Revealed: Gault&Millau UAE gala winners 2025
The UAE's finest restaurants and culinary talents were celebrated last night as Gault&Millau revealed its prestigious 2025 award winners across 12 categories, plus the coveted Restaurant of the Year accolade.
The exclusive gala event, held at Atlantis The Royal on Tuesday, brought together 250 of the country's leading chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and industry professionals for the unveiling of the guide's fourth edition, which now showcases 193 establishments across four emirates – a significant expansion from last year's 137 listings.
Row on 45, located on the 45th floor of Grosvenor House, emerged as the evening's biggest winner, clinching the Restaurant of the Year 2025 title with the highest rating of 17.5/20 among the five establishments awarded four toques. The 22-seat venue, which opened in September 2023, also saw its group executive chef Daniel Birk named Chef of the Year 2025, marking a remarkable double victory for Jason Atherton's The Social Company.
The restaurant's innovative approach divides its 17-course dining experience into three distinct acts, beginning with appetizers in the lounge, progressing through the main dining room where chefs finish dishes tableside, and concluding in the Chef's Library for desserts. Gault&Millau inspectors praised the venue for its 'stratospheric rise, moving the dial for fine dining and front-of-house service in the city.'
Among other significant winners, FZN by Björn Frantzén at Atlantis The Palm secured two major awards: Breakthrough Restaurant of the Year and International Brand of the Year.
The complete list of winners includes:
Sustainable Kitchen of the Year: JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Home-grown Restaurant of the Year: TakaHisa, Banyan Tree Dubai
Wine Offering of the Year: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Atlantis The Royal
Champagne Offering of the Year: CLAP, DIFC
Non-Alcoholic Offering of the Year: Orfali Bros., Wasl51
Pastry Chef of the Year: Christophe Devoille, Atlantis The Royal
Sommelier of the Year: Arturo Scamardella, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Restaurant Manager of the Year: Vip-in Panwar, Trèsind Studio
Future Great of the Year: Justine Ravetti, La Dame de Pic
The guide's expansion reflects the UAE's growing prominence in the global culinary landscape, a point emphasised by ITP Media Group CEO Ali Akawi in his opening address. He expressed pride in witnessing Gault&Millau UAE's contribution to the country's 'surge in creativity and innovation, with restaurants and chefs in the Emirates already part of the global food movement.'
Five restaurants achieved the guide's highest honour of four toques: Al Muntaha, FZN by Björn Frantzén, Ossiano, Row on 45, and Trèsind Studio. Under the Gault&Millau scoring system, restaurants rating 13/20 or higher are awarded between one and four toques, marking them as exceptional dining destinations.
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