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Chef’s Kiss: The World’s Best Hotel Restaurants
Written by Sohinee Basu
From Michelin-starred dining in Singapore to Maldivian cuisine on desert island treetops, this is our pick of the world’s best hotel restaurants.
Spectacular celebrity chef-designed tasting menus, one-of-a-kind backdrops and a commitment to plating the extraordinary set these restaurants apart. This is your invitation to experience the finer things in life, from ten courses of Japanese-inspired decadence in the heart of Singapore to grilled seafood served in a limestone grotto in Krabi. The best part? Each of these restaurants is connected to exceptional accommodation, meaning you won’t have to journey far from your room to experience one of the best meals of your life.
Awtar, Grand Hyatt Dubai
Feast like a sultan as you dine beneath a massive luxury tent at the Grand Hyatt Dubai’s adults-only Arabian restaurant Awtar. Be transported to the streets of Lebanon as you feast on seafood platters, succulent shish taouk (chicken kebabs), crispy meat-stuffed lahme pastries and mezze sharing platters. Open only for dinner, a winning combination of belly-dancing acts, soulful music and an expansive cocktail and wine menu make for an enchanting evening.
Rick Stein at Bannisters, Bannisters Pavilion, Australia
Renowned British chef Rick Stein brings his signature cooking style to the South Coast of New South Wales at this refined hotel diner. The relaxed dining room, an extension of the hotel’s casual coastal style, is the perfect setting as not to draw attention away from the headliner: the seafood. With a kitchen motto of fresh seafood done simply, diners can expect their menu choices to encompass Sydney rock oysters and grilled Shark Bay scallops to barbecued kingfish collar, steamed whole snapper and chargrilled Ulladulla tuna. Wine pairing recommendations are available.
Flying Sauces, Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Everyday dining takes the backseat when you arrive – by zipline – at Flying Sauces, Soneva Fushi’s high-flying concept restaurant. After gliding over jungle treetops on the restaurant’s 200-metre-long zipline, experience an ever-changing menu co-designed by a rotating roster of acclaimed resident chefs, including Michael Wignall and Tim Raue. Expect new takes on old favourites: menu highlights have included chilled gazpacho soup topped with pink grapefruit, olives and almond cream and savoury-sweet teriyaki black cod served with artichoke puree. At twelve metres above the island’s golden sands, you’ll be perfectly placed to savour the iconic Maldivian sunset as it falls beneath the Indian Ocean.
Darley’s Restaurant, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, Australia
With an ornate fireplace, crystal chandeliers and intricate artwork adorned on its walls, the multi-award-winning Darley’s Restaurant, housed in Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, exudes old-world elegance. Explore Darley’s innovative take on Australian cuisine, prepared from local, organic ingredients, which saw it gain two chef hats from the Australian Good Food Guide. Highlights include crispy dry-aged duck breast, flaky Murray cod, and venison tartare; finish your degustation on a sweet note with refreshing mandarin sorbet or caramelised apples topped with blackcurrants and cream.
Brasserie 1930, Capella Sydney
Step into a bygone era at the decadent Brasserie 1930, a two-Chef Hat-winning bistro at the ultra-elegant Capella Sydney. Reflecting the personality of the hotel through its opulent designs, checkerboard tiles and monochromatic ceramics, Brasserie 1930 features a menu curated by Bentley Restaurant Group’s Head Chef and co-owner Brent Savage, covering oysters and caviar to southern rock lobster and whole roast duck. The restaurant’s wine program, crafted by Head Sommelier Nick Hildebrandt, is just as impressive, featuring over 400 international producers, including iconic Australian and European labels.
Soleil, Mulia Bali
The award-winning Soleil restaurant, housed in Mulia Bali, overlooks the golden sands of Nusa Dua and has been declared by Architectural Digest as having the ‘Most Luxurious Brunch in the World’. Naturally, the Sunday Brunch is a must-try, with highlights including traditional Italian antipasti, a decadent seafood bar, a live grill with a vast selection of meats and a seasonally focused tropical dessert buffet. With internationally acclaimed chefs at the helm, Soleil is known for going the extra mile: expect freshly prepared seafood plucked directly from the Bali Sea, handmade pastas, complex Pan-Asian dishes and authentic Mediterranean favourites.
