Must-see restaurants in Southeast Asia

  • Beach Street Bakery

    George Town

    This delectable bakery at China House serves an eye-popping range of sweet, indulgent, three-inch thick cakes.

  • Grilled-Snack Stalls

    Yangon

    A huge array of meat, fish and veggies is lined up on skewers awaiting your grill orders at a number of lively places along 19th St.

  • Momma Kong's, external

    Momma Kong's

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Small, funky Momma Kong's is run by two young brothers and a cousin obsessed with crab. While the compact menu features numerous finger-licking, MSG-free…

  • Fat Prince

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Slip into this dimly lit shophouse and be seduced by its golden glinting opulence. Book ahead and smugly sink into your velvet seat, and start your meal…

  • Ding Dong

    Chinatown & the CBD

    From the kitschy vintage posters to the meticulous cocktails to the wow-oh-wow modern takes on Southeast Asian flavours, it's all about attention to…

  • Secret House

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Secret House offers a stylish take on home-style Vietnamese cooking close to Ben Thanh Market. The main dining room features mud-and-straw walls and…

  • Sarnies, external

    Sarnies

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Luscious, epic sarnies (Australian slang for sandwiches) bust the jaws of suits and hipsters at this new-school Aussie cafe. Farm-to-table produce shows…

  • Latteria Mozzarella Bar

    Latteria Mozzarella Bar

    Chinatown & the CBD

    While we adore the leafy al fresco deck, the draw is the silky, straight-from-Italy mozzarella, showcased in starter-sized specialità (specialties) like…

  • Raya

    Phuket Town

    Unrenovated, unpretentious and unbelievably good, charming Raya has been serving southern Thai fare for around 20 years. This two-storey Sino-Portuguese…

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    Box n Sticks

    Little India & Kampong Glam

    Straight from the backstreets of Tokyo, this home-style Japanese tavern is often overflowing with patrons devouring straight-off-the-grill kushiyaki …

  • Ya Kun Kaya Toast, external

    Ya Kun Kaya Toast

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Though it's now part of a chain, this airy, retro coffeeshop is an institution, and the best way to start the day the Singaporean way. The speciality is…

  • Blue Ginger, external

    Blue Ginger

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Elegant Blue Ginger is one of the few places in Singapore showcasing the spicy, sour flavours of Peranakan food; a unique fusion of Chinese and Malay…

  • Lucha Loco, garden

    Lucha Loco

    Chinatown & the CBD

    On pumping Duxton Hill, Lucha Loco keeps the crowds purring with its flirtatious barkeeps, effortlessly cool vibe and finger-licking Mexican street food…

  • Cumi Bali, external

    Cumi Bali

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Authentic Indonesian cuisine served in unpretentious surroundings. Cumi Bali is named after its speciality squid dish, and it's as melt in your mouth as…

  • Tiong Bahru Bakery, external

    Tiong Bahru Bakery

    Chinatown & the CBD

    The quintessential Frenchman, baker Gontran Cherrier has everyone at his door, itching for a little French lovin'. At Cherrier's light-filled,…

  • Esquina

    Esquina

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Intimate, buzzing Esquina has tongues wagging with its classic-with-a-twist Spanish morsels. Scan the paper placemat menu for standouts like the palate…

  • Ci Yan Organic Vegetarian Health Food

    Ci Yan Organic Vegetarian Health Food

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Excellent food, a very friendly manager and an informal atmosphere make this a fine choice for a no-fuss vegetarian meal in the heart of Chinatown. It…

  • Internal, Super Loco

    Super Loco

    Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay

    The only thing missing is a beach at this breezy hipster cantina, complete with Mexican party vibe, pink-neon and playful barkeeps in Cancún-esque shirts…

  • Young people wait at Pho Thin for their traditional bowls of pho, or noodle soup, in Hanoi, Vietnam. Pho can be eaten at any time of day.

    Pho Thin

    Hanoi

    This slender, crammed hole-in-the-wall place directly east of Hoan Kien Lake has narrow tables and stools where it's all elbows and chatter. The place has…

  • Lau Pa Sat.

