IHG Hotels & Resorts Retains Multiple Restaurants in the 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide

28 January 2026, Shanghai — As experiential consumption continues to rise, diners are now looking for more than taste alone. They also value atmosphere, service style, and a stronger connection with local culture. Recently, the 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide (Black Pearl) was officially released. Five restaurants under IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) were listed, all located in mainland China, excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Covering Chinese cuisine, steakhouse, and Mediterranean fare, these recognitions reflect the Group’s consistent, high-quality performance in premium dining and its strategic commitment to building a diversified culinary portfolio.

All listed restaurants have received recognition for several consecutive years. They include both long-established benchmark venues with more than six years of industry presence and restaurants that have shown steady growth in recent years, further reflecting IHG’s long-term investment and stable development in the culinary space. This year’s listed restaurants include: Robin’s Grill & Teppanyaki at Regent Chongqing, awarded One-Diamond for six consecutive years; Cai Feng Lou at HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts Xi’an Tanghua, receiving One-Diamond for the fifth consecutive year; and Wu Yue No.1 Chinese Restaurant at InterContinental Wuxi, Riva Mediterranean Steakhouse at InterContinental Suzhou and The Grove at Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou, once again earning Diamond recognition for their consistently high standards.

Jerome Qiu, Chief Operating Officer, IHG Greater China, said: “We are delighted to see our restaurants once again recognised by the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. As service consumption continues to evolve, the industry is placing more focus on long-term capability building in talent, operations and product innovation. The ability to deliver high-quality dining on a consistent basis has become a key competitive advantage. Rooted in the ‘Chinese palate’, the Black Pearl has become an important benchmark for premium dining through its professional and authoritative perspective. Continuous recognition over many years confirms the stable standards of our restaurants and reflects IHG’s long-term investment in culinary development. Through a structured culinary strategy and a diverse brand portfolio, we aim to make these restaurants destinations that guests choose to return to during their stays.”

Staying True to Innovation: A Timeless Commitment to Quality

The continued recognition from the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide reflects IHG’s steady approach to building core culinary capabilities. Through the ongoing development of culinary teams, in-depth refinement of restaurant concepts, and the balanced focus on culinary heritage and innovation, IHG continues to strengthen professional standards and guest trust, creating a sustainable system for delivering high-quality dining experiences.

• Robin’s Grill & Teppanyaki, Regent Chongqing (One-Diamond for six consecutive years): Led by Executive Chef Roy and his team, Robin’s Grill & Teppanyaki is dedicated to becoming a “Wagyu expert”. The restaurant emphasizes refined techniques and thoughtful ingredient selection to present bespoke Chef’s Table experiences and memorable dining moments for guests. Meanwhile, the restaurant follows the Regent Taste Studio service philosophy by shaping an immersive dining experience through carefully curated music, scent and spatial design. This approach has made it the only Western restaurant in Chongqing to be listed.
• Cai Feng Lou, HUALUXE Xi’an Tanghua (One-Diamond for five consecutive years):
  As a signature restaurant brand of HUALUXE, Cai Feng Lou blends auspicious Chinese aesthetics with contemporary design to create an elegant ambience inspired by the imagery of “the arrival of the phoenix”. Executive Chef Xiao Junwei, bringing nearly 20 years of Cantonese culinary expertise, delves into local Xi’an ingredients while incorporating deep understanding and innovative interpretations of cuisines from across China, presenting guests with thoughtfully crafted dining experiences that balance tradition with modern interpretation.
  Since its founding in 2013, Cai Feng Lou has been rooted in Eastern aesthetics and has created distinctive Chinese dining spaces through a holistic five-senses experience. From its original brand soundtrack Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix · The Five Auspicious Tones to its signature red visual identity and menus that combine regional flavors with classic Cantonese cuisine, the brand continually reinterprets cultural heritage in a modern way. Today, Cai Feng Lou operates 67 restaurants across Greater China and has become a popular dining destination for a wide range of occasions.

Blending Inspirations: Evolving Gastronomic Expression Across a Diverse Culinary Landscape

While strengthening its long-term foundation of quality, IHG also integrates local food culture, regional ingredients and contemporary aesthetics according to local conditions, driving the evolution of restaurant concepts and culinary expressions to create dining experiences that combine strong local character with premium quality.

• Wu Yue No.1 Chinese Restaurant at InterContinental Wuxi (Listed for two consecutive years): Guided by the philosophy of “local inspiration, world-class quality,” the restaurant seamlessly combines traditional culinary techniques with meticulous craftsmanship and draws on diverse inspirations to reinterpret classic flavours. It presents diners with innovative dishes that fuse Huaiyang, Wuxi, and Cantonese culinary traditions.
• Riva Mediterranean Steakhouse, InterContinental Suzhou (Listed for two consecutive years): Riva is Suzhou’s first Mediterranean-style steakhouse, featuring charcoal-grilled imported steaks and seafood. After a comprehensive upgrade, the restaurant has refined every detail — from charcoal-grilled steaks and in-house dry-aged beef to French desserts and curated wine selections. Together, these elements have been meticulously crafted to deliver a multi-sensory dining journey, presenting an immersive Mediterranean culinary experience for guests.
• The Grove, Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou (Listed for two consecutive years): The Grove carries forward the name of the Chinese restaurant from the former Bamboo Grove Hotel in the 1990s, carrying lasting culinary memories for generations of Suzhou residents. Today, The Grove upholds the philosophy of “seasonal dining” and presents Jiangnan flavours through seasonal ingredients. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Michael and Food & Beverage Service Manager Sophie, The Grove continues to honour its rich historical legacy while embracing innovation in step with the times. Through the ongoing exploration of new expressions in Suzhou cuisine, the restaurant breathes renewed vitality into classic dishes.

IHG has always taken a long-term view to culinary development by building diversified, high-quality dining systems and deepening the integration of dining with local culture and social experiences. Looking ahead, IHG will continue to strengthen its quality foundations, enhance talent development and innovation practices. By combining global perspectives with local expression, the Group aims to meet a wide range of guest needs while elevating experience value and industry influence.