Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants

S.Pellegrino was proud to sponsor the inaugural edition of Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants, celebrating the richness and diversity of the food culture in the region for the first time, with an awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi on 7th February 2022. 

The new list was revealed in a live countdown culminating in the announcement of Best Restaurant in the Middle East & North Africa 2022, which went to 3 Fils in Dubai. In second place was Zuma, also in Dubai, while Tel Aviv's OCD Restaurant came third.

In the build-up to the event a series of special awards were also announced, honouring notable individuals and restaurants who have made their mark on the region's culinary panorama.

First, the title of Middle East & North Africa's Best Female Chef was awarded to Tala Bashmi, chef-patron of Fusions by Tala, who has been called the voice of modern Bahraini cuisine.

Next, the Icon award went to Kamal Mouzawak, for his work elevating the slow food movement in Lebanon and preserving the culture of sustainable agriculture by founding Beirut’s first farmers’ market.

Finally, the One to Watch Award, highlighting a rising star in the region, was won by Dubai's Kinoya restaurant, a relaxed Japanese "izakaya" run by Indian-born chef-owner Neha Mishra.

The awards ceremony was the climax of four days of events, during which food lovers had the chance to attend masterclasses and enjoy food prepared by renowned figures like Pia León from Peru (The World’s Best Female Chef 2021), Will Goldfarb (The World’s Best Pastry Chef 2021), barbecue master Dave Pynt of Burnt Ends in Singapore and Tim Raue from Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin.

Find out more about the event, discover the other prize winners, and see the full list of Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants at Fine Dining Lovers.