Al Muntaha

A Michelin-starred fine dining room perched on the 27th floor of the Burj Al Arab, where the floor-to-ceiling windows do a fair amount of the work before the food even arrives. The chef builds a French-rooted, Mediterranean-influenced menu around truffles, caviar, and precise sauces, with desserts that look almost too composed to eat. Staff explain every dish with genuine warmth, which helps when you're deciding whether to feel guilty about ordering a second one.

One honor, in evidence: