F&B leaders from across the Middle East gathered last night to the Ritz-Carlton JBR, Dubai to celebrate the region’s top restaurants, chefs and dishes at the BBC Good Food Middle East Awards.
Now in its ninth year, the annual ceremony celebrates the best restaurants in the UAE, as well as bringing a range of outlets in Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to centre stage through a new collection of awards.
The BBC Good Food Middle East Awards are voted for by consumers, and therefore based on customers’ stamp of approval across different categories.
A record number of over 111,000 votes were cast this year across the 67 categories.
One of the most prestigious awards of the evening, the BBC Good Food Middle East Chef of the Year, was won by Galvin Dubai’s Luigi Vespero.
Luigi was crowned the champion after taking part in a well-fought battle between four of Dubai’s top chefs earlier this month. The four chefs were tasked with creating a three-course menu using ingredients from a mystery box, provided by Invest Northern Ireland.
The ingredients inside the mystery box gave the chefs a real taste of freshly sourced Northern Irish produce. Many of the starters on the day of the competition focused around the Glenarm Organic Salmon, while all four of the mains featured Kettyle Irish Foods’ lamb as the star of the show.
Restaurant of the Year was awarded to Ossiano – the underwater bar and seafood restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm.
The full list of winners can be found below:
Best African Restaurant
Tribes
Best Afternoon Tea
Rhodes W1
Best Americas & Caribbean Restaurant
Waka Restaurant & Bar
Best Beach Club
RIVA
Best Breakfast Restaurant
Tashas
Best British Restaurant
Great British Restaurant
Best Burger
The Beast burger – Burger & Lobster
Best Business Lunch
Bistro Des Arts
Best Café – Abu Dhabi
Le Café
Best Café – Dubai & Northern Emirates
Shakespeare & Co.
Best Casual Brunch
McGettigan’s
Best Casual Dining Restaurant – Saudi Arabia
Al Orjouan
Best Curry
Mutton brisket curry -Tresind
Best Dining Experience
Carnival by Tresind
Best Family Brunch
City Brunch at The Market
Best Family-friendly Restaurant
Reform Social & Grill
Best Fine Dining Brunch
Prime68
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Abu Dhabi
Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Bahrain
Rasoi by Vineet
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Dubai
Galvin Bistrot & Bar
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Oman
Juniper
Best French Restaurant
Bleu Blanc by David Myers
Best Grocery Delivery Service
Kibsons
Best Happy Hour
Lock, Stock & Barrel
Best Healthy Eating Restaurant
Eat Well
Best Homegrown Restaurant
Kishmish
Best Indian Restaurant
Carnival by Tresind
Best Italian Restaurant
Quattro Passi
Best Japanese Restaurant
Katsuya by Starck
Best Ladies Night
STK
Best Meat Restaurant
World Cut Steakhouse
Best Mediterranean Restaurant
Sevilles
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Abu Dhabi
Byblos Sur Mer
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Dubai & Northern Emirates
Ewaan
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Oman
Al Tanoor
Best New Restaurant
Little Miss India
Best Pan Asian Restaurant
Buddha Bar
Best Party Brunch
Yalumba
Best Pizza
Pitfire Primo – Pitfire Pizza
Best Pub Food
Bridgewater Tavern
Best Roast Dinner
Bread Street Kitchen
Best Romantic Restaurant
Pierchic
Best Seafood Restaurant
Ossiano
Best Staycation Experience – Abu Dhabi
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
Best Staycation Experience – Dubai & Northern Emirates
The Cove Rotana
Best Staycation Experience – Kuwait
Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya
Best Staycation Experience – Oman
Shangri-La Al Husn Resort and Spa
Best Takeaway Delivery App
Deliveroo
Best Thai Restaurant
Thiptara
Chef of The Year
Luigi Vespero, Galvin Bistrot & Bar
Restaurant of The Year – Dubai
Ossiano
Best Café – Bahrain
Swiss-Café Restaurant
Best Café – Kuwait
Crumbs
Best Café – Oman
Mani’s Gourmet Café
Best Café – Saudi Arabia
Café Bateel
Best Casual Dining Restaurant – Abu Dhabi
Parmigiana
Best Casual Dining Restaurant – Bahrain
Katsuya by Starck
Best Casual Dining Restaurant – Kuwait
Olio
Best Casual Dining Restaurant – Oman
The Steak Company
Best Dessert
Red Velvet Oreo Crunch Cake – SugarMoo Desserts
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Kuwait
Salt Restaurant
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Saudi Arabia
The Globe
Best Food Truck
Salt
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Bahrain
Baharat
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Kuwait
Babel
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Saudi Arabia
Mama Noura
Best Staycation Experience – Bahrain
Crowne Plaza Bahrain
Best Staycation Experience – Saudi Arabia
Al Faisaliah Hotel
The photos from the evening can now be found online here.
Congratulations once again to all the winners – we look forward to seeing you again next year!