And the winner is…
Abu Dhabi hosted the fifth edition of Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants tonight at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, drawing chefs, restaurateurs, and critics from across the region for the annual temperature check on where MENA dining is headed.
Before the main countdown, several awards set the pace for the evening. Middle Child, recognized for its warm, community-led approach to home cooking, took home the One to Watch 2026 award. La Grande Table Marocaine received the Art of Hospitality Award for its immersive expression of Moroccan tradition, while Muna Haddad was presented with the first-ever Champions of Change Award for her impact-driven tourism work in Jordan, supporting local communities through food and travel.
The list itself is shaped by 250 regional experts, each casting seven votes, including at least two outside their home country, ensuring a truly cross-border snapshot of MENA dining today. Five years in, the awards have become a barometer of where the region is headed, spotlighting both rising neighborhood favorites and established culinary institutions.
Scroll down to view the full ranking.
MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026
- Khufu’s – Giza
- Kinoya – Dubai (Best Restaurant in the UAE)
- Trèsind Studio – Dubai
- Orfali Bros – Dubai
- Beihouse – Beirut (Best Restaurant in Lebanon)
- Kuuru – Jeddah (Best Restaurant in Saudi Arabia)
- Sufret Maryam – Dubai
- Jun’s – Dubai
- Manāo – Dubai
- Moonrise – Dubai
- Table 3 – Casablanca (Best Restaurant in Morocco)
- Marble – Riyadh
- Em Sherif – Beirut
- 11 Woodfire – Dubai
- Kokoro – Dubai
- Marmellata Bakery – Abu Dhabi
- 3 Fils Dubai – Dubai
- Cantina – Kuwait City (Best Restaurant in Kuwait)
- La Grande Table Marocaine – Marrakech
- Reif Kushiyaki Cairo – Cairo
- Le Petit Cornichon – Marrakech
- FZN – Dubai
- TakaHisa – Dubai
- Sesamo – Marrakech
- Kazoku – Cairo
- Shams El Balad – Amman
- LPM Dubai – Dubai
- Alee – Amman
- Three Bros – Dubai
- Dara Dining by Sara Aqel – Amman
- +61 – Marrakech
- Zooba (Zamalek) – Cairo
- Gaia – Dubai
- Zuma – Dubai
- Mimi Kakushi – Dubai
- Row on 45 – Dubai
- Sachu Caïro – Cairo
- Niri – Abu Dhabi
- Buco – Beirut
- Chez Wham – Dubai
- Boca – Dubai
- 3Fils Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi
- Girl and the Goose – Dubai
- Idam – Doha (Best Restaurant in Qatar)
- Myazu – Riyadh
- Le Golfe – La Marsa (Best Restaurant in Tunisia)
- LPM Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi
- Lyra – Manama (Best Restaurant in Bahrain)
- Farmers – Marrakech
- Matbakhi – Kuwait
Special Awards
One to Watch 2026: Middle Child – Dubai
Art of Hospitality Award: La Grande Table Marocaine – Marrakech
Estrella Damm 0.0% Chef’s Choice Award: Himanshu Saini
Highest New Entry Award: Beihouse – Beirut
Highest Climber Award: Reif Kushiyaki Cairo – Cairo
Sustainable Restaurant Award: Farmers – Marrakech
Best Pastry Chef Award: Omar Orfali and Wassim Orfali
Best Female Chef Award: Sarah Aqel
Champions of Change Award: Muna Haddad
Sevenrooms Icon Award: Salam Dakkak
