Regional Restaurant Awards
From the night markets of Asia to the grand boulevards of Europe, the International Restaurant Awards celebrate culinary excellence across all seven regions of the dining world.
Where Great Restaurants Earn Their Place
Hospitality is shaped as much by geography as by craft. A coastal taverna in Greece, a family-run izakaya in Osaka, a fire-and-smoke grill house in São Paulo and a tasting-menu temple in Paris each speak a different culinary language — yet all share the same devotion to the guest at the table. The International Restaurant Awards honour that devotion wherever it is found, recognising the chefs, restaurateurs and front-of-house teams who define dining in their corner of the globe.
Our regional programmes group nations into seven great culinary territories. Each region carries its own ingredients, traditions and rhythms of service, and our judging panels are drawn from specialists who understand the markets they assess. Whether your kitchen sits in a desert capital, an alpine village or a Pacific harbour town, there is a place for it within our global framework of recognition. Choose a region below to explore the participating countries, signature cuisines and the categories open for nomination.
Explore the Awards Across the Globe
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Asia
Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong & the Maldives.png)
Europe
France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany & Switzerland.png)
Middle East
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman & Bahrain.png)
North America
United States & Canada — New York, Los Angeles, Toronto.png)
South America
Lima, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Bogotá & Santiago.png)
Africa
Cape Town, Marrakesh, Lagos, Nairobi & Cairo.png)
Oceania
Australia & New Zealand — Sydney, Melbourne, AucklandJudged by Those Who Know the Terrain
A truly fair restaurant award cannot be measured against a single, distant benchmark. The expectations of a guest in a Tokyo kaiseki house differ from those in a Lisbon seafood marisqueira, and excellence must be understood in context. That is why each region is assessed by panellists who live and dine within it — critics, hospitality leaders and culinary professionals who recognise authenticity, technique and consistency on local terms.
Within every region, restaurants compete across our full slate of sectors and disciplines, from fine dining and seafood to the leadership of an executive chef. Browse the full award categories and the participating restaurant sectors to see where your venue belongs.
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