Bangkok’s Gaggan is 2025’s Best Restaurant in Asia

Spring season in Asia brings in an array of seasonal delights that celebrate renewal and fresh, delicate flavors. As nature shakes off the last bits of the bitter cold, markets start to fill up with tender greens, young bamboo shoots, and fragrant herbs incorporated in dishes that truly capture the essence of the season. 

From Sakura-themed desserts in Japan and fresh salads in Thailand to the seasonal banchan in South Korea and the light and savory dishes from China, here are some of our favorite spring dishes across Asia that reflect the region’s deep connection to nature and the ever-changing seasons. 

Chinese Spring Pancakes

Also known as Chun Bing, Peking Duck Pancakes, or Mandarin Pancakes, these light and soft pancakes are traditional food for celebrating the beginning of spring and are an essential element of the classic Peking duck meal. 

It’s usually eaten with savory mains such as duck, bean sprout stir-fry, and Moo Shu Pork, alongside vegetable side dishes like cucumbers and spring onions folded inside them. They are made from wheat flower and water and are cooked in a steamer or a pan. These pancakes aren’t sweet like the Western stacks we know and love, but they sure make a fantastic base for our savory favorites! 

Som Tum

Spring brings in fresh produce, and salads are the best way to enjoy them is at their most fresh form, so we just have to include one of our favorites!

Originally from Thailand, Som Tum can be enjoyed all year round, but it can be particularly refreshing during the spring months. Also known as Green Papaya salad, Som Tum is made of shredded papaya salad, tomatoes, green beans, and peanuts tossed in a tangy lime dressing consisting of lime juice, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It’s bursting with sweet and sour flavors, a signature of Thai cuisine, and definitely a great appetizer or a meal on its own! 

This salad recipe also has variations, such as the Som Tum Mamuang, which is made from strips of green mango instead of papaya. It’s equally delicious and offers a tart and slightly crunchy base. 

Laksa Nyonya

This dish is popular in Malaysian cuisine, described as the perfect blend of Malay and Chinese cuisine, creating something new and unique. 

Laksa Nyonya is basically a rice noodle dish made with a broth of coconut milk and spices, hard-boiled eggs, bean sprouts, tofu puffs, and a variety of seafood — usually shrimp or blood cockles. If you want a little kick, just a little chili paste on top would do the trick! 

The Peranakan people, who are the descendants of the first Chinese immigrants in Malaysia, introduced many traditional flavors to Malay cuisine, which gave birth to this dish. “Nyonya” is the term for Peranakan women and Peranakan cuisine. If you think about it, the name fits considering women are symbols of light and life — and so is spring! 

Nyonya is available all over Malaysia, with origins in Melaka. There, it’s merely dubbed as Melaka Laksa. 

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

These traditional spring rolls are well-loved across the region and packed with fresh veggies, herbs, and slices of pork or shrimp. The dish’s contents often vary, with some having only vegetables or having thin rice noodles folded into thin rice paper, but one thing they all have in common is that it’s a refreshing meal perfect for the season!

The spring rolls are traditionally served with a sweet and savory peanut or hoisin sauce, but it all comes down to preference. There are a variety of sauces to choose from, such as nuoc cham, which is a Vietnamese fish sauce vinaigrette made from a combination of lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, sugar, and chili peppers. And speaking of chili, spicy lovers can also try dipping it in sweet and spicy chili sauce. 

Spring Namul

Banchan is an essential part of a Korean meal. If you don’t know what banchan is, these are the small side dishes served alongside the mains. Namul is a traditional vegetable dish in South Korea that refers to a variety of green side dishes. These edible vegetables are served raw, blanched, fried, sautéed, or dried and are often seasoned with various condiments such as soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, vinegar, garlic, and gochujang (Korean spicy chili paste). The main point of namul, however, is for it to be seasoned lightly and allow the raw, fresh flavor of the vegetables to shine through. 

It's a great side dish for barbecues, serving as a palate cleanser that adds a bit of freshness to oily dishes like samgyupsal. Some of the most popular namul dishes include Sukju Namul (seasoned mung bean sprout dish), Sigeumchi Namul (Spinach side dish), Musaengchae (spicy radish dish), and Hobak Namul (Zucchini side dish). 

Sakura Mochi

Spring is more than just fresh vegetables and savory pancakes, and we couldn’t miss the chance to add a sweet treat to this list. 

Mochi is a Japanese sweet rice cake and is popularly known in its ice cream and donut forms, which feature a variety of flavors and colors. In Japan, the arrival of spring is welcomed with a splash of pink as the delicate Sakura blooms (Cherry Blossoms) cover the cities in pink and white confetti-like petals. It’s a sight to behold, for sure, and to add to the excitement of the season, several merchants in Japan release Sakura-themed souvenirs and treats, including Sakura Mochi!

This traditional spring treat features a sweet glutinous rice cake filled with red bean paste wrapped in an edible pickled cherry blossom leaf. The Sakura scent mixes with the chewy and soft rice dessert (which is also light pink, btw!) and is the epitome of spring in every bite! 

You can find them in most convenience stores and supermarkets in Japan, and they are perfect to bring along your hanami (flower-viewing) picnics! There are also specialty stores that sell them, such as Chomeiji, a centuries-old confectionary founded by the father of Sakura mochi in 1717.  

National Cocktail Day on March 24 is the perfect excuse to gather your friends to sip on some tipples and have a good time. Celebrate the day with perfectly crafted drinks from some of Asia's top bars.

Asia's vibrant bar scene offers some of the best cocktail experiences in the world. From Hong Kong's innovative mixology hubs to Bangkok's world-class speakeasies and Manila's hidden gems, there's no shortage of places across the continent to choose from. 

