The 2026 iteration of Mena’s 50 Best Restaurants has just been announced; here are the award winners.
The Middle East and North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants have just announced the region’s top restaurants for 2026 at an awards ceremony held in Abu Dhabi. This year’s winner is Khufu’s, recognised for its modern Egyptian menu built around local ingredients and its unrivalled setting on the Giza Plateau.
The 2026 ceremony took place at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental on Tuesday, 3 February and saw the region’s best chefs and well-respected restaurateurs come together to find out which spots would make it onto this year’s list.
What is the Middle East and North Africa’s Best Restaurant in 2026?
According to 50 Best, the Middle East and North Africa‘s Best Restaurant for 2026 is Khufu’s. Located on the Giza Plateau, the restaurant is defined by its direct views of the pyramids and a menu focused on modern Egyptian cooking. Led by chef Mostafa Seif, Khufu’s serves local ingredients, working with historic recipes, refined through contemporary techniques. The win recognises a concept that pairs a historic setting with a disciplined, research-led approach to Egyptian cuisine, and reflects a growing appetite for regional food that’s both authentic and confidently presented.
How are Middle East and North Africa’s Best Restaurants chosen?
The list is decided by a panel of experts, headed up by a local academy chair, and votes are cast according to these few rules: panelists can’t vote for any restaurant in which they have an economic interest, and they must have eaten at any restaurant that wins their votes in the past 18 months.
2026 special awards
Ahead of this year’s ceremony, 50 Best revealed a slate of special awards, each spotlighting a different corner of the region’s dining scene. The One To Watch Award, which recognises a rising restaurant yet to enter the ranking that nonetheless shows great promise, went to Middle Child – the genre-defying concept that blends a cafe, restaurant, pantry and cookbook shop into one quietly influential space. The Best Female Chef Award was claimed by Sara Aqel, while the Best Pastry Chef Award was shared this year between brothers Omar Orfali and Wassim Orfali, reflecting the collaborative spirit behind their work.
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2026 also introduced a new honour, the Champions of Change Award, created to recognise unsung figures driving meaningful action beyond the table, with the inaugural award going to Muna Haddad. The Art of Hospitality Award was awarded to La Grande Table Marocaine, praised for its refined yet deeply rooted approach to Moroccan hospitality. The Estrella Damm 0.0% Chef’s Choice Award, voted for by peers, went to Himanshu Saini of Trèsind Studio, while the SevenRooms Icon Award was presented to Salam Dakkak in recognition of her long-standing contribution to Arabic cuisine and her role in bringing Palestinian food into the global conversation.
Mena’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 – the full list
50. Matbakhi, Kuwait City
49. Farmers, Marrakech (sustainable restaurant award)
48. Lyra, Manama (best restaurant in Bahrain)
47. LPM, Abu Dhabi
46. Le Golfe, La Marsa (best restaurant in Tunisia)
45. Myazu, Riyadh
44. Idam, Doha (best restaurant in Qatar)
43. Girl and The Goose, Dubai
42. 3 Fils, Abu Dhabi
41. Boca, Dubai
40. Chez Wam, Dubai
39. Buco, Beirut
38. Niri, Abu Dhabi
37. Sachi Cairo
36. Row on 45, Dubai
35. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
34. Zuma, Dubai
33. Gaia, Dubai
32. Zooba (Zamalek), Cairo
31. +61, Marrakech
30. Dara Dining by Sara Aqel, Amman
29. Three Bros, Dubai
28. Alee, Amman
27. LPM, Dubai
26. Shams Al Balad, Amman (best restaurant in Jordan)
25. Kazoku, Cairo
24. Sesamo, Marrakech
23. TakaHisa, Dubai
22. FZN, Dubai
21. Le Petit Cornichon, Marrakech
20. Reif Kushiyaki, Cairo (highest climber award)
19. La Grande Table Marocaine, Marrakech
18. Cantina, Kuwait City (best restaurant in Kuwait)
17. 3 Fils, Dubai
16. Marmellata Bakery, Abu Dhabi
15. Kokoro, Dubai
14. 11 Woodfire, Dubai
13. Em Sherif, Beirut
12. Marble, Riyadh
11. Table 3, Casablanca (best restaurant in Morocco)
10. Moonrise, Dubai
9. Manāo, Dubai
8. Jun’s, Dubai
7. Sufret Maryam, Dubai
6. Kuuru, Jeddah (best restaurant in Saudi Arabia)
5. Beihouse, Beirut (highest new entry and best restaurant in Lebanon)
4. Orfali Bros, Dubai
3. Trèsind Studio, Dubai
2. Kinoya, Dubai (best restaurant in the UAE)
1. Khufu’s, Giza (best restaurant in Egypt)