Koral Restaurant, The Apurva Kempinski Bali
Dive into an unforgettable dining experience at Koral, Bali’s first aquarium restaurant, located within the opulent beachfront resort The Apurva Kempinski Bali. Koral invites diners into a fantastic underwater world, with renowned chef Jean-Baptiste Natali plating modern cuisine that highlights the diversity and flavours of Bali’s spectacular coast. Don’t miss the restaurant’s extravagant tasting menus, with highlights including dry-aged grouper, a classic lobster bisque, Australian Wagyu beef and mango yuzu desserts.
Tamarind, Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns, Australia
Daintree whole baby barramundi slathered in tangy tamarind-chilli sauce, melt-in-your-mouth Penang duck curry and a decadent plum pannacotta infused with Szechuan peppercorns: countless culinary delights await at the acclaimed Tamarind at Pullman Reef Hotel Casino Cairns. Featuring a contemporary menu of ‘Australian freestyle’ dishes, inspired by multiple cultures and cooking traditions from across the world, Tamarind also boasts an incredible cocktail list – highly recommended is the spicy mango, sesame and applewood-smoked old-fashioned.
5.8 Undersea Restaurant, Hurawalhi Island Resort, Maldives
Experience the world’s largest all-glass underwater eatery at 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, located beneath the waters surrounding the adults-only Hurawalhi Island Resort. This multi-award-winning restaurant serves five or seven-course menus tailored for seafood lovers, meat eaters and vegans, refreshing with each new season. Savour Alaskan king crab topped with saffron foam, Maldivian saku tuna soaked in a chilli garlic emulsion or a stellar Kagoshima Wagyu beef tartare, presented with pickled shallots and madeira jelly. For an extra-special meal, allow the sommelier to guide you through the ideal wine pairing for every course.
Waku Ghin, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Celebrity Japanese-Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda’s Waku Ghin holds two Michelin stars and is designed as an ode to Singapore’s melting pot of cultures. Housed within the extraordinary Marina Bay Sands, this is Japanese culinary excellence at its finest: a showstopping menu, sourced from fresh seasonal ingredients, include marinated botan shrimp with sea urchin and caviar, and diners can opt for sushi omakase featuring rare delicacies like hotaruika (firefly squid) and ankimo (monkfish liver) in their intimate Sushi Room. For the ultimate indulgence, take a seat at the Chef’s Table for a 10-course degustation of seafood and premium meat cuts.
Salted Egg, Quincy Hotel Melbourne
Tucked within Quincy Hotel Melbourne, Salted Egg serves playful twists on Southeast Asian favourites. Here, the flavours are tropical and the spices pack a punch: think Thai-style curries, the juiciest of dim sums, chilli scrambled eggs with crabs and whipped coconut cream desserts. Pair your picks with a sip from the wide selection of cocktails, from cocktails inspired by Melbourne to refreshing tiki cocktails.
The Grotto, Rayavadee Krabi, Thailand
Hidden inside an ancient limestone cliff at the edge of Phra Nang Beach, The Grotto at Rayavadee offers an unparalleled dining experience with a spectacular backdrop. Explore Thailand’s fiery flavours with dishes like tom yum, salt-crusted whole red snapper with lemongrass and pandan and mango meringue. rich Australian Wagyu beef for a meal to remember. After something special? Dial up the romance with a sunset Twilight Menu beach feast, starring butter-brushed, yuzu-drizzled Andaman lobster, slow-braised lamb shoulder, lemongrass-scented wood-fired red snapper and tropical desserts.
Looking for more gastronomic inspiration? Read Spice Up Your Life: 23 of Thailand’s Best Restaurants.
Feature Image: 5.8 Undersea Restaurant. Source: Hurawalhi Island Resort, Maldives.
