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All the Dubai restaurants on the World's 50 Best MENA list
Tue, February 8, 2022
Sixteen stellar Dubai restaurants have made the cut on the inaugural Middle East & North Africa's Best Restaurants list unveiled by World's 50 Best. Here's a look at all the winners, as per their rankings.
Sixteen stellar Dubai restaurants have made the cut on the inaugural Middle East & North Africa's Best Restaurants list unveiled by World's 50 Best. Here's a look at all the winners, as per their rankings.
1
3 Fils
This homegrown favourite has long charmed Dubai's foodies and it's no surprise it made it to the number one spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list for MENA. The chic yet casual dining experience, coupled with calming harbourside views and no-reservations policy, makes this one of Dubai's most unassumingly spectacular dining hotspots. Serving modern Asian cuisine with a Japanese influence, you’ll find tantalising dishes such as salmon carpaccio, wagyu beef, sushi and fire–grilled octopus on the menu.
2
Zuma
Zuma is located in the heart of Dubai city at the DIFC and has stood the test of time as one of Dubai's most popular fine-dining destinations. It fuses a mix of a contemporary culinary methods with the comfort of traditional Japanese flavours. Serving Japanese classic dishes including miso-marinated black cod, Chilean sea bass and Boston lobster. Zuma is a multi-award-winning restaurant with a reputation for crafting a meal and atmosphere that exceeds expectations.
4
Tresind Studio
Chef Himanshu Saini weaves stories with the intricately-plated and expertly-spiced degustation menus he presents in fine dining spot Tresind Studio. Hidden away behind a discrete door off the main Tresind restaurant, this insider haunt seats just 18 at a time and presents a multi-hour extravaganza that unfolds with theatrical flourish. The innovative, Insta-worthy dishes taste as good as they look, and themes change seasonally so fans never get bored. This is must-try for serious foodies.
6
Orfali Bros Bistro
Three brothers, one dream. At Orfali Bros ‘bistronomy’ the brothers are proud to serve up dishes that reflect their shared culinary passion. You’ll want to factor in repeat visits to try everything on the menu, including favourites such as the shish barak a la sgyoza (beef dumplings with a Middle Eastern twist), salmon with miso and creamy tahini, and Umm Salah torrijas (Spanish-style French toast with a touch of spice). They also support local farming, so look out for homegrown produce across the menu.
8
LPM
Transport yourself to the Cote d'Azur at LPM Dubai — a spot that serves up what many think is the best French food you can find in Dubai. The award-winning restaurant, situated in DIFC Gate Village, focuses on Niçoise cuisine, with Italian flavours coming into play on the Mediterranean dishes that put a spotlight on quality ingredients. The classy restaurant has been winning awards since it opened, which will be no surprise once you’ve tasted the food. Within the high-end hotspot, the cream walls are hung with modern art with tables draped with crisp white cloths and silverware. Fresh tomatoes, lemons and olive oil provide a centre-piece, showing everyone that the focus is on high-quality ingredients.
10
Gaia
A celebration of all thing Grecian, GAIA is a collaboration between two Dubai homegrown icons – Evgeny Kuzin from hospitality group Bulldozer and celebrated chef Izu Ani. Bringing a sense of conviviality to the table, starters such as the refreshing watermelon salad, smoked aubergine melitzanosalata, stuffed vine leaves and baked feta cheese set the scene for brighter mains like the cooked-to-your-liking fish, lobster pasta, lamb cutlets and more. If dining as a group, consider booking the chef’s table on the lower level beside the kitchen, right where the magic happens.
11
Il Borro Tuscan Bistro
Il Borro brings the taste of Tuscany to the Middle East with a modern interpretation of the 1,000 year old cuisine. Started by the son of Salvatore Ferragamo, Ferrucio Ferragamo opened the restaurant in Dubai to diversify the family empire — this time, drawing inspiration from their Tuscan estate. The organic food on the menu represents the simplicity of Tuscan cooking, so you’ll find plenty of homegrown organic olive oil, seasonal vegetables and honey.
