Things to do in Abu Dhabi
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Lebanese Flower
Abu Dhabi's most popular Lebanese restaurant does delicious mixed grill meats and delicious garlicky chicken shwarmas . They also sell fabulous Lebanese sweets and pastries.
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Hediard
This Abu Dhabi branch of the elegant French chocolatier and patisserie chain, established in 1854, has proven to be popular with Emiratis - the men love to linger and read the paper over lunch, while the wives like to drop in for coffee and petit fours between shops.
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Marrakesh
If the exotic Moroccan décor and the authentic cuisine, including delicious tajines and couscous, aren't enough to bring you here, there's an excellent Moroccan band and bellydancer. Evenings here are memorable and go late.
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Automatic Restaurant
This Lebanese eatery is a branch of the successful national chain, and while everything on the menu is good, their tangy shwarmas are some of the most delicious around.
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Women's Handicraft Centre
If you have an interest in traditional crafts, the government-run Women's Handicraft Centre, in the Women's Union building, is definitely worth an hour of your time. Start with the displays of traditional weaving, costumes, textiles, camel bags and crafts in the Exhibition Hall; there are some products for sale in a small shop here.
Then head to the eight workshops out the back where covered old local ladies sit on the floor, gossiping and laughing (and totally oblivious to the German and French tour groups), as they demonstrate their crafts of saddu, talli, textile weaving, embroidering, tailoring, basket-weaving, palm-tree frond weaving, and henna. Take off your shoes b…
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Qasr al-Husn
Once home to the ruling Al-Nahyan family, this splendid, white palace fort, built in 1761, is Abu Dhabi's oldest building. This is from where Abu Dhabi was governed from the 18th century until 1966. Not officially open to the public, the palace will soon be undergoing restoration to return it to its original state - until work begins you can call the Cultural Foundation to arrange an informal tour.
Decorated with gorgeous Portuguese tiles, the imposing main entrance features a small, wooden door spiked with black iron nails set within a larger wooden door. Within the walls there are pleasant courtyards and palm-filled gardens that are wonderful to wander around. Inside t…
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Cultural Foundation
The vibrant Cultural Foundation is Abu Dhabi's artistic and cultural centre with a regular programme of live theatre, classical music, ballet, local poetry, music and dance, art and photography exhibitions, and screenings of world cinema. It's situated in the centre of the city in a modern Islamic-inspired building, with elegant arches and intricately decorated tiled passageways.
It's also home to the excellent Emirates Film Competition, which provides a rare insight into local culture through short films, the Abu Dhabi International Pearl Festival (www.ad-pearl.com), the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, National Archives, the National Library, an Arts Works…
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Abu Dhabi Heritage Village
On the Breakwater, beside the big flagpole, is the charming Abu Dhabi Heritage Village. After renovations, it's now one of the most interesting in the UAE. Set in lush gardens with trickling fountains, it's a lovely place to spend a morning, before it gets too steamy.
It offers a glimpse of Abu Dhabi life in the pre-oil days, with a re-creation of a souq, a traditional old mosque, a Bedouin encampment with a goat-hair tent and camels, and a barasti house. Workshops are held where you can watch craftsmen making pots, blowing glass, beating brass and weaving on traditional looms.
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Sayad
This swish seafood restaurant at Emirates Palace is a stunner. While the whimsical interior with its fabulous blue-lit interior (designed to make you feel like you're underwater) can be distracting, the creative seafood dishes easily command your attention. From its champagne trolley and caviar menu to its impeccable attentive service, this is a memorable restaurant that you should save for that last night of the trip or special celebration.
The mixed appetiser plate with tuna carpaccio with foie gras and truffles, lobster salad with sevruga caviar, and veal carpaccio was a work of art.
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Prego's
The best of Abu Dhabi's Italian restaurants, Prego's offers up authentic, well-executed Italian fare, including delicious handmade pastas (you can see them being made!) and wonderful wood-fire oven pizza and pasta. The fresh-out-of-the-oven breads and virgin olive oil on arrival is scrumptious, and the staff friendly. But while the interior is buzzy and stylish, there are few better experiences than sitting on the outdoor terrace on a sunny day.
