Asia's 50 Best Restaurants for 2026 was announced yesterday, and Lamdre is the only restaurant from Beijing to make the list, coming in at #17. This marks the first occasion a Beijing restaurant has been ranked in the top 20. Additionally, Lamdre received the Highest Climber Award for its notable leap in rankings, having placed 50th in last year's edition.
The 50 Best list follows the earlier release of the 51 to 100 list on March 12, which included two restaurants from Beijing: the newcomer Chef 1996 at #52 and Xin Rong Ji (Xinyuan South Road) at #84, which has been part of the top 100 for several years.
Overall, 12 restaurants from mainland China appeared in the top 100, with Shanghai being the leading city, featuring five eateries: Meet the Bund at #6, Ling Long at #9, Fu He Hui at #11, 102 House at #29, and La Bourriche at #48. Beijing follows with three restaurants, then Shenzhen with two (Fumé at #65 and Ensue at #79), while Chengdu and Hangzhou each have one, with Co- at #69 and JinSha at #85, respectively.
Although Beijing secured three spots in the top 100, this is a significant improvement compared to a few years ago when it had no representation on the list. It was not until 2023 that a restaurant from Beijing made the 50 Best, with Refer—now closed—ranking at #50 that year.
Now, let’s take a brief look at the three Beijing restaurants featured in the top 100.
#17 Lamdre
Lamdre is a plant-based restaurant situated in Sanlitun, celebrated for its sophisticated seasonal tasting menus (currently priced at RMB 1,299) that elevate Chinese ingredients into stylish, contemporary dishes. Lamdre has garnered accolades, including two Michelin stars in the 2026 Guide and two diamonds in the 2026 Black Pearl awards.
Founded by Zhao Jia and helmed by chef Dai Jun, it merges traditional cooking methods with a modern, minimalist approach, gaining recognition for transforming vegetarian cuisine in China. Signature dishes include tofu steeped in a matsutake and wakame broth and ginkgo nuts with peach gum paired with Yunnan mushrooms in a Guizhou-style sour soup.
Lamdre 兰斋1-04, Bldg 14, Courtyard No.4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District工体北路四号院14幢1—04Hours: 11.30am-1.30pm; 6pm-8pmPhone: 010 8597 8888
#52 Chef 1996
Chef 1996 is the first Sichuan cuisine restaurant to be included in the top 100 list. Its menu showcases seasonal Sichuan dishes that align with the 24 Chinese solar terms. A relatively new establishment, Chef 1996 was founded in 2023.
Since its opening, it has quickly gained prestige, earning two diamonds in the 2026 Black Pearl Awards and being featured in the Michelin-Selected Restaurants of the 2026 Guide. Asia's 50 Best highlights the signature crispy tea-smoked duck with house-made Shiranui marmalade and glutinous rice as a must-try dish.
Chef 1996 1996川菜·主厨餐厅A4, Jiangtaiwa, Xinghuo Dong Lu, Chaoyang District星火东路将台洼甲4号Hours: 11.30am-2pm; 5.30pm-9.30pmPhone: 135 2150 9321
#84 Xin Rong Ji (Xinyuan South Road)
Xin Rong Ji specializes in Taizhou cuisine from Zhejiang province, with its Xinyuan South Road branch being the flagship store in Beijing. This location has been a prominent fixture in the city’s fine dining scene, receiving three Michelin stars annually since the Beijing Michelin Guide was introduced in 2019, as well as two diamonds in the 2026 Black Pearl Awards. Asia's 50 Best praises this branch for providing an "exceptional rendition of Peking duck" and recommends dishes such as soy-braised sea cucumber and stewed lamb soup.
Xin Rong Ji (Xinyuan South Road) 新荣记(新源南路店)101, 1/F, Qihao Beijing East Tower, 8 Xinyuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District新源南路8号院启皓北京东塔1层101Hours: 11.30am-2pm; 5.30pm-9pmPhone: 010 6501 5501; 010 6501 3667
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Images: Best 50
Lamdre achieved a remarkable #17 ranking, with two additional restaurants from Beijing also making the top 100.