The 50 Best Restaurants In Asia 2014 List Revealed And Bangkok Is On Top

The World's 50 Best Restaurants isn't just another listicle from a content puppy mill du jour, but a full-on statement from an authority in the restaurant world, Restaurant magazine, sponsored by bottled water companies San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. OK, the whole thing is complicated, but it's what we've got and what the industry observes as the biggest awards around. When the big list is revealed every June in London, it's pretty much the most important day in high-end dining (like if the Michelin Guide released all their rankings at once or James Beard wasn't affraid of flying). You've heard how Noma is called the "world's best restaurant"? That's because they've landed on the top of the World's 50 Best list several times.

In a ceremony earlier today in Singapore, the list for the Top 50 Restaurants in Asia was revealed and, as expected, there were some surprises (as any BEST IN THE WORLD lists will tend to produce). Bangkok chef David Thompson locked the #1 position for his restaurant, Nahm. Thompson, born in Australia, is widely considered the father of modern Thai cooking and was previously the first chef to be awarded a Michelin star for Thai cooking in Europe.

Another Bangkok chef, Gaggan Anand, earned the third spot for his adventurous, cerebral take on Indian cuisine at Gaggan. Like in previous years, Tokyo (#2 Narisawa; #5 Nihonryori Ryugin) and Hong Kong (#4 Amber; #10 8 1/2 Otto E Mezzo Bombana) took several of the top honors. South Korea earned its first spot ever in the rankings with Jungsik Yim's namesake Seoul restaurant, while traditional Japanese restaurant Nihonbashi, run by chef Dharshan Munidasa, put Sri Lanka on the world stage.

Below is the complete list of the top 50 restaurants, which grades restaurants in the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Nauru, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

1. NAHM | Bangkok, Thailand

2. NARISAWA | Tokyo, Japan

3. GAGGAN |Bangkok, Thailand

4. AMBER | Hong Kong, China

5. NIHONRYORI RYUGIN | Tokyo, Japan

6. RESTAURANT ANDRÉ | Singapore

7. WAKU GHIN | Singapore

8. ULTRAVIOLET BY PAUL PAIRET | Shanghai, China

9. LUNG KING HEEN | Hong Kong, China

10. 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA | Hong Kong, China

11. MR AND MRS BUND | Shanghai, China

12. IGGY'S | Singapore

13.CAPRICE | Hong Kong, China

14.LES AMIS | Singapore

15. BO INNOVATION | Hong Kong, China

16. ISHIKAWA | Tokyo, Japan

17. JAAN | Singapore

18. L'ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON | Hong Kong, China

19. FOOK LAM MOON | Hong Kong, China

20. JUNGSIK | Seoul, South Korea

21. SRA BUA BY KIIN KIIN | Bangkok, Thailand

22. QUINTESSENCE | Tokyo, Japan

23. TIPPLING CLUB | Singapore

24. LE MOÛT RESTAURANT | Taichung, Taiwan

25. L'EFFERVESCENCE | Tokyo, Japan

26. FU1015 | Shanghai, China

27. BUKHARA | New Delhi, India

28. BO.LAN | Bangkok, Thailand

29. INDIAN ACCENT | New Delhi, India

30. DUM PUKHT | New Delhi, India

31. ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB | Bangkok, Thailand

32. VARQ | New Delhi, India

33. 28 HUBIN ROAD | Hangzhou, China

34. TAKAZAWA | Tokyo, Japan

35. SHINJI BY KANESAKA | Singapore

36. WASABI | Mumbai, India

37 EAT ME | Bangkok, Thailand

38. SUKIYABASHI JIRO | Tokyo, Japan

39. ROBUCHON AU DÔME | Macau, China

40. IMPERIAL TREASURE SUPER PEKING DUCK | Singapore

41. SAWADA | Tokyo, Japan

42. HAJIME | Osaka, Japan

43. SUSHI SAITO | Tokyo, Japan

44. NIHONBASHI | Colombo, Sri Lanka

45. YARDBIRD | Hong Kong, China

46. FAMILY LI IMPERIAL CUISINE | Shanghai, China

47. SARONG | Bali, Indonesia

48. FRANCK BISTRO | Shanghai, China

49. KARAVALLI | Bangalore, India

50. TENKU RYUGIN | Hong Kong, China