Dubai Restaurants

  1. Magnolia

    Dubai's only high-end vegetarian restaurant, Magnolia overlooks the canals at the Madinat Jumeirah, and if you make reservations, you can arrive by abra . The so-called 'well-being' cooking takes itself a bit too seriously in its emulation of haute cuisine and lacks resonance on the palate, but the elegant presentations, romantic setting and top-end ingredients make up for the pretence and price - provided you're a vegetarian.

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  2. XVA Café

    For a respite from Dubai's chaotic street scene, seek out this hidden gallery-cum-café in the courtyard of a 120-year-old house in the Bastakia Quarter. The all-veg cooking lists a mishmash of salads and grain-based dishes with vaguely Southeast Asian overtones. We especially like the mojardara (rice topped with sautéed veggies and yogurt) and the dense-green mint-lemonade - a must-order.

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