Asian cuisine offers a wide variety of flavours, from savoury noodle bowls to aromatic curries. Many dishes have become favourites people return to time and again.
Whether it’s comfort food or something bold and new, these meals continue to find a place on menus. This list highlights popular Asian dishes that diners often enjoy ordering more than once.
This content is for general information only. Taste, ingredients, and availability may vary. Photos may differ and the end results shown are symbolic.
1. Ramen
Nothing beats a steaming bowl of authentic ramen on a chilly evening. Slurp up those chewy noodles swimming in rich broth alongside tender pork slices and a perfectly soft-boiled egg.
Each region in Japan has its own special take – from miso-based in Hokkaido to tonkotsu in Kyushu. Pure comfort in a bowl.
2. Pad Thai
Stir-fried rice noodles dance with egg, tofu, bean sprouts and crushed peanuts in this iconic Thai dish. The magic happens when tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar create that perfect sweet-sour-salty balance.
Watch street vendors toss everything in massive woks with theatrical flair – proper Pad Thai is always cooked over blazing flames.
3. Xiaolongbao
These Shanghainese soup dumplings contain a magical combination – solid filling AND hot broth inside a thin wrapper.
First-timers beware: nibble a tiny hole, slurp the soup, then devour the rest. Burn your tongue once, and you'll quickly master the proper technique.
4. Butter Chicken
Tender chunks of tandoori chicken luxuriate in a velvety tomato-based curry that's rich with butter and cream. The smokiness from the tandoor-cooked chicken perfectly balances the sauce's sweetness.
Mop up every last drop with pillowy naan bread. This dish was actually invented in the 1950s in Delhi when a chef needed to use up leftover tandoori chicken.
5. Pho
Vietnamese pho combines aromatic broth (simmered for hours with star anise, cinnamon and charred ginger) with rice noodles and thinly sliced beef. The magic happens when you add fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime and chilli to taste.
Early risers in Hanoi slurp this for breakfast, but honestly, it's brilliant any time of day.
6. Bibimbap
This Korean favourite arranges colourful vegetables, meat, and a sunny-side-up egg atop steaming rice. The real excitement comes when you mix everything together with spicy gochujang paste.
Served in a sizzling stone bowl (dolsot bibimbap), the rice forms a delicious crispy crust against the hot surface.
7. Dim Sum
More than just dumplings, dim sum is a whole experience – bamboo steamers arrive at your table filled with bite-sized delights. From har gow (translucent prawn dumplings) to fluffy char siu bao (barbecue pork buns), each morsel tells a story.
Traditionally enjoyed with tea as "yum cha," this Cantonese tradition brings families together for hours of grazing and chatting.
8. Sushi
Fresh fish and perfectly seasoned rice come together in this Japanese art form. Beyond the familiar salmon and tuna, try uni (sea urchin) or otoro (fatty tuna belly) for mind-blowing flavour.
Watch master chefs with decades of experience form each piece with mesmerising precision. The real way to eat it? One bite, fish-side down on your tongue, minimal soy sauce.
9. Peking Duck
Crispy, lacquered skin is the star of this legendary Beijing dish. The duck is air-dried, glazed with maltose, and roasted until the skin turns mahogany and shatters like glass when bitten.
Wrapped in thin pancakes with cucumber, spring onion and sweet bean sauce, it's a perfect balance of textures and flavours. Emperors enjoyed this dish centuries ago – now it's your turn.
10. Tom Yum Goong
This iconic Thai soup punches well above its weight in the flavour department. Plump prawns swim in a clear broth infused with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and bird's eye chilies.
The perfect balance of spicy, sour, salty and aromatic hits all your taste buds at once. One spoonful and you'll understand why this soup has conquered the world.
11. Biryani
Layers of basmati rice and marinated meat are slow-cooked with saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and other aromatic spices. When the lid comes off, the perfume that escapes is absolutely intoxicating.
Each region has its signature style – from the fiery Hyderabadi to the delicate Lucknowi. Hidden inside might be hard-boiled eggs, crispy onions or even plump raisins.
12. Banh Mi
Colonial history created culinary magic when French baguettes met Vietnamese flavours. Crusty bread filled with pâté, mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, coriander, chilli and your choice of protein – often grilled pork or tofu.
The contrast between warm meat, cool herbs and crunchy vegetables makes this street food sandwich absolutely irresistible.
