What’s On Dubai Awards 2026: Shortlist revealed

The countdown to Dubai’s biggest, loudest, best-loved and longest-serving, leisure and entertainment awards has begun…

Registration has closed, and your votes for the best dining and entertainment institutions in Dubai have been weighed, measured and counted. This is a list for the people, by the people – a manifesto of your favourite menus and venues, fighting it out for a shot to take home the coveted titles in each category of the What’s On Dubai Awards 2026.

But did your selection win the election?

The winners will be announced at a glittering award ceremony on Thursday, April 16. Table bookings are now open and can be made by contacting violeta.popescu@motivate.ae, pamela.bayram@motivate.ae or ali.mohammad@motivate.ae.

Grand Prix

Four more special categories, Homegrown Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Restaurant of the Year will also be awarded on the night, selected solely by an expert panel of What’s On team members. You won’t find them shortlisted here, their deliberation is as secret as it is hotly contested.

Without further ado, here is the shortlist (with successful venues listed in alphabetical order) for the What’s On Awards Dubai 2026.

ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE

Favourite Attraction

Boo Boo Laand
Game Over Escape Rooms
Global Village
Grand Hyatt Dubai Waterpark
Motiongate Dubai
Topgolf Dubai
Wild Wadi Waterpark

Favourite Bar

Amelia Lounge
Aether
Gaba
Jade
LITT
Mimi Kakushi
Tattu sky lounge

Favourite Concert, Show or Festival

Bohemia Presents
GREASE at Dubai Opera
Live Nation Middle East Presents: Pitbull
Pacha ICONS
Swan Lake at Dubai Opera
UNTOLD Dubai
Ushuaia

Favourite Daycation

Anantara, World Island Resort
La Cantine Beach
Oasis Pool Bar & Lounge
One&Only Royal Mirage
San Beach
Summersalt Beach Club, Jumeirah Al Naseem
Tagomago

Favourite Staycation: Dubai

Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
Anantara, World Island Resort
Banyan Tree Dubai
Delano Dubai
Address Beach Resort
Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai

Favourite Staycation: Northern Emirates

Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort
DoubleTree By Hilton Resort and Spa Marjan Island
InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Mina Al Arab Resort & Spa
Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island
The Ritz-Carlton, Al Hamra Beach
Rixos Bab Al Bahr
Sofitel Al Hamra Beach Resort

Favourite Spa

Banyan Tree Spa
Bianco JGE Ladies Salon
Cinq Mondes Spa at Raffles The Palm Dubai
One&Only Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage
The Pearl Spa & Wellness
Sofitel Spa with L’Occitane
Talise Ottoman Spa

Favourite Pilates Studio

The Bay
Body Base
Paus Club
Tula Studios
Vera Reformer and Pilates Studio

FOOD CONCEPTS

Favourite Afternoon Tea

Armani/Lounge
Balloons at the Palace Afternoon Tea, Jumeirah Al Qasr
Grand Palaces Afternoon Tea at Blüthner Hall, Raffles The Palm Dubai
The Biltmore Brasserie
La Patisserie
The Lobby Lounge, Dusit Thani Dubai
Maison Devoille

Favourite Alfresco Restaurant

ATTIKO Dubai
Flamingo Room by tashas
Gigi Rigolatto
Kaimana Beach
Maison De La Plage
Nuska Beach
OFK

Favourite Breakfast

Brunch & Cake Jumeirah Islands
French Riviera Beach, Jumeirah Al Qasr
Jones the Grocer, Emirates Golf Club
Lazy Cat
Maison Mathis Voco Dubai The Palm
Timo
Zouzou

Favourite Burger

Claw
Eleven Green
Jospereno Restaurant
Junk Smash Burger
Leña
Smokd Eatery
Tribes

Favourite Business Lunch

Cé La Vi
Chic Nonna
Eugene Eugene
L’Amo Bistro del Mare
L’Atelier Robuchon
Maison Dali
Pierchic, Jumeirah Al Qasr

Favourite Cafe

Apricot Café
Artisan Bakers
Bounty Beets
Comptoir 102
Fuze Caffe
Novikov Cafe
Unwind

Favourite Pub Grub

Biggles
Ernst
Garden on 8
The Irish Village, Al Garhoud
McGettigan’s Souk Madinat
The Stables
Toad in the Hole, Topgolf Dubai

Favourite Pet-Friendly Restaurant

Chaihona, The Greens
Counter Culture Cafe
February 30
Horse & Hound
The Local, Barsha heights
Outdoor Terrace – Goose Island Tap House
Tap & Grill – Jumeirah Golf Estates

Favourite Rooftop Restaurant

Above Eleven Dubai
Barfly
Eve Penthouse & Lounge
Level 43 Sky Lounge
Look Up Rooftop Bar
Marbar Rooftop Tapas Bar – Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
Zeta Seventy Seven

RESTAURANTS

Favourite All-Day Dining Restaurant

Amaya
Aelia
Cielo
The Collective by Market Café
Huqqabaz Jumeirah
Little Neighborhood Restaurant
SANA

Favourite Brasserie

Brasserie Lutetia
Brasserie Uptown
Couqley French Brasserie
The Maine Land Brasserie
Mina Brasserie
Rare Brasserie & Bar
Sucre Brasserie

