18 Singapore Restaurants Shine in 2026 Black Pearl Guide – China’s Michelin Alternative
Singapore’s culinary scene received a significant boost today with the announcement that eighteen of its restaurants are featured in the 2026 edition of the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, an influential publication often described as China’s equivalent to the Michelin Guide. This marks an increase of two restaurants from the 2025 edition.
Among the recognized establishments is Pangium, a Peranakan restaurant located within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which received a one-diamond rating. Chef-owner Malcolm Lee, 42, also helms Candlenut, another Peranakan restaurant that has been consistently listed in the guide since 2019. Lee expressed his satisfaction with the recognition, stating, “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 of the cuisine, its emotions and feelings, for future generations.”
The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, published by Chinese tech company Meituan, evaluates restaurants based on culinary presentation, service, environment, heritage, and innovation. Nominations are gathered from industry professionals, email recommendations, and Meituan’s own AI data analysis. Multiple anonymous judges then visit and assess the restaurants throughout the year, with data cross-verified before the final rankings are determined.
In addition to Pangium, Estiatorio Milos, a Greek restaurant in Marina Bay Sands, and Sushi Zen, located on Teck Lim Road, also earned one-diamond ratings. Jaan by Kirk Westaway retained its two-diamond status, while the French restaurants Les Amis and Odette were awarded the guide’s highest honor – three diamonds.
The awards ceremony, held at the Sands Expo &. Convention Centre, also recognized individual chefs. Terry Ho, chef de cuisine at Amber in Hong Kong, received the Young Chef Award, and the Master Chef Award went to Vicky Cheng, chef-owner of Wing and VEA restaurants, also in Hong Kong. Cheng remarked, “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.”
Odette and Restaurant Born, located on Neil Road, were also honored with dish awards. Odette received recognition for its kampot pepper crusted pigeon, while Restaurant Born was lauded for its monkfish with jade fungus and chicken fat. The 2026 guide also included 26 fresh restaurants, five new cuisines, and added Seoul as a new city to its coverage.
According to Tang Yan, head of the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, the expansion reflects a broader effort to recognize the diversity of global cuisine. “This is not just a statistical increase. It is also our exploration of and tribute to the diverse and delicious cuisines around the world,” she said.
Lee noted that Candlenut’s inclusion in the guide since 2019 has already attracted a growing number of Chinese diners, who are increasingly interested in the evolution of Chinese cuisine as it has adapted and blended with local flavors in Singapore. He acknowledged, however, that some Chinese diners find the intensity of Peranakan flavors to be quite strong.