24/10/2025
Last evening, under the golden Sardinian sky, the world’s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs gathered at the breathtaking Forte Village Resort for the 2025 World Culinary Awards. Amidst a night of global glamour, one name rose above the Mediterranean applause — Vera Versilia, the UAE’s gem of Italian elegance, was crowned the Middle East’s Best Italian Cuisine Restaurant.
This victory, achieved at one of the most prestigious events in the global culinary calendar, marks a defining moment for both the restaurant and the UAE’s ever-evolving fine dining scene. For travellers, it’s a signal that Italian cuisine in the Middle East has not just arrived — it’s thriving at the highest level.
Nestled along Dubai’s elegant dining corridors, Vera Versilia brings the romance of coastal Tuscany to the heart of the desert. The restaurant’s name — a nod to Italy’s sun-kissed Versilia region — is more than inspiration; it’s a philosophy. Every plate tells a story of sea breezes, terracotta sunsets, and the slow rhythm of la dolce vita.
From the moment guests step inside, Vera Versilia seduces the senses: warm amber lighting, hand-painted ceramic tiles, and the faint aroma of olive oil and fresh basil that lingers like a promise. It feels like an escape — a journey to a trattoria where passion, patience, and perfection meet.
The restaurant’s menu is a culinary love letter to Italy. Handmade pastas are rolled each morning in an open kitchen; aged Parmigiano is shaved with ceremony; and every sauce bears the unmistakable touch of time and care.
At the helm of Vera Versilia’s kitchen is Executive Chef Marco Garfagnini, a native of Versilia whose culinary journey spans Michelin-starred kitchens and global gastronomic capitals. His menu is a poetic tribute to his homeland, blending traditional Tuscan flavors with contemporary finesse. Every dish tells a story—crafted with passion, precision, and a deep respect for seasonality and simplicity.
A Menu That Speaks of the Sea and Soul
Vera Versilia’s menu is a sensory journey through the Italian Riviera. Highlights include:
Chef’s Crudo Counter: A front-row experience into the artistry of raw seafood, featuring delicacies like Sicilian red prawns, violet prawns, oysters, and langoustines.
Trenette di Pesce: Freshly made trenetta pasta tossed with seasonal seafood and aromatic herbs, capturing the essence of coastal dining.
Dentice Rosso: Seared red snapper served with smoked beurre blanc and Royal caviar—a dish that balances richness with refinement.
Tortellini Versilia: Filled with beef ragù and Swiss chard, this dish is a nod to rustic Tuscan comfort.
Spaghetti alle Arselle: Crafted in-house with cockles, garlic, and chili, offering a bold yet balanced flavor profile.
Signature dishes — perhaps a saffron risotto with imported Carnaroli rice, or wood-fired branzino glazed with Amalfi lemon — showcase a mastery of restraint. The beauty of Vera Versilia lies not in reinvention, but in reverence: pure, precise, and powerfully emotional.
Guests can also immerse themselves in the Pasta Lab, where handmade pasta becomes an interactive experience, guided by skilled artisans.
A Toast to Italian Elegance
The beverage program at Vera Versilia is as thoughtfully curated as its cuisine. Signature cocktails like the Viareggio—a vibrant blend of vodka, peachtree, passion fruit, and grenadine—pay homage to the festive spirit of Tuscany’s seaside towns. The Barga, with Hendrick’s gin, cucumber, lemon, and spicy bitters, evokes the freshness of mountain villages. A Vermouth trolley and a selection of premium Vermentino wines round out the experience, offering guests a taste of Italy’s finest pours.
A Destination for Celebration
Whether it’s a romantic dinner, a business lunch, or a private gathering, Vera Versilia offers curated experiences that elevate every occasion. With impeccable service, refined ambiance, and a menu that sings of the sea and soul, it’s no wonder this restaurant has quickly become one of Dubai’s most talked-about culinary destinations.
Wine pairings, curated by a team of sommeliers with roots in both Italy and the Gulf, complete the symphony. From Tuscan Brunellos to Sicilian whites, the list reads like a love poem to the Italian terroir.
When Vera Versilia’s team took the stage in Sardinia to accept their award, it felt like a full-circle moment — Italy recognizing its own reflection in the Middle East. The World Culinary Awards ceremony, framed by Forte Village’s palm-lined walkways and Mediterranean glamour, became the ideal setting for this triumph.
The applause that followed wasn’t just for excellence in food — it was for a vision realized. It celebrated how a restaurant thousands of kilometres from Italy could capture the country’s culinary soul with such authenticity and grace.
A Culinary Destination Reborn
Vera Versilia’s win is more than a medal — it’s a milestone. It cements the UAE as a serious contender in the global fine-dining scene and proves that authenticity and artistry can thrive even in a city of constant reinvention.
For wanderers, gourmands, and romantics alike, Vera Versilia is now a reason to travel — not just to eat, but to feel the connection between two worlds: the Mediterranean coast and the Arabian desert, joined by a shared love for beauty, passion, and unforgettable flavour.
In the words of one guest leaving the restaurant, smiling into the Dubai night:
“It’s not just Italian food — it’s a memory you can taste.”
Second Floor, Kempinski Mall of the Emirates,
Sheikh Zayed Rd – Al Barsha – Al Barsha 1 – Dubai�
Phone
+971 4 4095111
+971 50 5989051
Email
[email protected]
Website https://veraversilia.ae/
