea breeze and jazz vibes. Cocktails, fresh juices and smoothies, and a…

  • Granary

    Kuching

    Housed in an old granary that has been renovated with minimalist flair, this breezy restaurant serves up burgers, pizzas and pasta, plus some pricier meat…

  • Nalu Bowls

    Seminyak

    Inspired by Hawaii's culture and tropical ingredients, this chain of acai bowl establishments has made a big splash in Bali. The flagship Seminyak…

  • Warung Varuna

    Canggu

    The best deal for great local fare close to the beach, Varuna combines excellent Balinese fare with a surfer sensibility. The nasi goreng (fried rice)…

  • Jaloux

    George Town

    Chefs Hong and Yen have charmed Penangites at two previous venues, with their quirky style and delicious Italian food and desserts. Jaloux is their latest…

  • Le Café Ban Vat Sene

    Luang Prabang

    Luang Prabang's most stylish stop for afternoon tea and scones. Fans whirr above a serenely lit bar, while the dessert cabinet purrs at you like a…

  • Little Red Fox

    Siem Reap

    This foxy little cafe is incredibly popular with long-term residents in Siem Reap, who swear that the regionally sourced Feel Good coffee is the best in…

  • Sea Breeze Café

    Lovina

    Right by the beach, this breezy cafe is the best – and most intimate – of the beachside choices. The Indonesian and Western dishes are well presented, as…

  • BU Kris

    Surabaya

    With simple tiled walls, plastic-coated menus and chipped tables piled with plates of food, it's not the looks that bring crowds of noisy locals to eat at…

  • Terrazza

    Phnom Penh

    Plenty of places in Cambodia attempt Italian cuisine, but prim and proper Terrazza nails it, offering a fantastic Italian wine list, bulging antipasto…

  • Spice House at Cassia Cottage

    Phu Quoc Island

    Nab a sea-view table, order a papaya salad, grilled garlic prawns, banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake), cinnamon-infused okra, a delectable Khmer fish curry or…

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