SCMP’s 100 Top Tables 2023 is back – and bigger than ever: with a record 25 Macau restaurants making the list, The Royal Garden, Magistracy Dining Room and Wing all received nods for excellence too

Catherine So, CEO of the South China Morning Post, kicked off the launch of 100 Top Tables dining guide launch event at Soho House Hong Kong last week, with hundreds of F&B luminaries in attendance

Winners included chef Don Ng of The Royal Garden and William Lau of Whisk; bartender Devender Sehgal of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, and restaurants Wing, Magistracy Dining Room, Mono and Embla

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South China Morning Post’s annual 100 Top Tables event was held in Soho House. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 9:00am, 4 Apr 2023

The South China Morning Post released the latest edition of its 100 Top Tables dining guide last Friday. The book, an annual independent guide to the best restaurants and bars in Hong Kong and Macau, was unveiled at a ceremony recognising the achievements of all 135 establishments included.

The launch event at Soho House Hong Kong was attended by hundreds of luminaries from across the Hong Kong and Macau food and beverage industries, marking the first time it has taken place since 2019 and the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Catherine So, CEO of the South China Morning Post, opened the ceremony saying, “100 Top Tables is truly a culinary map of our diverse and vibrant cities for anyone with an appreciation for fine cuisine, and we want all of our readers to enjoy what it has to offer.

SCMP leadership celebrating this year’s 100 Top Tables awards: Douglas Parkes, Karrie Lam, CEO Catherine So, Kevin Huang and Belinda Tse. Photo: Humphrey Ng

“The past 11 editions of 100 Top Tables have helped mark the noteworthy and lasting shifts in culinary trends, and this latest instalment continues that legacy. This year’s edition features 135 establishments with eight individual category winners – the largest cohort since inception. It is a testament to the talent in the industry, and shows that the F&B scene in Hong Kong and Macau is back.”

First released in 2013, 100 Top Tables was originally conceived purely as a directory of the best fine dining restaurants in Hong Kong, as there was no guide dedicated to upscale eateries in the city.

Over the past 10 years the book has evolved in step with Hong Kong’s culinary tastes. Early editions featured numerous molecular gastronomy restaurants inspired by the likes of El Bulli. As Copenhagen’s Noma has risen to international prominence, its focus on seasonal ingredients, food miles and food waste has spread to Hong Kong – there is no more repeated word in this year’s guide than “seasonality”.

100 Top Tables is truly a culinary map of our diverse and vibrant cities

Catherine So, CEO, South China Morning Post

Other developments have been taking place between the covers of 100 Top Tables. Increasingly there was a need to reward the accomplishments of chefs and restaurants in Macau as the city gained an increasing number of Michelin stars. This year a record 25 Macau restaurants have been included.

With 135 establishments featured, this is the largest 100 Top Tables ever – the name increasingly selling short the scale and breadth of the guide. All restaurants were selected by SCMP’s independent editorial panel of food writers and critics.