In the inaugural guide for the city, three restaurants in Abu Dhabi were awarded Michelin stars on Thursday. This gives the emirate something to boast about alongside its neighbor Dubai, the first Middle East location to be recognized by Michelin five months back.

99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, Hakkasan, and Talea by Antonio Guida were awarded one Michelin star for high-quality cooking, and Almayass, Beirut Sur Mer, Otoro, and Tazal received a Bib Gourmand for offering good food at moderate prices. 

Similar to Dubai, no restaurants in Abu Dhabi received three Michelin stars. As many as 42 restaurants made their debut in the Michelin Guide.

“Abu Dhabi is a rapidly evolving landscape, and this is just the kick-off party, a way to ignite the dynamic and raise the bar,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, told the media.

Three other special prizes were also announced: the Sommelier Award went to Marlon Nuque of Zuma, the Li Beirut restaurant team received the Service Award, and Luigi Stinga of Talea by Antonio Guida received the Young Chef Award.

Restaurants are chosen by anonymous food inspectors who travel the globe to become familiar with the cuisine of all types and consume 300 meals out of the house annually. According to Poullennec, inspectors are only qualified to vote after working for at least three years in the sector. The Abu Dhabi guide is exclusively online, similar to its Dubai equivalent.

Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas comes to the Middle East on 23 November 2022. Click here to know more.