- Deliveroo unveils top contenders for their first-ever UAE Restaurant Awards in shortlist reveal
- UAE customers have from today until the 14th of March to vote for their local favourites
- Deliveroo Restaurant Awards panel of presenters revealed
- The UAE’s first-ever Deliveroo Restaurant Awards 2022 will be held virtually on the 22nd of March
Food lovers across the country have voted for local favourites to be selected as finalists for Deliveroo’s first-ever Restaurant Awards in the UAE. The shortlist of restaurants has been revealed today after the first round of public voting closed on 2nd March. The first round of voting saw nearly 100,000 votes cast across the UAE, resulting in more than 400 hopefuls being reduced to 5 finalists in each category.
Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards will put a spotlight on the very best of what UAE restaurants have to offer, bringing together a host of culinary talent from across the country. The public now has until Monday 14th of March to cast their vote and help their favourite local restaurant emerge victorious, with the winners announced at Deliveroo’s virtual awards ceremony on March 22nd.
On the day, Deliveroo is encouraging restaurants and customers to vote and tune in to see who will take home the 21 trophies, including the coveted Restaurant of the Year Award voted by a panel of presenters.
Deliveroo’s panel for the big day includes:
- Anis Harb – GM, Deliveroo GCC
- Rene Borisova – Renowned lifestyle influencer known for her passion for good food.
- Mohanad Al Hattab – UAE-based social media comedian.
- Kindy Man – Actor, producer, and director based in Dubai. Known for his amazing productions, Kindy Man is notorious for his engaging comedy content across his social media.
- Mayada Sleiman – Passionate UAE content creator who recently ventured into the world of gastronomy, gaining her degree as a certified chef.
The above panel of presenters will join Deliveroo in announcing winners for each category and help choose the winner for the coveted Restaurant of the Year Award.
Below is the list of restaurants that have made it to the Top 5 for each category:
| Category | Restaurant Partner 1 | Restaurant Partner 2 | Restaurant Partner 3 | Restaurant Partner 4 | Restaurant Partner 5 |
| Best Burger | Maxzi | Shake Shack | Five Guys | High Joint | Pickl |
| Best Asian | Biryani Pot | Wagamama | Gazebo | PF Chang’s | Din Tai Fung |
| Best Pizza | Pinza! | Pizza di Rocco | Pizzaro | Pitfire | PizzaExpress |
| Best Middle Eastern | Al Safadi | Operation Falafel | Mosaic Restaurant | Allo Beirut | Kaak Al Manara |
| Best Fried Chicken | Kyochon | Raising Cane’s | Jailbird | Pickl | Japang |
| Best Homegrown | Mama’esh | Mancha | Pickl | Bait Maryam | Taqado |
| Best Dessert | Krispy Kreme | Pinkberry | Les Gallusettes | Baskin Robbins | Magnolia Bakery |
| Best Italian | Carluccios | PizzaExpress | Eataly | The Pasta Guyz | Pizzaro |
| Best Plant-Based | Wild & The Moon | Just Vegan | Majama | Acai and the Tribe | Little Erth – Vegan Friendly Kitchen |
| Best Editions Restaurant | Cali-Poke | Five Guys | Gallus | Go! Healthy | Pinza! |
| Most-Loved Chain | Paul Bakery & Restaurant | Zaatar w Zeit | Five Guys | Jollibee | McDonald’s |
| Best Newcomer | Bake My Day | SALATA | Traybae | SLD Bar | Farooj Al Abdallah |
| Best Coffee | Dunkin’ | Caffe Nero | %Arabica | Costa Coffee | Starbucks |
| Best Fine Dining | Coya | Nusr-Et | Nobu | LPM | Royal China |
| Best Healthy Restaurant | Right Bite | SALATA | Krave | L’AVO | Kcal |
| Best Family Restaurant | Couqley | The Cheesecake Factory | PF Chang’s | Nando’s | Al Safadi |
| Best Value Eats | Malak Al Taouk | Chowking | Manoushe Street | Allo Beirut | Operation Falafel |
| Best Delivery-Only Brand | ChicFlic | The 500 Calorie Project | Alien Burger | Bake My Day | Sugargram |
| Best Japanese | Miyabi Sushi & Bento | SushiArt | Ichiban | KAMI Sushi | Sumo Sushi & Bento |
| Best Poke | Pokemon By Kitch-In | Cali-Poke | Enso – Sushi Burrito & Poke Bar | Poke & Co | Poke Poke |
| Restaurant of The Year | Al Farah Restaurant | Pickl | The Cheesecake Factory | Five Guys | LDC Kitchen & Coffee |
Anis Harb, GM, Deliveroo GCC said,“In the first round of voting for the first-ever Deliveroo Restaurant Awards in the UAE, we were overwhelmed by the support and number of votes received. There is no doubt that food brings people together, and we would like to thank our loyal customers for showing love and support for their favourite restaurants. With the second round of voting now open, we’re encouraging the public to cast their final vote to ensure their favourites emerge victorious!”