The food event of the year just took place in the UAE capital. Red carpets, chefs draped in customary scarlet scarves, and a whole lot of scrumptious food, what a way to celebrate the first-ever MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony.

Culinary stars from around the world descended on Abu Dhabi for the gala event organised by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants group, which unveiled the top contenders from across the Middle East and North Africa.

The soiree had world-famous chefs, restaurateurs, food critics and other culinary experts raising a glass to the best in the business at a glittering event in Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.

After much speculation and anticipation, Dubai restaurant 3 Fils was named the No. 1 restaurant in the MENA region.

Singaporean-born chef Akmal Anuar started the venture as a labour of love, and the name is a play on the three owners (two Emiratis and Anuar) each giving their “two cents’ worth”.

Their menu boasts Asian-inspired dishes such as seaweed salad, salmon carpaccio, beef chorizo indomie, crispy eel and Hokkaido scallops, plus various types of maki and tempura.

Zuma in Dubai, OCD Restaurant in Israel, Tresind Studio in Dubai and Sachi in Egypt took up the next four positions.

Of the 50 restaurants, 19 are in the UAE, while six in Israel, five each in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, four in Egypt, three each in Morocco and Jordan, two in Bahrain, and one each in Kuwait, Tunisia and Qatar.
Elsewhere, Emirati Sahar Al Awadi was named MENA’s Best Pastry Chef, and Reif Othman (of Reif Japanese Kushiyaki fame) won the Chef’s Choice Award.

Want the read the entire 50 best list? Here it is –

MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022

1. 3 Fils, Dubai, UAE
2. Zuma, Dubai, UAE
3. OCD Restaurant, Tel Aviv, Israel
4. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE (also won Art of Hospitality Award)
5. Sachi, Cairo, Egypt
6. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai, UAE
7. Fakhreldin, Amman, Jordan
8. LPM Restaurant & Bar, Dubai
9. George & John, Tel Aviv, Israel
10. Gaia, Dubai, UAE
11. Il Borro Tuscan Bistro, Dubai, UAE
12. Baron, Beirut, Lebanon
13. Coya, Dubai, UAE
14. HaBasta, Tel Aviv, Israel
15. Myazu, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
16. Reif Kushiyaki, Dubai, UAE
17. Animar, Tel Aviv, Israel
18. Tresind, Dubai, UAE
19. Kazoku, Cairo, Egypt
20. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai, UAE
21. Liza, Beirut, Lebanon
22. Em Sherif, Beirut, Lebanon
23. Lowe, Dubai, UAE
24. Pescado, Ashdod, Israel
25. Hakkasan, Abu Dhabi, UAE
26. La Grande Table Marocaine, Marrakech, Morocco
27. 13C Bar in the Back, Amman, Jordan
28. Tawlet Mar Mikhael, Beirut, Lebanon
29. Amazonico, Dubai, UAE
30. Marble, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
31. Mirai, Manama, Bahrain
32. Iloli, Casablanca, Morocco
33. BB Social Dining, Dubai, UAE
34. Coya, Abu Dhabi, UAE
35. Indochine, Dubai, UAE
36. Cut by Wolfgang Puck, Qatar, Doha
37. Porterhouse, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
38. Zooba, Cairo, Egypt
39. Fusions by Tala, Manama, Bahrain
40. Milgo Milbar, Tel Aviv, Israel
41. Sufra, Amman, Jordan
42. LPM Restaurant & Cafe, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
43. White Robata, Kuwait City, Kuwait
44. Hoseki, Dubai, UAE
45. Izakaya, Cairo, Egypt
46. La Closerie, La Marsa, Tunisia
47. Clap, Beirut, Lebanon
48. Butcher & Still, Abu Dhabi, UAE
49. Plus61, Marrakech, Morocco
50. Tokyo, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Well, here’s the list, so where are you going to go?