Mingles Rises to No. 4 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026

Mingles in Seoul has taken the No. 4 spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, making it the highest-ranked Korean restaurant on this year’s list. For readers following the Mingles Michelin story, the ranking adds another layer to the restaurant’s growing international profile: it is not only a three-MICHELIN-star restaurant in Korea, but also one of Asia’s top five restaurants in the 2026 regional ranking.¹

The 2026 list placed The Chairman in Hong Kong at No. 1, followed by Wing in Hong Kong at No. 2 and Gaggan in Bangkok at No. 3. Mingles came next at No. 4, giving Seoul a major presence near the very top of the ranking.²

Mingles at No. 4 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026

Mingles Rises to No. 4 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 dining room concept

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 was held in Hong Kong, and the official 50 Best release described the ranking as covering restaurants across 17 cities. The list is voted on by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, made up of more than 350 industry leaders.² That makes Mingles’ No. 4 placement more than a local accolade; it is a regional recognition from a broad panel across Asia’s dining world.

The official 50 Best profile identifies Mingles as a Korean fine-dining restaurant in Seoul led by chef Kang Min-goo. It highlights dishes such as hanwoo with abalone, yam and kimchi, along with the restaurant’s signature mingling pot.³ Those details matter because they show how the restaurant’s identity is tied to Korean ingredients and culinary ideas rather than simply following a generic global fine-dining template.

Korean reporting also framed the No. 4 ranking as a standout moment. Foodbank reported that Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 was announced in Hong Kong on March 25, 2026, and noted that Mingles ranked highest among Korean restaurants. The same report described Mingles as Kang Min-goo’s modern Korean restaurant, using traditional Korean elements, seasonal ingredients and fermentation.⁴

For anyone trying to understand why the ranking is being discussed so widely, that combination is the key: Mingles is being recognized internationally while staying closely connected to Korean culinary foundations. It is a Seoul restaurant, led by a Korean chef, presenting modern Korean dining on a stage that includes some of Asia’s most watched restaurants.

Why the Mingles Michelin Connection Matters

The phrase Mingles Michelin is useful because the restaurant’s 50 Best ranking sits alongside a separate but equally important recognition. Maeil Business Newspaper reported that Mingles received three MICHELIN stars for the second consecutive year in the MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2026 selection. The report also stated that Mingles was the only restaurant in Korea to receive three MICHELIN stars in that selection.⁵

That context helps explain why the No. 4 Asia’s 50 Best placement feels especially significant. Awards systems are not identical, and each has its own method and audience. Still, when a restaurant is both Korea’s only three-MICHELIN-star restaurant in the 2026 guide and No. 4 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, it suggests unusually strong recognition across different corners of the global dining conversation.

Maeil Business Newspaper also reported that Mingles had held two MICHELIN stars from 2019 through 2024 before being elevated to three stars the previous year, and that the 2026 guide covered 233 restaurants across Seoul and Busan.⁵ In other words, the latest Asia’s 50 Best result did not appear in isolation. It followed years of MICHELIN recognition and a move into the highest star category.

There is also a sense of upward movement within the Asia’s 50 Best rankings. Hankyoreh reported that Mingles had ranked No. 5 the previous year and moved to No. 4 in 2026. The outlet also reported that Mingles won the Nongshim-sponsored Best Restaurant in Korea award at the 2026 event at Kerry Hotel Hong Kong.⁶

One short quote from chef Kang Min-goo captures the broader Korean dining mood around the list. He said, “Korean restaurants entered from No. 1 to No. 100 in the largest numbers ever.”⁶ The remark points beyond one restaurant and toward a wider moment for Korean dining across Asia’s restaurant rankings.

Seoul’s Wider Showing on the 2026 List

Mingles may be the headline, but it was not the only Seoul restaurant to appear on the official Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants official page also lists Onjium, Eatanic Garden, Mosu, Bium and 7th Door among the top 50.¹

Foodbank gave additional ranking details for several of those Korean restaurants, reporting Onjium at No. 14, Eatanic Garden at No. 26 and Mosu at No. 41.⁴ Hankyoreh also reported that Onjium chef Cho Eun-hee received the Asia’s Best Female Chef award, adding another Korean highlight to the 2026 awards conversation.⁶

Seen together, these placements make Mingles’ No. 4 rank feel like the peak of a broader Seoul-centered showing rather than a lone exception. For readers who track restaurants through travel lists, MICHELIN guides or cultural coverage, the 2026 results underline how visible Korean fine dining has become on the regional stage.

Quick FAQ

What rank did Mingles receive in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026?

Mingles in Seoul ranked No. 4 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026. It placed behind The Chairman, Wing and Gaggan on the official list.¹

Is Mingles a three-MICHELIN-star restaurant?

Yes. Maeil Business Newspaper reported that Mingles received three MICHELIN stars for the second consecutive year in the MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2026 selection, and that it was the only restaurant in Korea to receive three stars in that guide.⁵ Mingles’ No. 4 ranking on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 gives Seoul one of the strongest positions near the top of the regional list. Paired with its three-MICHELIN-star status, the result makes Mingles a central name for anyone watching how Korean fine dining is being recognized across Asia.