MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants launched four-years-ago, with one mission and one mission only: Highlighting the region’s gastronomic gems. This week, the annual awards ceremony touched down in Abu Dhabi, transforming Abu Dhabi’s Erth Hotel into a playground for the region’s most daring chefs, trailblazing restaurateurs, and self-proclaimed foodies, who flocked to the UAE capital for the unveiling of the top eateries in the Middle East and North Africa.
And to no one’s surprise, Orfali Bros Bistro in Dubai came out on top, clinching the number one spot for the third year running. The contemporary Arabic eatery was among several Michelin-starred restaurants in the UAE that made the cut.
The 2025 list stretched across 11 cities, spotlighting everything from Cairo’s storied fine-dining temples to the new-gen disruptors rewriting the rules in Riyadh, Beirut, and Amman.
If there were ever doubts about the UAE’s gastronomic dominance, they were put to rest, Dubai and Abu Dhabi flexed with 22 restaurants on the list. Egypt followed with seven, Jordan with six, while Saudi Arabia and Morocco landed five each.
Dubai’s Tresind Studio and Kinoya rounded out the top three, proving that the city is a gastronome’s dream. Egypt’s Khufu’s and Dubai’s Ossiano sealed their spots in the top five, with the ever-evolving 3 Fils—once No.1 back in 2022—landing at No.14 this year.
Meanwhile in Abu Dhabi, Niri, Marmellata Bakery, and LPM made a mark, while Dubai doubled down with Michelin-starred players like Row on 45, Smoked Room, and 11 Woodfire.
New blood also surged into the rankings, with Aseeb in Riyadh, La Grande Brasserie by Hélène Darroze and Le Petit Cornichon in Marrakech, as well as Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in Dubai shaking things up.
There’s no rigid rulebook for securing a spot,judges, made up of 250 anonymous insiders, vote purely on their personal experiences. Whether it’s the mind-bending flavors, impeccable service, or pure vibes, it all comes down to what moves people.
William Drew, the content director of MENA’s 50 Best, acknowledged the challenging times in the region, emphasizing that food remains a powerful bridge: “50 Best is always about bringing people together through food. We firmly believe that cross-border collaboration and co-operation in gastronomy can lead to greater cultural understanding.”
MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025: The Full List
- Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai (Best Restaurant in MENA)
- Tresind Studio, Dubai
- Kinoya, Dubai
- Khufu’s, Giza (Best Restaurant in Egypt)
- Ossiano, Dubai
- Fusions by Tala, Manama (Best Restaurant in Bahrain)
- Jun’s, Dubai
- Shams El Balad, Amman (Best Restaurant in Jordan)
- Em Sherif, Beirut (Best Restaurant in Lebanon)
- Moonrise, Dubai
- Fakhreldin, Amman
- Boca, Dubai
- Alee, Amman
- 3 Fils, Dubai
- Bait Maryam, Dubai
- Marble, Riyadh (Best Restaurant in Saudi Arabia)
- Row on 45, Dubai (Highest Climber)
- Dara Dining by Sara Aqel, Amman (Highest New Entry)
- Zuma, Dubai
- Sufra, Amman
- Zooba, Cairo
- La Grande Table Marocaine, Marrakesh (Best Restaurant in Morocco)
- LPM, Dubai
- Kazoku, Cairo
- Gaia, Dubai
- 21 Grams, Dubai
- Sachi, Cairo
- Woodfire, Dubai
- Marmellata Bakery, Abu Dhabi
- Kuuru, Jeddah
- Lunch Room, Riyadh
- Sesamo, Marrakesh
- Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai
- Izakaya, Cairo
- Plus61, Marrakesh
- Bar in the Back, Amman
- Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
- LPM, Abu Dhabi
- Aseeb, Riyadh
- Sachi, Giza
- TakaHisa, Dubai
- Baron, Beirut
- Cut by Wolfgang Puck, Manama
- Le Golfe, Tunis (Best Restaurant in Tunisia)
- Smoked Room, Dubai
- Le Petit Cornichon, Marrakesh
- Reif Kushiyaki, Cairo
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