Following a successful 2025 edition, Gambero Rosso is returning to Thailand with a stop on its Top Italian Wines Roadshow. This event showcases Italian wines, presented to F&B professionals and wine specialists. The 2026 Roadshow has involved thousands of buyers and industry experts across 8 emerging markets, from Mexico to Australia, and the US to Nigeria.
Bangkok is the final stop on this global circuit (following earlier stops in Las Vegas, Chicago, Mexico City, Lagos, Nairobi, Sydney, and Bali) and is again organised in collaboration with the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce. In 2026, Gambero Rosso plans 26 events in 19 countries across 5 continents, indicating Italian wine’s significant international presence, extending beyond traditional markets to emerging ones.
This anticipated event attracts more than just specialists and wine enthusiasts. Gambero Rosso’s international events also traditionally serve as an occasion to recognise the best Italian restaurants in the host countries. The event thus offers both a significant platform for promoting Italian wines and an opportunity to assess the current state of Italian cuisine, which is widely popular in Thailand, with over 1,800 establishments offering it.
The event is organised by Italy’s leading guide for wine and food enthusiasts, which consistently reviews only Italian wines and restaurants. We sought to understand their evaluation system. For wines, the process is straightforward: ratings range from one to three glasses, with the Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) being the most prestigious award, conferred on only one wine from each winery annually. For the 2026 edition, over 25,000 wines from more than 1,200 wineries were tasted, and approximately 500 received the Tre Bicchieri.
The assessment of restaurants is more nuanced, featuring five categories, each tailored to a specific type of establishment. Italian cuisine, in fact, adheres to its own distinct customs and schedules. Unlike some other cultures, Italians often have specific times for meals, and sometimes even for particular foods. For example, if you ask an Italian when pizza is typically eaten, they might say it is an evening meal. And cappuccino? Many would respond that it is consumed before 11am. Generally, in their view, someone drinking a cappuccino in the afternoon or after dinner is likely a tourist.
This context explains why Gambero Rosso’s awards encompass various categories. Cornetti (croissants) indicate venues for a good Italian breakfast. The Martini Glass recognises excellent Italian aperitivo experiences, the Spicchio (slice) is for pizzerias, and the Bottle signifies outstanding wine lists. Lastly, the Fork is awarded to restaurants offering authentic Italian cuisine, without distinguishing between traditional and more creative or innovative approaches. (This distinction, however, applies only outside of Italy; within Italy, the two categories are separate.)
In an interview with Gerardo Antelmo, gastronomic critic for Gambero Rosso, he explains…
“Authenticity is what truly matters most. The decisive factor when awarding a restaurant is how well it delivers authentic Italian flavours using appropriate raw ingredients and techniques.”
Interviewer: So, what does “authentically Italian” really mean?
Antelmo: “This is a relevant question. ‘Authentic’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘exactly as it’s made in Italy,’ but rather ‘in line with the core principles of Italian cuisine.’ Our cooking fundamentally relies on ingredients: each dish typically features just a few, always of high quality, and clearly distinguishable. The chef has just one enormous task: to respect and enhance them. Many of Italy’s greatest dishes boast only four or five ingredients.”
Interviewer: An example?
Antelmo: “Spaghetti al Pomodoro, probably the most iconic Italian dish, is made with pasta, tomato, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and basil. Five ingredients. You need fantastic pasta, cooked to perfection. A superb extra virgin olive oil. You need that delightful sweet-and-sour balance from an excellent tomato, and just the right ratio of pasta to sauce. If you get anything wrong, there’s no hiding it! And if you do make a mistake, the big temptation is to add something.
“These additions often try to artificially recreate qualities the dish should have had from the start, but doesn’t, because the ingredients weren’t quite right or the execution wasn’t perfect. A famous Italian chef once said that the overall value of a dish is equal to that of its worst ingredient. I’m not sure if that saying holds true in every single case, but I think it certainly puts things into perspective.”
Interviewer: So, how are things looking here in Thailand?
Antelmo: “Gambero Rosso observes Thailand closely, and it is certainly one of the countries where Italian cuisine has experienced remarkable development, perhaps even unexpectedly so. In the latest guide edition, we highlighted 24 restaurants here, a notable increase from the eight or nine in previous editions. Bangkok, in particular, has become a prominent global hub for Italian cuisine abroad. For instance, in the 2026 guide, ‘Clara’ in Bangkok was awarded as the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy globally.”
Interviewer: How did this incredible transformation happen?
Antelmo: “I believe many factors played a role, but perhaps one of the most important has been the generational shift among Italian chefs working here. Many young, driven chefs have brought creativity, technical skills, and an innovative, contemporary approach to dining. A second key aspect is the increasing availability of Italian products, which has become truly impressive in Thailand over recent years.”
Interviewer: Ingredients again!
Antelmo: “Yes, ingredients and chefs who respect them. It is understandable that sourcing certain raw materials can be challenging outside Italy, but the range of products available here in Thailand makes cooking quality Italian food considerably easier than in other countries. At this point, it is a decision for each restaurateur whether to procure authentic Italian ingredients or opt for different, cheaper alternatives.”
Interviewer: This appears to be a rather firm guideline.
Antelmo: “It is, and I believe it concerns respect for the patrons of restaurants and the users of our guide. If an Italian ingredient is available in Thailand, it should be utilised. Restaurateurs who choose not to use Italian ingredients have every right to do so, just as we have the right not to include them in our guide.
“These are commercial decisions that we respect, but we consistently favour those who use Italian vermouth for a cocktail, Italian tomatoes for a sauce, Italian flour for a pizza, Italian prosciutto for a sandwich. And, of course, extra virgin olive oil that is Italian and unmistakably recognisable. If our approach were different, we would not be the world’s only guide specialising in Italian cuisine.”
Interviewer: Gambero Rosso began as a wine guide. How does a restaurant’s wine list influence its evaluation?
Antelmo: “Wine is an essential component of our gastronomic culture, where wine and food share common goals of social interaction, conviviality, and harmony. Our guide aims to highlight wine lists that reflect the richness of our country’s wine heritage.”
Interviewer: How so?
Antelmo: “We love wine lists that truly represent the amazing diversity of Italy’s territories and regions, and that possess a certain ‘depth.’”
Interviewer: And what exactly does that “depth” entail?
Antelmo: “It refers to a wine selection that goes beyond standard options, prioritising quality, regionality, and local varieties over standardised, mass-market options. We truly appreciate producers who, through their wines, tell the story of their regions with sensitivity. And we equally admire restaurateurs who seek out and choose these special wines to offer to their customers.”
Interviewer: Can you give us a little sneak peek about the event happening on May 22nd?
Antelmo: “I can share that this year, more wineries will be involved in the Top Italian Wines Roadshow than last year, representing nearly all Italian regions. Regarding the restaurant guide, in addition to many returning establishments and an inevitable turnover, there will be several interesting new additions, including in provinces distant from the capital.
“Another new development is that here in Bangkok, we will also honour Italian restaurants from other Southeast Asian countries. This further indicates how this city and country are assuming a leading role in the development of Italian food and wine culture in Asia and globally.”
Registration and event details
Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
Time: 10am to 6pm
Venue: Dusit Thani Bangkok
Ticket: Register here
Press Release
The story Gambero Rosso returns to Bangkok with its top Italian Wines Roadshow in 2026 as seen on Thaiger News.
