Philippines’ Toyo Eatery among Asia’s top 50 restaurants again

Homegrown fine dining concept from Metro Manila, Toyo Eatery, has made it to Asia’s top 50 restaurants for 2021, landing in 49th place.

This is the 3rd time Chef Jordy Navarra’s award-winning culinary venture made it to the list – they placed 44th in 2020 and 43rd in 2019.

Toyo Eatery opened in 2016 along Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. The restaurant name means both the Filipino word for soy sauce (“a simple condiment created through a complex production”) and the Filipino idiom “May toyo sa ulo,” which refers to having “soy sauce in the brain” or being a little crazy, according to The World’s 50 Best website.

Chef Jordy’s Filipino-inspired menu features playful dishes “steeped in the country’s identity,” cohesively combining “familiar local flavors” with “modern presentations.”

Landing in first place this year is Cantonese restaurant The Chairman from Hong Kong. It is owned by restaurateur Danny Yip and Kwok Kyung Tung. Other notable awardees include Angela Lai for Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, Shanghai’s DeAille Tam for Asia’s Best Female Chef, and Bangkok’s Jay Fai for Best Icon Award.

The prestigious annual list, which began in 2013, is created by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of more than 300 leaders in the restaurant industry.

The Asia’s Best winning list for 2021 was announced via livestream on the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel on Thursday, March 25.

Here is the complete list of winners:

50. Wing Lei Palace from Macau, China

49. Toyo Eatery from Manila, Philippines (The Best Restaurant in the Philippines)

48. Seventh Son from Hong Kong, China

47. Lung King Heen from Hong Kong, China

46. GAA from Bangkok, Thailand

45. Shoun Ryugin from Taipei, Taiwan

44. Mono from Hong Kong, China

43. Hangsikgonggan from Seoul, South Korea

42. Jaan by Kirk Westaway from Singapore

41. Euphoria from Singapore

40. Labyrinthe from Singapore

39. Anan Saigon from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (The Best Restaurant in Vietnam)

38. Ta Vie from Hong Kong, China

37. Amber from Hong Kong, China

36. Born and Bred from Seoul, South Korea

35. Obscura from Shanghai, China

34. 7th Door from Seoul, South Korea

33. Otto E Mezzo Bombana from Hong Kong, China

32. Masque from Mumbai, India

31. Cloudstreet from Singapore

30. La Maison De La Nature Goh from Fukuoka, Japan

29. Ministry of Crab from Colombo, Sri Lanka (Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka)

28. Caprice from Hong Kong, China

27. Ode from Tokyo, Japan

26. JL Studio from Taichung, Taiwan

25. Belon from Hong Kong, China

24. Logy from Taipei, Taiwan

23. Zen from Singapore

22. Fu He Hui from Shanghai, China

21. Raw from Taipei, Taiwan

20. Nusara from Bangkok, Thailand

19. L’Effervescence from Tokyo, Japan

18. Indian Accent from New Delhi, India

17. Neighborhood from Hong Kong, China

16. Vea from Hong Kong, China

15. Mume from Taipei, Taiwan

14. Burnt Ends from Singapore

13. Les Amis from Singapore

12. Sazenka from Tokyo, Japan

11. Sorn from Bangkok, Thailand

10. Mingles from Seoul, South Korea

9. Narisawa from Tokyo, Japan

8. La Cime from Osaka, Japan

7. Florilège from Tokyo, Japan

6. Sühring from Bangkok, Thailand

5. Gaggan Anand from Bangkok, Thailand

4. Le Du from Bangkok, Thailand

3. Den from Tokyo, Japan

2. Odette from Singapore

1. The Chairman from Hong Kong, China

– Rappler.com