Orfali Bros Bistro tops MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023

The number one restaurant in the Middle East & North Africa region has been announced and it's Orfali Bros Bistro, in Dubai.

At a ceremony held at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers and streamed around the world, Orfali Bros Bistro was announced as the restaurant at the top of the list of 50. Orfali Bros was followed by Tresind Studio, also in Dubai, and then Fusions by Tala from Manama, in Bahrain. Ossiano and 3 Fils made up the top five with the latter dropping from last year's number one position. Bahrainian chef Tala Bashmi of Fusions claimed the title of Best Female Chef in the region in 2022.

As usual, individual awards had already been given out in the run-up to MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, including One to Watch, MENA’s Best Female Chef and the Icon Award.

Plant-based Tel Aviv restaurant Opa was named the One to Watch, while the region’s Best Female Chef 2023 award went to Salam Dakkak. The Icon Award was given to Anissa Helou, the prolific Lebanese writer who is educating the world on Middle Eastern cuisine and cultures.

See the full list of MENA's 50 best Restaurants 2023 below. 

1. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai, UAE
2. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE
3. Fusions by Tala, Manama, Bahrain (also claimed Highest Climber Award)
4. Ossiano, Dubai, UAE (also won the Highest New Entry Award)
5. 3 Fils, Dubai, UAE
6. George & John, Tel Aviv, Israel (also named Best Restaurant in Israel)
7. Kinoya, Dubai, UAE
8. Fakhreldin, Amman, Jordan (also named Best Restaurant in Jordan)
9. Zooba, Cairo, Egypt (also named Best Restaurant in Egypt)
10. Moonrise, Dubai, UAE
11. Reif Kushiyaki, Dubai, UAE
12. Kazoku, Cairo, Egypt
13. Zuma, Dubai, UAE
14. OCD, Tel Aviv, Israel (also won the Sustainable Restaurant Award)
15. Lowe, Dubai, UAE
16. Baron, Beirut, Lebanon (also named Best Restaurant in Lebanon)
17. Gaia, Dubai, UAE
18. Myazu, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (also named Best Restaurant in Saudi Arabia)
19. Tawlet Mar Mikhael, Beirut, Lebanon
20. Em Sherif, Beirut, Lebanon (also won the Art of Hospitality Award)
21. LPM, Dubai, UAE
22. Sachi, Giza, Egypt
23. Marble, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
24. A by Yuval Ben Neriah, Tel Aviv, Israel
25. CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Manama, Bahrain
26. Hoseki, Dubai, UAE
27. La Grande Table Marocain, Marrakech, Morocco (also named Best Restaurant in Morocco)
28. Coya, Dubai, UAE
29. Shams El Balad, Amman, Jordan
30. Sachi, Cairo, Egypt
31. Masso, Manama, Bahrain
32. Animar, Tel Aviv, Israel
33. Coya, Abu Dhabi, UAE
34. La Closerie, Tunis, Tunisia (also named Best Restaurant in Tunisia)
35. 11 Woodfire, Dubai, UAE
36. Sufra, Amman, Jordan
37. Iloli, Casablanca, Morocco
38. LPM, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
39. Sesamo, Marrakech, Morocco
40. Milgo Milbar, Tel Aviv, Israel
41. Alee, Amman, Jordan
42. White Robata, Kuwait City, Kuwait (also named Best Restaurant in Kuwait)
43. Zuma, Abu Dhabi, UAE
44. Jun's, Dubai, UAE
45. Reif Kushiyaki, Cairo, Egypt
46. +61, Marrakech, Morocco
47. 13C Bar in the Back, Amman, Jordan
48. HaBasta, Tel Aviv, Israel
49. Hakkasan, Abu Dhabi, UAE
50. Bonjiri, Salmiya, Kuwait