13
Coya
One of Dubai's most exciting restaurants, with exotic South American flavours and a happening atmosphere, COYA made a splash on the Dubai dining scene two years after it opened in London. The award-winning Peruvian restaurant's menu is extensive featuring a dynamic twist on South American classics including tacos, skewers and sashimi, providing a meal that's bursting with flavour.
16
Reif Kushiyaki
Known for his kitchen performances at Zuma among other top names, local chef extraordinaire Reif Othman set up shop on his own to massive applause at Reif Japanese Kushiyaki. This casual dining spot in Jumeirah's Dar Wasl Mall serves up Singaporean street food – and it’s fantastic. Whether it's the raw sea bass starter, the luxurious Sanchoku Wagyu 'sandos', silky soft homemade ramen and hearty seabass claypot rice – you’ll want to order it all...and you won't regret it if you do.
18
Tresind
Take everything you know about Indian food and mix it with your wildest culinary imaginations to begin to understand the philosophy of Trèsind. This fine dining favourite, located at the slick voco Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, is all style and even more substance thanks to a creative menu masterminded by chef Himanshu Saini. Signature dishes feature a generous use of dry ice, spherical surprises, edible gels and flavourful foams – it's like magic, but with spices.
20
Mimi Kakushi
Located in the Restaurant Village at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Mimi Kakushi is in good company, counting celebrated restaurants such as Coya and Nusr-Et as neighbours. Step inside and you’ll feel transported to another world with generous use of wood, vintage paintings and pops of green foliage creating an almost homely vibe, while the jazz soundtrack treats you to nostalgic tunes and chefs work on artfully-plated dishes at the open kitchen.
23
Lowe
Everything about this contemporary spot with a sleek open kitchen, pared-down aesthetic and a central wooden fire intrinsic to their style of cooking is absolutely spot on. A quick glance at the menu will do a disservice to what lies within. With amazingly creative concoctions, the dishes here blend heaps of flavours and genres to produce excellent plates that you’ll want to keep coming back for. LOWE also picked up the most sustainable restaurant award for its inventive use of leftovers in the menu.
29
Amazonico
This buzzing restaurant at Dubai International Financial Centre is incredibly popular, and deservedly so. The jungle-esque décor is on point and will make you feel as though you’re deep in the rainforest, travelling along the Amazon River. The dishes, meanwhile, are just as impressive as this larger than life dining destination looks. They have a separate sushi menu, but there’s also a long list of creative Latin American plates, specialising in expertly grilled meats. Lauded as one of MENA's 50 Best restaurants, this three-floor space lives up to the hype.
33
BB Social Dining
There are all the Bs at this cute spot, but the one you won’t find is boring. The dishes at this cool DIFC restaurant come from top brains and the bao, bites, bowls and barbecue dishes are super-inventive, creative and cool. From edamame hummus to soft shell crab bao, everything is delicious and has had buckets of thought and care poured into it. Don’t miss the katsu sandos too, and while you’re there the baonut is a must for dessert fans.
35
Indochine
One of the coolest spots in DIFC, Indochine boasts jungle-esque foliage and chic vibes. There’s a relaxed lounge area, a terrace and an elegant dining space. Set up in New York in 1984, the French-Vietnamese eatery opened in Dubai in late 2019 and has been a hit ever since. Dishes are adventurous, and their risks pay off. Don’t miss the kaffir lime and lemongrass-infused escargot, Vietnamese ravioli, the lamb char sui or the crunchy fried bananas for dessert.
44
Hoseki
There are only nine seats lined up at the wooden dining counter at this intimate restaurant at the Bvlgari Resort, where you're treated to a truly traditional Japanese experience. The spotlight is firmly on the sushi with a multi-course menu devised on the day by the chef who determines what's the freshest catch, paired with sharp freshly-grated wasabi. This is one for serious foodies wanting to save themselves a trip to Tokyo.
