About Us

Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants is a celebration of the best places to eat across 19 countries in the MENA region. Created in 2022 by the 50 Best organisation, the list reflects the best restaurant experiences of a group of 250 voters, made up of anonymous restaurant experts. 

The first edition of Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants was announced on 7th February 2022, celebrating the region's gastronomy and providing diners around the globe with local insight and culinary recommendations. 

The list was created by the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of 250 leaders in the restaurant industry across the region, each selected for their expert opinion of Middle East and North Africa’s restaurant scene. Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants takes in six voting regions: the Gulf; Saudi Arabia; Levant-plus; Israel; North Africa (East) and North Africa (West). Read more about the voting process and the Academy.

The launch of Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants marked the first time since 2013 – when both Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants were established – that 50 Best unveiled a new regional restaurants list and awards programme. The Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list is published by William Reed, which also publishes The World's 50 Best Restaurants, launched in 2002.

This launch marked a critical step in 50 Best’s continuous drive to inspire people to travel, explore and seek out new culinary adventures, putting the spotlight on up-and-coming chefs and food trends, and showcasing the subtlety and complexity of various cuisines from around the world.

The event programme was hosted in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, from 4th-11th February. The programme – including the awards ceremony and unveiling of the list – provided a unique opportunity to unite chefs, gourmets, and food and travel media from all over the region at a captivating celebration of cuisine and hospitality, while also promoting the culinary strength and diversity of the region as a whole to a global audience.