Delicate and rooted in authentic flavours, Cantonese cuisine has long been well-loved among foodies in the know, as well as Hongkongers with our particular palates, and it looks like the rest of the world is definitely taking notice. The Chinese Restaurant Awards (CRA) recently unveiled their list for the Elite 15 Asia Awards 2025 at a grand ceremony in Vancouver, Canada, marking the first time the CRA has ranked Chinese restaurants across both Asia and Canada.
From 30 top-tier honourees, 15 eateries were ranked on the prestigious list, with six Hong Kong restaurants making the cut. Meanwhile, the panel also recognised three individual honours in Asia’s Chinese culinary scene – categorised under Master Chef, Dim Sum Chef, and Rising Star Chef of the Year – with a Hong Kong chef and a Macau chef tying for the title of Rising Star Chef for 2025.
With six restaurants winning spots on the Elite 15 list, Hong Kong is undoubtedly the leading region in the world for top-notch Chinese food. It will not come as a surprise to connoisseurs that the Michelin-starred The Chairman has snatched the top spot on CRA’s elite list for its exemplary, locally sourced Cantonese fare. In second place, Wing Restaurant is honoured for its modern regional Chinese cuisine prepared with western culinary techniques. Both these restaurants are famously among the hardest to book in Hong Kong – and for good reason.
Slightly lower on the list sits Seventh Son Restaurant in fifth place, while Shanghainese restaurant Xin Rong Ji comes in seventh for its diverse Taizhou menu, followed closely by Yong Fu’s authentic Ningbo cuisine at number eight. Finally, Man Ho Chinese Restaurant rounds out Hong Kong’s wins at rank 13, with its chef Jayson Tang additionally being awarded Rising Star Chef of the Year for his innovative approach to traditional Cantonese cuisine. In a rare tie to the final voting process, this honour is being jointly shared with chef Henry Zhang of Macau’s Drunken Fish. Our neighbouring Macau was also represented in the Elite 15 Asia Awards by the two-Michelin-starred Chef Tam’s Season in Wynn Palace coming in at number 10.
The CRA has become a definitive guide to Chinese cuisine in Metro Vancouver since its founding in 2008. Expanding its expertise to Asia, the Elite 15 Asia Awards are compiled by a distinguished panel of chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, cultural leaders, and entrepreneurs across major Asian cities. Honourees are assessed for the overall dining experience at each venue, the chefs’ technical mastery, and their ability to showcase the uniqueness of regional cuisine with contemporary flair. See below for the list of top 15 Chinese restaurants in Asia this year as well as their regional specialties.
Winners of the Elite 15 Asia Awards 2025:
- The Chairman, Hong Kong – Modern Cantonese
- Wing Restaurant, Hong Kong – Modern Chinese
- Ru Yuan, Hangzhou – Hangzhou (Hangbang Cai)
- Meet the Bund, Shanghai – Min Cai
- Seventh Son Restaurant, Hong Kong – Cantonese
- 102 House, Shanghai – Refined Cantonese banquet cuisine
- Lingnan House, Guangzhou – Cantonese
- Xin Rong Ji, Hong Kong – Taizhou
- Yong Fu, Hong Kong – Ningbo
- Chef Tam’s Season, Macau – Cantonese
- 1996 Si Chuan Cuisine, Beijing – Modern Sichuanese
- Jie Xiang Lou, Hangzhou – Jiangnan
- Man Ho Chinese Restaurant, Hong Kong – Cantonese
- The House of Dynasties, Beijing – Imperial court, Cantonese
- Silks House, Taipei – Cantonese
Click here for more information about The Chinese Restaurant Awards and the Elite 15 Asia Awards 2025.
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