In their fifth year, the awards are designed to celebrate the very best in restaurant and bar design.
Nearly 190 projects from the world’s leading architects, interior designers, lighting designers and hospitality operators have been revealed on the shortlist this year.
Newly-opened venues are nominated in 27 categories including 13 UK-only categories such as Standalone Restaurant, Restaurant or Bar in a Hotel, Pub and Fast/Casual.
Three Gourmet Burger Kitchen outlets have been nominated as well as two Nando's sites and two ASK Italian restaurants.
The UK Standalone Restaurant category is expected to be one of the most hotly-contested with MASH, & Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs and 28°- 50° among the venues fighting it out ahead of the announcement of the winners in a ceremony in London in September.
The BOX Project
This year, the award ceremony in September will feature four different themed bar areas which will be created using only white products by four previous Best Restaurant and Best Bar winners.
The four teams include the designers of Busaba Eathai, Galvin La Chapelle and Guoman Hotels.
The Restaurant & Bar Design Awards were to UK and international projects launched or renovated during 2012 - all work had to be entered in collaboration between the designer and the hospitality operator.
This year's winners will be decided by a panel of judges including restaurateur Tom Aikens, critics Richard Vines and Giles Coren and Stephen Alden, chief executive of Maybourne Hotel Group.
A full list of the shortlisted entries, including all the UK restaurants and bars which have been nominated, can be found here.