Dubai

Joey Ghazal

Joey Ghazal, a Lebanese Canadian restaurateur, is renowned for his innovative ventures in the culinary world. Starting his career as a busboy at La Queue de Cheval Steakhouse & Bar in Montreal, he climbed the ranks to become director of marketing for Morentzos Restaurant Group. After studying Film Production and Scriptwriting in London, he ventured into restaurant ownership in Beirut, Lebanon, with establishments like Cro Magnon Steakhouse & Bar and The Angry Monkey. In Dubai, Ghazal founded Fighterbrands, Pine Tree State Trading Co, and The MAINE, earning recognition as Middle East Restaurateur of the Year. His diverse portfolio includes ventures like Barbary Deli & Cocktail Club, Maine Street Eatery, and the Million Oyster Project, showcasing his commitment to culinary innovation and environmental conservation.

Guide restaurants with Joey Ghazal participation

The MAINE

City cafe

Guide to the best restaurants in the city

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What is GreatList

GreatList is an independent restaurant guide created by Alexander Sysoev. Establishments can have different formats and different audiences, but as long as the quality of their food and service is impeccable, and the atmosphere and values are outstanding — they can be added to GreatList.
Today, the guide is available in Russia and United Arab Emirates, and is available in Russian, English, and Chinese.

How the guide is assembled

The guide only lists the establishments that were selected by its team. Collaborative approach to the selection is the guide’s fundamental stance, so all the establishments have been collectively approved by the majority.
The establishments selected for the guide are allocated to one of the categories — fine dining, smart casual, city café, and bar.
The guide offers a selection of useful search filters and the encyclopedia of restaurateurs and chefs to learn the names of the heroes behind the best restaurants.

Why people trust our choice

The guide’s team consists of almost a hundred independent experts who visit the establishments anonymously and always pay for themselves. None of them are part of the restaurant industry, but they have a deep connection to it as a frequent guest. All of them are successful people who travel a lot and visit the most interesting projects around the world. This makes them extra savvy and knowlegable about gastronomic trends and classics.