Rules and eligibility

Entry rules

• • Nomination is free and never publishes automatically.
• • A business may enter one core format category plus one occasion-based category when genuinely eligible.
• • Entrants must operate legally in Bahrain for the whole cycle.
• • Duplicate nominations are merged by the awards team.
• • Every moderation decision is recorded with a reason.

Category boundaries

Best Pizza

From Neapolitan to New York and Bahrain-style slices, we’re after the one worth ordering again. Excluded: Venues where pizza is an incidental menu item. Chains may enter as a brand or as a named outlet, but not both in the same category.

Best Ice Cream

Scoops, soft serve, gelato or kulfi, bring us the sweet fix Bahrain keeps coming back for. Excluded: General restaurants that only serve dessert as a side. In-store specialist counters may enter only as a separately branded concept.

Best Burger

Diner, smash counter, food truck or delivery kitchen, which burger has Bahrain coming back for more? Excluded: Pop-ups without a licence for the pilot period. Delivery-led kitchens must hold a valid licence for the pilot period.

Best Shawarma

Garlic, pickles, bread and the perfect late-night fix, which shawarma gets your order every time? Excluded: Venues serving shawarma only as an off-menu special. Chains may enter as a brand or as a named outlet, but not both in the same category.

Best Karak

Strong, sweet, spicy or just right, which cup keeps Bahrain coming back for another? Excluded: Restaurants where karak is only a beverage add-on. Multi-branch concepts enter once as a brand unless outlets trade independently.

Best Mandi

Smoky rice, slow-cooked meat and big family plates, which mandi spot does it properly? Excluded: Venues offering mandi only on limited weekend menus. Chains may enter as a brand or as a named outlet, but not both in the same category.

Voting conduct

• • One current vote per verified person, per category, per cycle.
• • Vote manipulation, bulk account creation and automated voting are prohibited.
• • Suspicious votes are quarantined and reviewed by a person before results are locked.
• • Results become final once the snapshot is locked and published.