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Royal Orchid
Perennially popular, the tasty Thai cuisine here is the best in Abu Dhabi. The gaeng phed lynjee (duck with lychees in a red curry sauce) is our favourite. The restaurant is rather stylish for an eatery not located in a five-star hotel - there's a fabulous glass walkway in the entrance over a large aquarium - and the service is friendly and efficient. The restaurant is unlicensed.
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Finz
With a divine waterfront location in a wooden A-frame beach house with verandas over the azure sea, Finz serves up some of the finest seafood in town. Highlights when we visited were the tuna tartare with lemon capers, crème fraiche and oestra caviar; the sesame crusted oysters with miso; and the grilled sea scallops with tomato and basil ice cream. Sublime.
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Pars Palace
Tucked away in a Khalidiya backstreet behind Corniche Towers, this excellent Persian restaurant in Oriental surroundings is a hidden gem. Local favourites include the delicious zereshk polo-ba-morgh (chicken and saffron with pomegranate seeds, and spicy kebabs. The complimentary home-baked flat bread with sheeps'-milk cheese is scrumptious.
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Sheesha Cafés
On the grassy verge next to the Corniche at Kalidiya, these outdoor Sheesha Cafés are great for soaking up some local ambience. Emirati men, and the occasional group of Emirati women, chat over sheesha (around Dh20) and Turkish coffee (around Dh10) at white plastic tables on the lawn - well into the early hours of the morning.
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Jazz Bar
One of the city's oldest and most consistently fine restaurants serves up fabulous cocktails, clever contemporary fusion cuisine, and live jazz in a modern Art-Deco-inspired interior. The South African bands play on a raised platform behind the curved bar, so it's possible to watch from your dining table or from the cocktail bars up close.
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Café du Roi
Affectionately known as 'Roy's', this neighbourhood café is popular with expats and Emiratis alike, from academics calling in for a gossip over lunch to Emirati guys doing deals on their mobiles. The haloumi and zaatar croissant is delicious while the decent coffee is still the cheapest around.
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Hiltonia Health Club & Spa
The most popular private beach club is the Hilton hotel's beautifully landscaped Hiltonia Health Club & Spa opposite the hotel on the Corniche. There's a lovely stretch of white-sand beach lined with palm trees, excellent water sports, three swimming pools, a good restaurant/bar, and a gym.
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Al-Dhafra
You can hire a small boat that seats 10 to 15 people to cruise along the splendid Corniche at any time of the day; sunset is sublime. They also run popular two-hour dinner dhow cruises, departing 21:00, with a fixed three-course Arabic menu, including non-alcoholic beverages.
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SAX
There aren't too many places to dance the night away in Abu Dhabi. Your most memorable night in town is the wild Tuesday Lebanese night at swish SAX where you'll meet a sophisticated crowd of friendly Arab expats dancing to the excellent improvisational band and DJ.
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Marina Mall
The biggest and glitziest mall in town, located on the Breakwater, is shaped like a big-top circus, although it's inspiration is supposedly the Bedouin tent. It has several hundred shops, cinemas, a viewing tower, and a snow park is currently under construction.
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Khalifa Centre
For more souvenirs (sheesha pipes, camel-bone boxes, stuffed leather camels, tapestries, cushion covers etc) head to the Khalifa Centre , across the road from Abu Dhabi Mall, where you'll find a dozen stores selling handicrafts and carpets.
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Idiom
Despite being on the radar for a few years, this hip eatery (around the corner from Roy's and opposite Tché Tché), with its minimalist design, is a breath of fresh air. They do delicious soups and a tasty dish of the day.
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India Palace
You'll feel as if you're in Rajasthan rather than Abu Dhabi when you eat at this expat favourite with its regal Raj interior and fine North Indian cuisine, including lots of vegetarian options and delicious tandoori dishes.
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Al Dhafra
If you're peckish in the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village, try some traditional Emirati dishes or Arabic mezze at Al Dhafra, on the white-sand beach where you can enjoy the splendid city skyline while you eat.
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Café Firenze
Beloved by the expat community, the large al fresco terrace makes this a wonderful choice when the weather is cool. They also make some of the best coffee around, along with delicious cooked breakfasts.
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