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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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' …
Dubai
This comfy Euro-style cafe is an expat favourite famous for its luscious cakes (especially the carrot cake), tasty breakfasts, creative sandwiches …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Bur Dubai
Egyptian flavours reign supreme here with tajines, mashawi (roasted meat), stuffed pigeon and a juicy bamia (okra casserole), although there are some…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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:…
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…