Khufu's in Giza, Egypt was named best restaurant in the Middle East and North Africa region during a lavish awards ceremony at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi.
While UAE restaurants missed out on the top spot, 25 of them did make the top 50 list – four more than last year. Kinoya and Tresind Studio, both located in Dubai, were ranked second and third.
Restaurants from 14 cities were included in the list of the 50 best places to eat in the region. New entries from Dubai and Abu Dhabi included Sufret Maryam, Kokoro, Manao, FZN, Three Bros, Chez Wam, 3 Fils Abu Dhabi and Girl and the Goose.
A spokesperson for Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants said: “We are thrilled to recognise Khufu’s as the No 1 restaurant … the first time a restaurant in Egypt takes the top spot.
“Its culinary philosophy, rooted deeply in Egyptian culture yet executed with contemporary finesse, represents the very best of what the region has to offer.”
Special awards
A handful of special awards were given out. Middle Child in Dubai took home the One to Watch title. The Sustainable Restaurant Award went to Farmers, which opened in Marrakech in late 2024. Recognising fantastic service, the Art of Hospitality Award went to La Grande Table Marocaine at the Royal Mansour Marrakech hotel.
Individual chefs were also recognised, starting with Sara Aqel, who leads Dara Dining by Sara Aqel in Amman. She was named Best Female Chef. Omar and Wassim Orfali, part of the Orfali Bros trio, were named Best Pastry Chefs. The Sevenrooms Icon Award went to Salam Dakkak, the brains behind Sufret Maryam, for her work in Arabic cuisine and introducing Palestinian food to the world.
The only peer-voted prize, the Chef's Choice Award, was presented to Himanshu Saini, head chef of the three-time-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Tresind Studio.
Muna Haddad, founder of Baraka Destinations, received the inaugural Champion of Change Award, which applauds restaurants working towards positive change and celebrates “unsung heroes”.
The winner of the Highest Climber Award was Cairo restaurant Reif Kushiyaki, while Beihouse in Beirut was the recipient of the Highest New Entry Award, after debuting on the list at No 5.
The best in countries honours went to: Lyra in Bahrain; Le Golfe in Tunisia; Idam in Qatar; Shams El Balad in Jordan; Cantina in Kuwait; Table 3 in Morocco; Kuuru in Saudi Arabia; Beihouse in Lebanon; Kinoya in the UAE; and Khufu in Egypt.
Dubai's Orfali Bros had won the UAE prize three years running, but even though the restaurant run by Syrian brothers Omar and Wassim Orfali missed out this year it was still ranked an impressive fourth in the region overall.
Mena’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026
- Khufu's, Giza
- Kinoya, Dubai
- Tresind Studio, Dubai
- Orfali Bros, Dubai
- Beihouse, Beirut – new entry
- Kuuru, Jeddah
- Sufret Maryam, Dubai – new entry
- Jun's, Dubai
- Manao, Dubai – new entry
- Moonrise, Dubai
- Table 3, Casablanca – new entry
- Marble, Riyadh
- Em Sherif, Beirut
- 11 Woodfire, Dubai
- Kokoro, Dubai – new entry
- Marmellata Bakery, Abu Dhabi
- 3 Fils, Dubai
- Cantina, Kuwait City – new entry
- La Grande Table Marocaine, Marrakech
- Reif Kushiyaki, Cairo
- Le Petit Cornichon, Marrakech
- FZN, Dubai – new entry
- Takahisa, Dubai
- Sesamo, Marrakech
- Kazoku, Cairo
- Shams El Balad, Amman
- LPM, Dubai
- Alee, Amman
- Three Bros, Dubai – new entry
- Dara Dining by Sara Aqel, Amman
- +61, Marrakech
- Zooba Zamalek, Cairo
- Gaia, Dubai
- Zuma, Dubai
- Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
- Row on 45, Dubai
- Sachi, Cairo
- Niri, Abu Dhabi
- Buco, Beirut – new entry
- Chez Wam, Dubai – new entry
- Boca, Dubai
- 3 Fils, Abu Dhabi – new entry
- Girl and the Goose, Dubai – new entry
- Idam, Doha – new entry
- Myazu, Riyadh
- Le Golfe, La Marsa
- LPM, Abu Dhabi
- Lyra, Manama – new entry
- Farmers, Marrakech – new entry
- Matbakhi, Kuwait City – new entry
How the rankings work
Each year, restaurants are ranked by more than 250 anonymous experts, including chefs, restaurateurs and well-travelled gourmets from 19 countries across the region.
There is no set criteria for the votes, according to organisers. “What constitutes best is up to each one to decide,” they say. “Of course, the quality of food is going to be central, as is the service – but the style of both, the surroundings, atmosphere and indeed the price level are each more or less important for each different individual.”
