18 Singapore restaurants listed in China’s 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide
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There are 18 Singapore restaurants in the 2026 edition of the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, published by Chinese tech company Meituan.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
SINGAPORE – Eighteen Singapore restaurants have been included in the 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, two more than in the 2025 edition.
Published by Chinese tech company Meituan, it is often seen as China’s answer to the Michelin Guide, which originated in France.
The 2026 edition includes Pangium in Singapore Botanic Gardens, which serves Straits cuisine, Greek restaurant Estiatorio Milos in Marina Bay Sands and Sushi Zen in Teck Lim Road, all of which were awarded one diamond.
Malcolm Lee, 42, chef-owner of one-diamond restaurants Pangium and Candlenut at the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide awards ceremony at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre on March 23.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Pangium chef-owner Malcolm Lee, 42, sees this as a triumph for heritage cuisine. “It gives us encouragement to carry on for the next 10, 20, 30 years. It’s about sustaining not just the flavours, but also the spirit and emotions of the cuisine for future generations.”
His other restaurant, Candlenut, a Dempsey establishment that serves Peranakan food, has been on the list since 2019 – an inclusion that has drawn more Chinese guests to the restaurant.
“What we see is that the Chinese are interested in seeing how Chinese cuisine has evolved over time, as people moved to Singapore and mixed with the local community. They’re intrigued by how food takes on a different flavour altogether,” he says. He adds that while many guests appreciate his food, some Chinese diners find the flavours too strong or rich.
Also on the Black Pearl list are restaurants like Cloudstreet in Amoy Street, Meta in Mohamed Sultan Road, Burnt Ends in Dempsey, Peach Blossoms in Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay and Zen in Bukit Pasoh Road.
British restaurant Jaan by Kirk Westaway retained its two diamonds, while French restaurants Les Amis and Odette were once again awarded three diamonds, the highest rank on the guide.
Odette and one-diamond Restaurant Born in Neil Road also received two out of four annual dish awards – Odette for its kampot pepper crusted pigeon and Restaurant Born for its monkfish with jade fungus and chicken fat.
Restaurants from cities like Hong Kong, Taipei, Macau, Bangkok and Tokyo were also honoured at the awards ceremony, which was held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on March 23.
Chef Kirk Westaway receiving an award from Hong Kong actress Charmaine Sheh (in white). His restaurant, Jaan by Kirk Westaway, received two diamonds.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
In total, 26 new restaurants, five new cuisines and one new city – Seoul – were added to the 2026 guide.
Ms Tang Yan, head of the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, says: “This is not just a statistical increase. It is also our exploration of and tribute to the diverse and delicious cuisines around the world.”
Restaurants are evaluated according to their culinary presentation, service and environment, as well as heritage and innovation.
Nominations are sourced from professionals, e-mail recommendations and Meituan’s AI data insights. After a review by the organising committee, restaurants are evaluated by anonymous judges across multiple visits throughout the year. Data is then cross-verified, and a final list of ranked restaurants generated.
Besides the list of restaurants, honours were also handed out to individual chefs. Terry Ho, chef de cuisine of Amber in Hong Kong, took home the Young Chef Award, while the Master Chef Award went to Vicky Cheng, chef-owner of Wing and VEA restaurants in Hong Kong.
Chef Cheng, 41, says: “I’m incredibly honoured to receive this award. For me, it’s never been about a single path or a single cuisine. Whether at VEA or Wing, what truly connects everything we do is a genuine love for cooking. That passion is a universal language we all share as chefs.”