    Lau Pa Sat

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Lau Pa Sat means 'Old Market' in Hokkien, which is appropriate since the handsome iron structure shipped out from Glasgow in 1894 remains intact. It's a…

  • Lim Chee Guan

    Lim Chee Guan

    Chinatown & the CBD

    When food snobs hanker for bak kwa (barbecued preserved pork), they snack at this veteran. Around since 1938, Lim Chee Guan grills like no other, turning…

  • Bincho, food

    Bincho

    Chinatown & the CBD

    In heritage heavyweight Tiong Bahru, the last thing you'd think you'd find is a sleek yakatori joint serving some of the best Japanese fare in town. The…

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    Coconut Club

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Not just any old nasi lemak joint, here they're nuts about coconuts and only a certain Malaysian West African (MAWA) hybrid will do. Chicken is super…

  • 500px Photo ID: 83172141 - Vietnamese rice noodles are served with beef, lime, hoisin sauce and chili sauce and ready to eat..Lens: Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon

    Secret Garden

    Ho Chi Minh City

    You pass through a motorbike parking lot then negotiate the stairs of a faded HCMC apartment building to reach this wonderful rooftop restaurant. Rogue…

  • Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

    Little India & Kampong Glam

    Locals have tried to keep this second-generation hawker stall – famous for Teochew-style bak chor mee (minced pork noodles) – secret, but with its shiny…

  • Nha Hang Ngon

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Thronging with locals and foreigners, this is one of HCMC's most popular spots, with a large range of the very best street food on offer in stylish…

  • Mee Ton Poe

    Phuket Town

    Right on Phuket Town's Clock Tower Circle, amid wooden tables and red-plastic stools, third-generation Mee Ton Poe has been pulling in Phuketians since…

  • Ratcharod Dim Sum

    Phuket Town

    Rooted in the island's Chinese heritage, Thai-style dim sum is a busy affair for Phuketians, and Ratcharod is a Phuket Town favourite. Steaming bamboo…

  • Mustard Incident

    Mustard Incident

    Chinatown & the CBD

    What started off as a hole-in-the-wall hot-dog stall in the basement of Tangs department store on Orchard Rd has now morphed into a proper restaurant on…

  • Noodle Man

    Noodle Man

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Noodle Man does rice dishes and dumplings here too, but this place is all about the authentic noodles, hand-pulled to perfection (sometimes at your table…

  • Flying Squirrel

    Flying Squirrel

    Chinatown & the CBD

    This sneaky squirrel lurks down a laneway off Amoy St. Find it and your reward is fresh, delicious Japanese in a cool but cosy combo of brickwork,…

  • Tong Heng, food cabinets.

    Tong Heng

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Hit the spot at this veteran pastry shop, specialising in pastries, tarts and cakes from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. While locals…

  • Entrance to Xu Restaurant Lounge

    Xu

    Ho Chi Minh City

    This superstylish restaurant-lounge serves a menu of Vietnamese-inspired fusion dishes. It's pricey, but well worth the flutter for the top service and…

  • L'Entrecote

    L'Entrecote

    Chinatown & the CBD

    This place only does one dish – steak and chips – but it does it very well, so if you're pining for a slice of French bistro action, trek up to this…

  • Ban Lee. The decades old Ban Lee is an institution on Jalan Ipoh

    Restoran Ban Lee

    Kuala Lumpur

    Expect to sit cheek-by-jowl on a weekend morning with hungry regulars who are used to eating Ban Lee’s claypot bak kut teh (pork-bone tea soup) for…

  • Red Star, food

    Red Star

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Armed with trolley-clutching aunties who swoop like fighter jets, classic Red Star is perfect for a Hong Kong–style yum cha. Keep your ears pricked for…

  • Grain Traders

    Chinatown & the CBD

    This bustling eatery dishes up filling comfort food to busy city workers craving fresh, nutrient-packed meals. Start your day with oatmeal, acai smoothie…

  • J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff

    Chinatown & the CBD

    These golden parcels of curried goodness are a favourite Singaporean snack, and this hawker stall serves some of the best puffs around. Our pick is the…

  • L'Angelus

    L'Angelus

    Chinatown & the CBD

    At this cosy, friendly, traditional French restaurant run by a couple of attentive French expats, the escargot (snails) are a speciality, but we like the…

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    Propaganda

    Ho Chi Minh City

    Colourful murals and retro socialist posters brighten up this popular bistro with park views. The menu focuses on street-food classics from around Vietnam…

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