Favourite Brunch: A La Carte

AURA Skypool
The Beam by Nick Alvis
Big Fat Greek Brunch
Carnival By Tresind
O Brunch
Shi Restaurant
Tête-à-Tête

Favourite Restaurant: Northern Emirates

Farmhouse By Syrco – The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert
Levant & Nar
Mekong
Sanchaya
Ula Beach RAK
Waka
Zushi

CASUAL RESTAURANTS

Favourite Casual Asian Restaurant

77 Asia Restaurant
Andaliman
BA-Boldly Asian
Hoi An Restaurant
Ikigai
Lah Lah
The Noodle House

Favourite Casual Brunch: Buffet

Ballaro at Conrad Dubai
Be Beach
Float Lounge at Vida Creek Beach
Golden Ticket Brunch
Imagination, Hilton Dubai The Palm
Tiki Hula Hula Brunch, Trader Vic’s JBR, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
Toshi Restaurant

Favourite Casual French Restaurant

Brasserie Uptown
Chez Wam
Couqley French Brasserie
CQ French Brasserie
Le Relais de L’Entrecote

Favourite Casual Indian Restaurant

Asha’s Restaurant
Kasturi, Jumeirah Golf Estates
Khadak
Mausam
Pincode by Kunal Kapur
Rang
Rohini

Favourite Casual Italian Restaurant

Arrogante
Basta
Cucina Dubai
Falcone
Il Forno Town Square
Isola Ristorante
Tutto Passa

Favourite Casual Japanese Restaurant

CutFish Dubai
Goldfish Dubai
Izakaya
Kinoya Restaurant
Kumo
Nama Yoso Restaurant
Yubi Handroll Bar

Favourite Casual Latin American Restaurant

Canary Club
Esco Bar
Frevo
Fusion Ceviche
La Parrilla
Mamazonia Restaurant
Sante Ria

Favourite Casual Mediterranean Restaurant

Blume Dubai
The Banc Dubai
The Dish By ChefSperxos
Fi’lia Dubai
Laguna Beach Taverna & Lounge
Oia
Solara

Favourite Casual Middle Eastern Restaurant

Abd el Wahab
Allo Beirut
Awani
Bebabel
Courtyard at The Heritage Hotel, Autograph Collection
Leila Restaurant
Nai at Kempinski Central Avenue

Favourite Casual Seafood Restaurant

Al Hallab Bab El Bahr
Aprons & Hammers
Ibn AlBahr
Harbor by Samakjë
The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill

Favourite Casual Steakhouse

71 Steak & Grill
Carna Dubai
Firelake Grill House Restaurant & Bar
Le Relais de L’Entrecote
Rodeo Drive IBG
Rowley’s Restaurant
Uno Mas – Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai

FINE DINING RESTAURANTS

Favourite Fine Dining Asian Restaurant

Buddha-Bar
China Tang Dubai
MEI
Pai Thai, Jumeirah Al Qasr
Ronin
Sea Fu
Tong Thai

Favourite Fine Dining Brunch: Buffet

Al Qasr Brunch, Jumeirah Al Qasr
Brunch Voyage
Bubbalicious Brunch
Café Nikki – Pearl Jumeira
Jou Jou Brasserie
London Social Garden Brunch
Traiteur Brunch

Favourite Fine Dining French Restaurant

Alizee
Josette
La Cantine du Faubourg
La Dame de Pic
La Maison Ani
La Petite Maison
Maison Revka

Favourite Fine Dining Indian Restaurant

Armani/Amal
Indego by Vineet
Jamavar Restaurant
Kinara By Vikas Khanna
Rang Mahal
Revolver
Tresind Studio

Favourite Fine Dining Italian Restaurant

Cala Vista, Jumeirah Mina Al Salam
Chic Nonna
Il Borro Tuscan Bistro
Isabella Cucina Italiana
Loren
Lucia’s
Signor Sassi

Favourite Fine Dining Japanese Restaurant

Akira Back
Baoli
Kayto, Jumeirah Al Naseem
Kigo Dubai
Mimi Kakushi
Salvaje
Sushisamba Dubai

Favourite Fine Dining Latin American Restaurant

Coya
Girl & the Goose – Restaurante Centroamericano
Gitano Dubai
La Nina Restaurant
Nazcaa
Tamoka
Toro Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval

Favourite Fine Dining Mediterranean Restaurant

Kira
Kyma
Lana Lusa
OPA Dubai
Orilla Restaurant
Shimmers, Jumeirah Mina Al Salam
Zenon Restaurant

Favourite Fine Dining Middle Eastern Restaurant

Al Nafoorah, Jumeirah Al Qasr
Amaseena
Babel Restaurant
Etci Umut Restaurant
Gerbou
Huqqa Dubai Mall
Ninive

Favourite Fine Dining Seafood Restaurant

Alici
Besar
Kraken Dubai
Sea Fu
Son of a Fish

Favourite Fine Dining Steakhouse

Bushman’s
The Cullinan
Fumée Steakhouse
Ina
Leña
Porterhouse Bar & Grill
Prime52

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