2022 FACT Dining Awards: WINNERS

The eighth annual FACT Dining Awards Abu Dhabi took place on Tuesday, 25th October at Abu Dhabi’s majestic Emirates Palace. 57 awards were given out across 29 categories covering more than 150 nominees and 55,000 unique online votes cast by the public in Abu Dhabi.

This year, Abu Dhabi’s food and beverage industry turned out to celebrate the very best of the food and beverage industry in Abu Dhabi. 57 awards were given out across 29 categories, covering over 150 hotel venues and independently operated restaurants and bars. 250 guests enjoyed a sociable evening of delicious canapés and free-flowing drinks
on the beachfront at Emirates Palace.

The eighth year heralds another successful year of operation for FACT Magazine in the UAE capital.A who’s who of Abu Dhabi’s hospitality industry turned out for the awards, attracting top GMs, F&B Directors, Chefs, Marketing and PR professionals, industry insiders and social media influencers. Embodying FACT’s down-to-earth and fun approach, the ceremony was a laid-back and fun affair, presented by the one and only DJ Saif. The popular DJ and MC announced all 57 awards to roaring cheers.

Speaking after the event, Edward Smith, Publishing Director at FACT M.E. FZ LLE, said: “I can hardly believe that we are now in our eighth year with the FACT Dining Awards. The city’s food sector has grown rapidly and there are so many great new venues and well-established classics, who we love to reward at the ceremony, which has become a highlight on the hospitality calendar in Abu Dhabi.”

“We are incredibly honoured to have been able to host another successful event that has well and truly become the authority on recognising the efforts of all the excellent food and beverage outlets in Abu Dhabi.”

“The turn out this year was one of the best we’ve had in the whole region”, he continued. “I would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners, and also give a huge shout-out to all of our sponsors – African + Eastern, ChatFood, Dibba Bay Oysters, Emirates Palace, PIPA, Swiss Arabian, Transmed and troops partner, Crystal Corp – without you all, this wouldn’t be possible – so keep doing what you do best and we’ll be back next year with even more surprises and venues to commend” he added.

The FACT Dining Awards recognises excellence in the food and beverage industry, with winners awarded based on both public vote and critics’ opinions. Each category was given two awards, the BEST and the FAVOURITE. The latter is the result of a popular choice decided through online voting, and the former is the critic’s choice selected by the FACT editorial team and an independent panel of industry experts.

Some of the standout accolades included Best Newcomer, awarded to one of the most talked about new restaurants in the city – Talea at Emirates Palace, whilst the Favourite Newcomer went to Din Tai Fung at The Galleria Al Maryah Island. Restaurant Of The Year for 2022 went to Butcher & Still at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island. Other notable wins included outlets at five-star hotels like Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, Rosewood Abu Dhabi, The Abu Dhabi EDITION, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi and The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal.

Social media was abuzz too, as Abu Dhabi’s dining elite shared their photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, with the FACT team taking readers behind the scenes via InstaStories posted on   (@factmagazines).

Next month will see the sixth annual FACT Dining Awards take place in Dubai, with hundreds of venues expected to be awarded for excellence over the year.

FACT Dining Awards is part of a wider initiative by FACT M.E. with popular dining awards taking place in Bahrain, Dubai and Qatar.