• Deliveroo UAE reveals this year’s panellists  
  • The winners of the Deliveroo UAE Restaurant Awards 2023 will be announced on the 12th of October.  

Foodies across the UAE have voted for their local favourites to be shortlisted as finalists for the second edition of Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards in the UAE. Today, the shortlisted restaurants have been unveiled after the initial round of public voting closed on the 21st of August. The first round of voting witnessed over 200,000 votes cast across the UAE, resulting in 3 finalists in each category.

Deliveroo's Restaurant Awards are poised to showcase the very best of what food delivery in the UAE has to offer. The public is now invited to cast their final votes until Friday, 15th of September and support their favourite restaurants in being crowned winners. On October 12th, Deliveroo UAE will unveil the winners of the 23 categories, including the coveted Restaurant of the Year voted by a panel of presenters. 

Between today and the 12th of October, a panel of F&B experts will undertake the task of trying the restaurants that have been shortlisted for the esteemed Restaurant of the Year Award. The judges will rate different aspects of their food delivery experience from each restaurant. This covers key factors like brand personality, quality of food, packaging and presentation, value for money, and going the extra mile for customers. Their ultimate goal will be to collectively determine the crowned winner for the coveted Restaurant of the Year Award award.

Deliveroo’s panellists for the Restaurant of the Year category include:

  • Anis Harb  - General Manager at Deliveroo Middle East
  • Farah Sawaf - Founder of Soul Communications. With an innate understanding of the UAE’s dynamic F&B landscape, Farah used her passion for food to orchestrate Soul’s birth from her very own kitchen in 2010. Having worked with some of the most renowned restaurateurs in the world she navigates entrepreneurs, chefs, suppliers and ingredients with unparalleled finesse; making her and her insight into all things food an absolute must-have for the Restaurants Awards judging panel.
  • Miles Buckeridge - Deputy Editor at What’s On. Miles’ passion for experiencing the world through food means he comes to the panel with a journeyed palate and ample experience. At What’s On, his days are spent trying, evaluating, and describing the latest evolutions of the city’s ever-changing cuisine scene; making him a perfect fit for the panel.
  • Courtney Brandt - An author, journalist, and freelance content creator living in Dubai for nearly 20 years. Courtney is the founder of A to Zaatar, and has been published in multiple local and international publications. Her work with some of UAE’s most exciting restaurants, conferences and projects led to a spot for her on the panel for this year’s Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards.

Below is the list of restaurants that have secured their spot in the top 3 for each category:

Category 

Restaurant Partner 1

Restaurant Partner 2

Restaurant Partner 3

Best Burger 

Pickl

Five Guys

Shake Shack

Best Asian 

PF Chang’s

Din Tai Fung

Chin Chin

Best Pizza 

Pizza Hut

Pitfire

Papa Johns

Best Middle Eastern

Allo Beirut

Al Safadi 

Barbar

Best Fried Chicken 

Pickl

KFC

Jollibee

Best Homegrown Dubai

Pickl

Taqado

Salt

Best Homegrown Abu Dhabi

Al Farah

Gino’s Deli

Mosaic

Best Dessert

Baskin Robbins

Les Galussetes

Magnolia Bakery

Best Italian 

Eataly

Oregano

Pasta della Nonna

Best Plant-Based/ Vegan

Dip Dash

Acai & Co

Projeto Acai 

Best Editions Restaurant 

Five Guys

Go! Greek

Gallus Chicken Rotisserie 

Most-Loved Chain 

McDonald’s 

Starbucks

Zaatar w Zeit 

Best Newcomer 

Wise Guys

Joe & the Juice

Domino’s

Best Coffee

Costa

% Arabica

Starbucks

Best Fine Dining

LPM

Nusr-Et 

Il Borro

Best Healthy Restaurant

Krave

Salata

Joe & the Juice

Best Family Restaurant 

Couqley 

Nando’s

Paul Bakery & restaurant 

Best Value Eats 

Allo Beirut

Subway

Operation Falafel

Best Japanese

Reif Kushiyaki

SushiArt

SushiDo

Best Poke 

Poke & Co

Poke Poke

CALI-POKE

Best Indian

Gazebo

Asha’s 

Biryani Pot 

Best Restaurant Voted By Riders

McDonald’s

Five Guys

Pickl

Restaurant of The Year

Al Safadi

Pizza Di Rocco

Saddle

Pickl

Five Guys

 

Anis Harb, General Manager at Deliveroo Middle East said, “During the first round of voting for the second edition of Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards in the UAE, we witnessed a record-breaking number of votes casted by the public. Undoubtedly, food possesses a remarkable ability to unite people, and we thank our devoted customers for their support in voting for their local favourites. As the door to the second round of voting opens, we encourage the public to cast their final votes to ensure their favourites emerge victorious and get the recognition they deserve in our thriving F&B industry!” 

-Ends-

Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards website can be seen here: http://uae.deliveroorestaurantawards.com/

The website contains a comprehensive list of restaurants and categories, offering members of the public the opportunity to vote for their favourite restaurant and a chance to win up to AED 1,000 in Deliveroo credit

Voting Timeline:

  • 15th September - Final voting closes
  • 12th October - Restaurant Awards Ceremony takes place, and all winners will be revealed at a live ceremony

About Deliveroo

Deliveroo is an award-winning delivery service founded in 2013 by William Shu and Greg Orlowski. Deliveroo works with approximately 179,000 best-loved restaurants and grocery partners, as well as around 150,000 riders to provide the best food delivery experience in the world. Deliveroo is headquartered in London, with offices around the globe. Deliveroo operates across 10 markets, including Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Qatar, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and the United Kingdom.

Further information regarding Deliveroo is available on the Company's website at https://corporate.deliveroo.co.uk/.