The region’s favourite restaurant, leisure and entertainment awards are back…

Dubai is a city that has it all: incredible restaurants, unmissable events, fabulous attractions, indulgent leisure spots… which is why each year we champion the very best of them at the What’s On Dubai Awards. The annual extravaganza returns for 2025, and as the largest food and entertainment industry awards in the city – and the only awards voted for by the public – it puts the finest establishments across town firmly in the spotlight.

The What’s On Dubai Awards attracts hundreds of entrees from outlets and individuals hoping to take home a coveted trophy. Attended by the crème de la crème of the country’s hospitality and entertainment professionals, it is the industry’s most glamorous night of the year.

Registrations for the awards are now open, so if you are a F&B professional, or know of a venue or event that you want to sign up, all outlets are encouraged to sign up soon, ahead of the voting period. You can register here.

Voting opens on December 1, 2024 and if you want your venue to be in with the best chance of winning, you’ll need to register ASAP. Voting will remain open until mid-February 2025. We’ll be announcing the shortlist at the end of February 2025, so you’ll then have just over two months to get your votes in.

What’s new for 2025?

This year, we’re shaking up the way we categorise restaurants and rather than via price point, we’re dividing up the restaurants by experiential offering, separating each cuisine into fine dining and casual.

There will be a few exceptions. There will be just one restaurant category for:

Favourite All-Day Dining Restaurant
Favourite Brasserie
Favourite Brunch: A La Carte
Favourite French Restaurant
Favourite Seafood Restaurant
Favourite Steakhouse

Also new this year, we’re adding Favourite Restaurant in Northern Emirates, to reflect the increasing number of exciting culinary options outside of the city.

All other cuisine categories will be split by fine dining and casual:

Favourite Casual Brunch: Buffet
Favourite Fine Dining Brunch: Buffet

Favourite Casual Asian Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Asian Restaurant

Favourite Casual Indian Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Indian Restaurant

Favourite Casual Italian Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Italian Restaurant

Favourite Casual Japanese Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Japanese Restaurant

Favourite Casual Latin American Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Latin American Restaurant

Favourite Casual Mediterranean Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Mediterranean Restaurant

Favourite Casual Middle Eastern Restaurant
Favourite Fine Dining Middle Eastern Restaurant

The Food Concepts and Leisure & Entertainment categories return as normal.

In Food Concepts, you can register for:

Favourite Afternoon Tea
Favourite Alfresco Restaurant
Favourite Breakfast
Favourite Burger
Favourite Business Lunch
Favourite Café
Favourite Pet-Friendly Restaurant
Favourite Pub Grub

The Leisure & Entertainment categories this year combine, and in this combined category, you can register for:

Favourite Attraction
Favourite Daycation
Favouirte Spa
Favourite Staycation: Dubai
Favourite Staycation: Northern Emirates
Favourite Bar
Favourite Concert, Show or Festival

Then, the What’s On team casts their judgement over four Editor’s Choice Awards in Dubai, and the rest is all up to the general public.

In the Editor’s Choice Awards, team What’s On will crown winners for:

Homegrown Restaurant of the Year
Chef of the Year
Newcomer of the Year
Restaurant of the Year

REGISTER NOW

When is the What’s On Dubai Awards 2025?

The glitzy award ceremony will take place in Dubai on Wednesday April 16 2025 at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, where we will crown the very best in the region across dining, entertainment and leisure.

If you’re wondering who was crowned in 2024, see the winners from the What’s On Dubai Awards 2024 here.

For all the details, and to register your venue visit whatson.ae/events/awards/dubai. And, good luck!