At.Mosphere to Zuma: UAE restaurants win big at World Culinary Awards in Dubai

The emirate itself emerged as the best culinary destination this year

At.Mosphere on the 122nd floor of Burj Khalifa was named the Middle East’s Best Landmark Restaurant at the World Culinary Awards. Photo: At.Mosphere

Visiting At.Mosphere is something of a rite of passage for people living in and visiting Dubai. It is a fact that did not go unnoticed at last night's World Culinary Awards ceremony, held at Atlantis The Royal, as the restaurant on the 122nd floor of Burj Khalifa was named Middle East’s Best Landmark Restaurant.

The emirate itself won top honours of the night as it was deemed the World’s Best Culinary Destination and the Middle East’s Best Culinary Destination.

UAE restaurants to put on your culinary bucket list

The UAE's penchant for putting on a good brunch, too, shone through, as Zuma Dubai was awarded World's Best Brunch Venue, while Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental was named World's Best Hotel for Brunch.

Elsewhere, fellow UAE establishments Nobu Dubai and Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Tower were named the Middle East’s Best Restaurant and the World's Best Culinary Hotel.

The latter houses a dozen restaurants and bars (and serves cuisines from places such as Lebanon and Latin America to Tokyo to Tuscany), including Ray's Grill, which won the Middle East's Best Culinary Experience.

Three restaurants at the newly opened Atlantis The Royal, the host venue for the awards ceremony, were deemed Dubai's Best Hotel Restaurant (Dinner by Heston Blumenthal), the World's Best New Hotel Restaurant (Estiatorio Milos) and the World's Best New Restaurant (Ariana's Persian Kitchen).

Meanwhile, the Michelin-starred Ossiano at sister property Atlantis The Palm was lauded as Dubai's Best Culinary Experience 2023, a fitting win as chef Gregoire Berger is known for his outlandishly creative and delicious menus.

Other national wins for individual cuisines include Asil Dubai (World's Best Middle Eastern Cuisine Restaurant), Tresind Studio (World's Best Indian Cuisine Restaurant), Armani Ristorante (the World's Best Italian Cuisine Restaurant), Coya Dubai (World's Best Peruvian Cuisine Restaurant), Nammos Dubai (World's Best Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant) and Hakkasan Abu Dhabi (World's Best Chinese Cuisine Restaurant).

The culinary options at Dubai International Airport and Dubai Mall, too, were acknowledged with awards apiece for the World's Best Airport for Dining and the World's Best Shopping Mall for Dining.

Worldwide winners

Globally, the three Michelin-starred Maison Pic in France was named the World's Best Restaurant 2023, while Mil Centro Peru was deemed the World's Best Fine Dining Experience.

Riyadh, which recently opened Spago by Wolfgang Puck, Ferdi, Raoul's and Les Deux Magots, was named the World's Best Emerging Culinary City Destination.

Elsewhere, Paris retained its status as the World's Best Culinary City Destination.

Bangkok, which is rapidly making its mark on the global culinary map, is home to both the World's Best Rooftop Restaurant by way of Sirocco; as well as Mezzaluna, the World's Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant.