Must-see restaurants in Dubai

  • Asado

    Downtown Dubai

    Meat lovers will be in heaven at this rustic-elegant lair with stellar views of the Burj Khalifa from the terrace tables. Start with a selection of…

  • Bikanervala Al Seef

    Bur Dubai

    More than 10 of these Indian eateries are dotted around town, but this outpost in Al Seef with its cobbled courtyard has to be the prettiest. Originating…

  • Peppercrab

    Bur Dubai

    If you’ve never had Singaporean food, Peppercrab is perfect for surrendering your culinary virginity. Prepare your palate with wasabi shrimp and seafood…

  • Jolie Boutique & Café

    Dubai

    This fragrant cafe, dressed in pink, has a floral motif throughout and the gift of a rose with your dish. The breakfast selection is several notches above…

  • Barracuda

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Pick your poisson (mullet, sea bream, pomfret) from the ice display at this Egyptian seafood restaurant and have it prepared the way you like it. The…

  • Publique

    Dubai

    There's an informal vibe to Publique that extends from the decor, with its simple wooden tables and sports screen, to the menu with dishes for sharing,…

  • Sadaf Iranian Sweets

    Deira

    Tucked into a small arcade, this little shop brims with spices, nuts, saffron, tea and other goodies from Iran, but insiders flock here for faloodeh, a…

  • Lemongrass

    Bur Dubai

    Lemongrass’ soothing mango-and-lime-coloured dining room is an ideal backdrop for brightly flavoured cooking that spans the arc from pad Thai (nicely…

  • Pantry Cafe

    Dubai

    With its loft-like ceilings, concrete floors, red-brick walls and eco-aware attitude, the Pantry may scream 'Shoreditch transplant' but is actually a laid…

  • Ting Irie

    Downtown Dubai

    Come here for authentic Jamaican food, from the curried goat with coconut rice to oxtail and beans and jerk chicken. The all-time favourite snacks are the…

  • Samad Al Iraqi

    Dubai

    This huge and fairly formal mall restaurant with decor inspired by ancient Iraq is locally adored for its excellent masgouf – wood-fired grilled fish, the…

  • Seven Sands

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Located on the 1st floor and with seamless views of the sand and the sea, Seven Sands dishes up generous portions of traditional Emirati cuisine in a…

  • Leila

    Downtown Dubai

    This Beirut import serves granny-style rural Lebanese cafe cuisine adapted for the 21st century: light, healthy and fresh. The homey decor more than…

  • Nepaliko Sagarmatha

    Bur Dubai

    At this small and basic joint, Nepali expats soothe their homesickness with platters of tasty momos (dumplings), including a version filled with 'buff' …

  • Lime Tree Cafe

    Dubai

    This comfy Euro-style cafe is an expat favourite famous for its luscious cakes (especially the carrot cake), tasty breakfasts, creative sandwiches …

  • Choco Monarch

    Deira

    None of that ubiquitous hazelnut spread here, only the best Belgian chocolate is used in the 35-plus different crêpes, waffles, cakes, brownies, dips and…

  • Hot Fish

    Bur Dubai

    The sister restaurant of the fabled Bu Qtair sits on the corner of a lone gentrified block in working-class Karama, with plastic chairs and tables spread…

  • Al Dawaar

    Deira

    In a city that likes to teeter on the cutting edge, this revolving restaurant on the 25th floor is endearingly old school. After a makeover in 2017, the…

  • Last Exit E11

    Dubai

    This corporate take on the street food truck craze comes complete with a kids' playground, prayer rooms, ATMs and other infrastructure and makes a good…

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    Feras Aldiyafa Sweets

    Dubai

    Close to the Mall of the Emirates (next to a Holiday Inn), this local favourite is famous for its kunafeh (cheesy pastry in sugar syrup). Before the sweet…

  • Shimmers

    Dubai

    With a simple whitewashed wood pavilion set right on the beach in the shadow of Burj Al Arab, Shimmers is big on atmosphere. The homestyle Greek cuisine…

  • Elevation Burger

    Downtown Dubai

    This Virginia-based chain proves that there is such a thing as guilt-free fast food by serving burgers made entirely from organic, grass-fed and free…

  • Bait Al Wakeel

    Bur Dubai

    Teeming with tourists lured by the romantic Creekside setting, this restaurant occupies one of Dubai's oldest buildings, a 1930s shipping office, and has…

  • Jaffer Bhai's

    Bur Dubai

    Jaffer Bhai, the self-crowned 'biryani king of Mumbai', now feeds his soulful fare to adoring crowds in this modern Karama eatery decorated with a…

  • Lebanese Village Restaurant

    Bur Dubai

    Look beyond the sun-bleached photos of dishes: the menu may have few surprises but does staples like grills, hummus and tabbouleh (salad of tomatoes,…

  • Yildiz Saray Star

    Deira

    Tucked into a ho-hum hotel (albeit across from the Creek) and incongruously fronted by a red British phone booth, this coffeeshop-type eatery is…

  • China Sea

    Deira

    This is not a frontage you can stroll by without a second glance: a scarlet, neon-lit extravaganza of dragons and lanterns with a pagoda-style roof…

  • Massaad Barbecue

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    At this teensy country-style eatery most of the fresh ingredients – from lemons to chickens – are sourced from growers based in nearby Al Ain. Barbecued…

  • Yalla Samosa

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Only in Dubai. Yalla specialises in quirky samosas, but its recently released 24-karat-gold concoction certainly crowns the list: it's a king-size bite…

  • Blue Orange

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    The Westin's all-day buffet restaurant has dishes that aim at pleasing all, in an airy setting with citrus-coloured furniture on a white tiled floor and…

  • KHOFO

    Bur Dubai

    Egyptian flavours reign supreme here with tajines, mashawi (roasted meat), stuffed pigeon and a juicy bamia (okra casserole), although there are some…

  • Chicken Tikka Inn

    Dubai

    This multi-branch staple hasn't lost a step since first firing up that charcoal grill in 1972. Chicken tikka and various kebabs are all tickled to…

  • Awtar

    Bur Dubai

    Locals love the opulent Bedouin tent–style ceiling of this formal Lebanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, complete with belly dancer and live band…

  • China Club

    Deira

    The big draw at this handsome restaurant dressed in sensuous silks and embroidered tapestries is the yum cha (dim sum) buffet served nightly and at…

  • Thiptara at Palace Downtown

    Downtown Dubai

    Thiptara means 'magic at the water' – very appropriate given its romantic setting in a lakeside pagoda with unimpeded views of the Dubai Fountain. The…

  • Bubbles & Boba

    Downtown Dubai

    There's nothing like adding a little texture to your cuppa courtesy of a sprinkling of slightly sweet and gummy tapioca. Originally a Taiwanese treat…

  • Miyako

    Deira

    One of Dubai's oldest Japanese restaurants (since 1987), Miyako now flaunts a post-facelift contempo look while retaining its three-way split into…

  • Ashiana

    Deira

    This oldie but goodie serves modernised Indian fare in an elegant, dimly lit dining room that radiates the intimacy of an old private villa. The menu…

  • Zaatar W Zeit

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    This is the Lebanese fast-food favourite among locals, with high-quality Levant street food at heart-warmingly low prices. Stick to what they do best:…

  • Karachi Darbar

    Bur Dubai

    A favourite pit stop of expats and Karama Market shoppers with an eye for a biryani bargain, this local chain puts tummies into a state of contentment…

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