Drum roll please – the Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards shortlist has been finalised.
Over the past 12 months our impartial reviewers have been eating anonymously at scores of restaurants across the emirate, carefully scoring venues on a range of criteria. And now, after some vigorous and heated debate among our judging panel, we’re happy to reveal our findings for the first time.
From international brands to independent eateries, five-star hotels to backstreet joints, the restaurants deemed worthy of our shortlist represent a definitive snapshot of the capital’s dining scene today. Put simply, we can tell you every venue on the list below will serve you a good meal.
And who is the very best? Sorry, we can’t tell you just yet – winning and highly commended venues will be revealed at our awards ceremony, hosted at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche on Tuesday October 8.
Since its founding year in 2007 the Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards have been recognised as the leading benchmark for the industry, and the best-known accolade for distinguishing diners.
To view last year’s winners, click here.
BEST BAR FOOD
The Retreat (The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa)
Y Bar (Yas Island Rotana)
Stills Bar & Brasserie (Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island)
Brauhaus (Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi)
Chameleon (Fairmont Bab Al Bahr)
Belgian Café (InterContinental Abu Dhabi)
Porter’s Pub (Grand Millennium Al Wahda)
BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Prego’s (Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi)
Toki (Hilton Abu Dhabi)
Jones the Grocer (Al Muroor)
Nolu’s Café (Al Bandar)
Cho Gao (Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi)
BEST CAFE
Nathalie’s Cafe (Twofour54 Rotana Building, Khalifa Park)
Café Arabia (Airport Road)
Jones the Grocer (Al Muroor)
Nolu’s Café (Al Bandar)
Soulfull (Al Muroor)
Shakespeare & Co (The Souk Central Market)
BEST FAMILY
Api Cae Gourmet (Al Khalidiyah)
Nolu’s Café (Al Bandar)
Jones the Grocer (Al Muroor)
Johnny Rockets (Yas Marina Circuit)
Fuddruckers (Al Wahda Mall)
Zest (Al Ain Rotana)
Grand Central (Al Muroor)
BEST BRUNCH
Nahaam (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Bubbalicious (The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa)
Origins (Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi)
Sofra Bld (Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri)
Café Arabia (Airport Road)
Marina Brunch (InterContinental Abu Dhabi)
Pearls & Caviar (Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri)
BEST BUDGET
Bonna Annee (Salaam Street)
Tarbouche (The Souk Central Market)
Hanoi Café (Khalifa Street)
Foodlands (Airport Road)
Lebanese Flower (Defense Road)
Mono (Defense Road)
Saudi Cuisine VIP (Al Khalidiyah)
BEST ROMANTIC
Sontaya (The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort)
Etoiles (Emirates Palace Hotel)
Ornina (Al Bandar)
Brasserie Angelique (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Bord Eau (Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri)
Scott’s (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
BBQ Al Qasr (Emirates Palace Hotel)
BEST SEAFOOD
Sayad (Emirates Palace Hotel)
Scott’s (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Bu Tafish (Hamdan Street)
Finz (Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi)
Turquoiz (The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort)
Pearls & Caviar (Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri)
Golden Sail Restaurant (Khalifa Street)
BEST STEAKHOUSE
Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill (Fairmont Bab Al Bahr)
Entrecôte Café de Paris (Souk Qaryat Al Beri)
The Park Bar and Grill (Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas)
55&5th, The Grill (The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort)
Rodeo Grill (Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi)
Blue Grill (Yas Island Rotana)
BEST CHINESE
Hakkasan (Emirates Palace Hotel)
Beijing Restaurant (Tourist Club Area)
Oasis (Al Itihad)
Restaurant China (Mecure Centre Hotel)
Shanghai Surprise (Al Diar Capital Hotel)
BEST CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN
Ornina (Al Bandar)
Sardinia (Abu Dhabi Country Club)
Le Deck (Monte-Carlo Beach Club)
Bord Eau (Shangri La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri)
Brasserie Angelique (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
18° (Hyatt Capital Gate)
BEST INDIAN
Ushna (Souk Qaryat Al Beri)
Angar (Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi)
De Thali (Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre & Gold Centre)
Chhapan Bhog (Salaam Street)
Tandoori Corner (Al Wahda)
Foodlands (Airport Road)
Asha’s (Khalidyah Mall)
BEST INTERNATIONAL
Ingredients (Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara)
BBQ Al Qasr (Emirates Palace Hotel)
Hawksbill (Saadiyat Beach Golf Club)
The Beach House (Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi)
Vasco’s (Hilton Abu Dhabi)
CuiScene (Fairmont Bab Al Bahr)
Sofra Bld (Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri)
BEST ITALIAN
Bice (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Bocca (Hilton Abu Dhabi)
Boccaccio (InterContinental Abu Dhabi)
Sevilo’s (Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi)
Biancorosso (Al Nahyan)
Spaccanapoli (Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi)
Porto Bello (Grand Millennium Al Wahda)
Prego’s (Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi)
BEST JAPANESE
Toki (Hilton Abu Dhabi)
Sushi Central (Al Khalidiyah)
Samurai (Al Markaziyah)
Benihana (Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi)
Sho Cho (Souk Qaryat Al Beri)
Kazu (Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi)
BEST MENA
Lebanese Flower (Defense Road)
Li Beirut (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Abdel Wahab (Souk Qaryat Al Beri)
Atayeb (Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi)
Barouk (Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island)
Agadir (The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa)
Saudi Cuisine VIP (Al Khalidiyah)
BEST SOUTH EAST ASIAN
Sontaya (The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort)
Pachaylen (Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara)
Rouge (Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi)
Royal Orchid (Salaam Street)
Silk & Spice (Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche)
Quest (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Cho Gao (Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi)
BEST AFTERNOON TEA
The Drawing Room (The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort)
The Chocolate Gallery (Fairmont Bab Al Bahr)
The Library (Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi)
Observation Deck at 300 (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Le Café (Emirates Palace Hotel)
Bloomsbury’s (Al Wahda Mall)
BEST NEWCOMER
Scott’s (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Li Jiang (The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal)
Bice (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
Sushi Central (Al Khalidiyah)
Brasserie Angelique (Jumeirah at Etihad Towers)
