Meituan Black Pearl Restaurant Guide Makes Overseas Debut in Singapore: Record-High Southeast Asian Listings, Connecting Global Chinese Communities with World Cuisine
SINGAPORE, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Meituan, China's leading technology-driven retail company, hosted the first-ever overseas ceremony of its renowned "Black Pearl Restaurant Guide" (the "Black Pearl") at Marina Bay in Singapore on April 25. As it expands globally and embraces cutting-edge AI technologies, Meituan not only seeks to help users worldwide eat better and live better, but also to unlock new business opportunities for culinary brands across the globe.
As the first international food guide rooted in Chinese dining standards, the "Black Pearl" has served approximately 130 million users since its inception. This year, the Guide shines a spotlight on 55 overseas restaurants, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth in international listings. Tokyo leads the way with 30 restaurants, while Singapore and Bangkok each achieved record highs since the guide's debut in 2018. Notably, two Singaporean restaurants earned the highest honor—the prestigious 3-Diamond rating this year.
Wei Wei, Vice President of Meituan and the company's head of the in-store dining division, described the ceremony as a major milestone in the global expansion of Meituan's ranking products. He highlighted the platform's use of advanced AI technologies to streamline user decision-making. Moving forward, Meituan aims to integrate AI and expertly curated recommendations to seamlessly connect users with quality restaurants, hotels, and attractions, enabling efficient connections between consumers and premium businesses.
Over Half of Chinese Tourists Show Strong Preference for Fine Dining When Travelling Abroad; Southeast Asia's "Black Pearl" Listings Hit a Record High
In recent years, Chinese tourists have demonstrated a rising preference for premium dining experiences while travelling abroad. According to Meituan data, more than half of Chinese tourists opted for fine dining experiences during cross-border journeys in 2024. During the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, over 85% of Chinese domestic users browsed or searched for information on overseas Black Pearl restaurants ahead of their travels.
Chinese tourists' growing appetite for elevated dining experiences highlights the increasing importance of the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide as a trusted reference for cross-border culinary exploration. For instance, daily average online visits to Bangkok's Black Pearl listings surged by 27% week-on-week in the lead-up to the May Day holiday.
Southeast Asian restaurants featured in the Black Pearl have flourished amid rising demand. Le Du, a celebrated modern Thai fine dining establishment, has proudly retained its 1-Diamond rating in the Black Pearl Guide for two consecutive years. Chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn shared that Chinese guests now make up 20% of the restaurant's clientele, with this figure continuing to grow. Similarly, Potong, a Thai-Chinese fusion restaurant nestled in the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown, earned its first 1-Diamond rating this year. Chef and founder Pichaya "Pam" Soontornyanakij described the accolade as a significant milestone for cross-cultural cuisine and shared her excitement for welcoming more Chinese diners to experience Potong's unique offerings.
A Powerful Catalyst for Global Culinary and Cultural Exchange
The Black Pearl has evolved beyond a ranking system into a platform for fostering global culinary and cultural exchange. Its annual "Food Vision Summit"—a global culinary exchange platform held every summer—aims to promote collaboration and dialogue between Chinese and international chefs. Chef Ton described the summit as a window into China's increasingly globalized and open-minded culinary market, where innovative techniques are warmly embraced. "Chinese cuisine is one of the world's finest, yet globally, awareness of high-end, refined Chinese restaurants remains limited. However, I believe this is changing," he remarked.
Les Amis, one of Singapore's most established French fine dining restaurants, has been awarded 3-Diamond rating in the 2025 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. "Over the years, we've grown to really respect the guide — not just for its credibility, but for the cultural perspective it brings to the dining world. We love that it continues to grow its reach and push culinary standards, not just in China, but globally. It's also given us new ideas in how we run things — like hiring team members who speak Chinese." shared Chef Sébastien Lepinoy.
Data-Driven Insights and Culinary Expertise Propel the Black Pearl's Global Ascent
The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide follows a rigorous selection process that combines expert evaluations, anonymous visits by judges, and big data from Meituan and Dianping to ensure fairness and accuracy. Over 77% of the judging panel is made up of gourmand enthusiasts, with annual rotations to maintain fresh perspectives. Looking ahead, the guide plans to integrate AI technology with committee nominations, blending human expertise with intelligent systems to make the discovery of exceptional restaurants around the world even more effortless.
After 15 years of remarkable growth, Meituan today connects merchants across over 170 countries and nearly 1,000 cities worldwide, offering a comprehensive ranking system spanning food, hotel, transportation, and travel. Wei Wei emphasized that as Meituan continues to expand its global footprint and as more Chinese culinary brands earn growing recognition among international audiences, the company's ranking products are gaining increasing prestige in new markets. This growing momentum underscores Meituan's broader vision to bridge global food cultures through innovation and champion the digital transformation of the dining industry, both within China and across the world.
Meituan (HKG: 3690) is a leading technology-driven retail company in China. With the mission of "We help people eat better, live better," the Company uses technology to connect consumers and merchants. Service offerings on its platform address people's daily needs for food and retail goods and extend further to broad lifestyle and travel services. Meituan is the world's leading on-demand food delivery service provider and China's leading e-commerce platform for in-store dining services. Meituan helps consumers discover merchant information, make informed decisions, complete online and offline transactions and enjoy on-demand delivery.
About Black Pearl Restaurant Guide
The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide is a prestigious dining guide selected by food enthusiasts, culinary experts, and gastronomy researchers. Anonymous judges evaluate based on culinary presentation，service and environment, and heritage and innovation. Restaurants are ranked into three diamond levels, with three diamonds being the highest. The guide celebrates exquisite cuisine through the "Chinese palate," reflecting Meituan's mission: "We help people eat better, live better."