Continue reading as we highlight some of the top spots across the region for you! 

001 Bar, Hong Kong

Tucked away behind an unmarked door in Tai Kwun, 001 is a hidden surprise in Hong Kong's cocktail scene. This intimate bar is known for its old-school décor and innovative cocktail menu. 

With a focus on quality ingredients and craftsmanship, this speakeasy continuously draws in cocktail lovers and connoisseurs. Some of its signature drinks include the iconic Earl Grey Marteani and seasonal drinks that are not always on their menu, such as the LAPHROAIG PROJECT- a smoky whisky-based cocktail.

Follow 001 Bar's Instagram for their latest updates. 

Sugarhall, Singapore

Transport yourself to a tropical sunny beach at Sugarhall, a cocktail bar and restaurant in Singapore dedicated to showcasing the versatility of rum. The bar reopened in 2022 after a four year hiatus under the Jigger & Pony Group. 

Their Cocktail Getaway menu features a mix of classic rum-based cocktails and creative house creations, highlighting the Passion Fruit Daiquiri with 4 YO aged Bacardí rum and green tea and Iced Mojito with Diplomático Planas rum and sugarcane ice. 

Check out Sugarhall's website and Instagram to learn more. 

The Curator, Manila

Having awarded The Best Bar in the Philippines and No. 33 of Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2024 is The Curator, a highly regarded speciality coffee and cocktail bar in Manila. 

By day, The Curator runs as a coffee shop. By night, the bar transforms into a world-class cocktail bar crafting fun, high-quality cocktails. The cocktail menu focuses on premium ingredients and precise mixology techniques, featuring creative infusions and interesting flavor pairings. 

By bringing its Filippino hospitality and commitment to craftsmanship, The Curator is one of the bars you should not miss if you are stopping by Manila. 

Follow The Curator's Instagram to find out more. 

Lennon's, Bangkok

Located on the top floor of Rosewood Bangkok, Lennon's is a vinyl-inspired speakeasy-style bar. The bar features over 6,000 vinyl records, allowing guests to browse and request to play music of their choice. 

Lennon's elevates its cocktail program with its signature "Vinyl Menu," a nostalgic collection inspired by the defining sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. It features 12 signature cocktails where each drink is inspired by a legendary song, such as You Are The Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder and Say My Name by Destiny's Child. 

Check out Lennon's website and Instagram for more details. 

Spiffy Dapper, Singapore

If you love bold, experimental drinks, Spiffy Dapper is the place for you. Located on River Valley Road in Singapore, the bar incorporates house-infused spirits, exotic ingredients, and unexpected flavor combinations. 

Some of their must-try cocktails are Vesper- a pandan-based drink with dill oil and pickled cucumber and Dew Dropper- a plum-infused gin cocktail with lemongrass and shiso leaf. The Smash Burger by Wicked Goods Singapore are not to be missed as well!  

Other than their cocktails, The Spiffy Dapper is also recognized for its gin collection. They also offer a Gin & Tonic workshop for those who want to perfect their G&T craft! 

Visit Spiffy Dapper's website and Instagram for more information. 

Dio Cafe Bar, Hong Kong

Dio Cafe Bar is a cozy, stylish cocktail bar in Central and West Kowloon of Hong Kong, known for its Cantonese-inspired drinks. Staying true to its name, Dio operates as a cafe during the day and a speakeasy-style bar at night. 

Signature cocktails at Dio highlight unique flavor pairings and Asian-inspired ingredients, which often also complements the seasonality of the year. Some highlights include Yellow Wine Crab Sour- a cocktail created based on the famous Chinese Shaoxing wine and Typhoon Shelter-style Shrimp cocktail, inspired by the iconic Typhoon Shelter stir-fry seasoning.  

Connect with Dio Cafe Bar's Instagram for more details. 

Wing Lei Bar, Macau

Wing Lei Bar at Wynn Palace Hotel in Macau has recently undergone a transformation, redefining the hotel bar experience with a refreshed look and cocktail program, spearheaded by Head Mixologist Mark Lloyd. 

Debuted on March 12, the bar's cocktail menu showcases 12 reimagined classics on four classic cocktail styles (sours, stirred, classics, and alternatini) using handcrafted infusions and repurposed ingredients from the hotel. For those looking for something specific, a bespoke experience is also available through the mixologist's unique four-question approach. 

Visit Wing Lei Bar's Instagram for more details.

The Back Room, Manila

Hidden within Shangri-La The Fort, The Back Room is a 1920s-inspired speakeasy in Manila, decorated in sophisticated, Prohibition-era aesthetics. This bar specializes in gin-based cocktails and also features an extensive collection of spirits, including its in-house distilled Bee's Knees gin that is made out of five key ingredients native to the Philippines such as dalandan, malunggay, manzanilla, sampaguita, and luyang dilaw.

The Back Room's menu highlights reimagined classics and seasonal innovations, including The Vault- a cocktail made with their Bee's Knees gin with tamarind and green mango reduction and Mezcales 1619 that is crafted with Mezcal, kimchi, and lemon sherbet. 

Learn more about The Back Room through their website and Instagram. 

Penrose, Kuala Lumpur

Opened in 2022, Penrose is a cocktail bar that quickly become a favorite amongst locals and expats both as they were awarded No. 8 of Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2024, while earning the Nikka Highest Climber Award for its rise in rankings. 

The bar's philosophy centers on five different principles: alcohol, flavour, taste, body and dilution, resulting in a mneu that is both elevated and thoughtful. Some of their signature cocktails include Ume Fuji- a Japanese highball and Rum Musa- a rum-based sour. 

Visit Penrose's Instagram for more information!