Yas Island
Whether you're here for a traditional breakfast of chabab (cardamom-spiced pancakes) stuffed with caramelised onions and cheese or getting your fix of…
Must-see restaurants in United Arab Emirates
Bur Dubai
A grand old tree, white wicker chairs, turquoise benches and crimson bougainvillea create a sun-dappled refuge in the courtyard of an old pearl merchant's…
Abu Dhabi
We're here for the sushi and the starters rather than the mains, with lots of little flavoursome morsels to graze on. Order up a tuna tatare on wontons…
Downtown Dubai
The decor here hits the spot (along with the cuisine): warm parquet flooring, leather chairs, lofty ceilings and a huge mural of Italian actress Sophia…
Downtown Dubai
The decor here is all drama with floor-to-ceiling windows, edgy artwork and tiered, as well as secluded, dining areas. The imaginative menu is a truly…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
The bright red neon lights of Gad are a beacon for meals on the cheap. This Egyptian street-food chain (famed in its home country) is all about budget…
Dubai
In keeping with the culinary mash-up trend, Moshi creates truly tasty spins on Nepalese momo (dumplings) and sushi, many meat-free. Top contenders include…
Downtown Dubai
The food may not be out of this world, but the views are certainly stellar from the world's highest restaurant (442m) in the Burj Khalifa. Book far ahead…
Deira
Making a change from the same-on-same airport chains, this Emirati restaurant serves authentic dishes like spicy lentil soup, sambousek (meat pies) and…
Al Ain
Part of a mini UAE chain, this is a good place to start if you're looking to dig into Emirati cuisine. Locals go for dishes such as robyan biryani (shrimp…
Marina Breakwater
Local families love this alcohol-free restaurant in the Khalidiya Palace for its traditional Middle Eastern menu. This is the place to try fish sayadiya …
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
At this recent Gordon Ramsey venture, the menu includes some heartwarming familiar British dishes, including shepherd's pie, beef wellington and sticky…
Yas Island
Hailing from Saudi Arabia and best known for its exquisite date speciality shops, the cafe arm of Bateel is worth seeking out. Its largely organic…
Downtown Dubai
Look for the large Buddha guarding the dining room dressed in sensuous burgundy with gold leaf accents. The menu hopscotches around Asia with classic and…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With its industrial-chic look, relaxed crew and global comfort food, Fümé brings more than a touch of urban cool to the Marina. The menu features plenty…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Step into the sparkling blue-and-white dining room, decorated with Delft tiles and decorative clogs, and order a pannekoek (Dutch pancake), which is…
Deira
Ask your friendly taxi driver where he recommends for late-night shawarma in Deira, and he may well direct you here. But fussy friends (and vegetarians)…
Sharjah
Head here for a breakfast of shakshuka and manakeesh or a mezze feast of a dinner with lesser-seen Lebanese specialities of hindbeh (dandelion) salad and…
Bur Dubai
Like a fine wine, some restaurants only get better over time and such is the case with Sind Punjab, the first family eatery to open in Meena Bazaar in…
Downtown Dubai
Decorated simply in muted earth colours with Torres wine barrels as a nod to Spanish vino, Boca has a menu that includes such chiringuito (beachside…
Yas Island
With the tacky fake camel much loved by selfie-takers outside, this place looks like a total tourist-trap, but Emiratis rate the traditional dishes here…
Deira
Camp out on the carpet in the main dining room or in a private 'Bedouin-style tent' at this traditional Yemeni eatery. Staff will spread a flimsy plastic…
Deira
Next to Twin Towers, this authentic hotpot restaurant works like this: a tasty bubbling broth inspired by Genghis Khan is placed on a hot plate on your…
Dubai
Secreted on the grounds of the fairy-tale Jumeirah Mosque, this comfy-luxe lair lets you sink into white couches for a camelccino (cappuccino with camel…
United Arab Emirates
Chargrilled kebab plates are this Turkish restaurant's signature dishes, served in a dining room fit for a pasha. Start with mantı (Turkish ravioli) or…
Abu Dhabi
The perfect place to rest up after viewing the Louvre's globe-trotting collection, this contemporary, light-filled cafe, looking out to the sea, has a…
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
This rather romantic, dimly lit restaurant replete with comfy leather seating, ruby-red rugs and gold accents sits snug at the back of the Dusit Thani's…
Marina Breakwater
It's all about the seafood at this classy beachfront restaurant with the dining areas exuding Scandinavian minimalist style; all blonde wood, taupe and a…
Al Ain
It’s always fiesta time at this boozy Tex-Mex cantina at the Hilton Al Ain, where you can gobble up burritos, fajitas and enchiladas, all with vegetarian…
Al Ain
Meaning 'my place' in Arabic, this mellow choice in Hilton Al Ain sports plenty of palms and comfortable rattan-style furniture. The menu mostly covers…
Dubai
Al Fanar lays on the old-timey Emirati theme pretty thick with a Land Rover parked outside, a reed ceiling and waiters dressed in traditional garb. Give…
Dubai
A lift posing as a submarine drops you into a gold-leaf-clad tunnel spilling into one of Dubai's most extravagant restaurants. Tables orbit a circular…
United Arab Emirates
Rustic, homely Bukhara is a treat for Indian cuisine old-hands as well as those newer to India's flavours. The dal bukhara (slow-cooked black lentils in a…
Deira
This long-standing traditional Persian lair has unpretentious decor and a lovely panorama of glittering lights unfolding over the Creek. Take your sweet…
Dubai
Zheng He was an intrepid 15th-century Chinese seafarer, and the food at his namesake restaurant at the Mina A'Salam is just as adventurous. The signature…
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
A classic of the Abu Dhabi dining scene, everyone from big family groups to office workers having a business lunch pulls up a pew here. Get stuck into a…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
On balmy nights there are few places more tranquil than Al Khaima's linen-draped terrace tables. Classic mezze such as baba ganoush (smoked aubergine dip)…
Sharjah
This tiny, seven-table, family-run joint with golden walls and dark wooden furniture serves up mostly Indian home-cooked fare – with a dash of Nepali and…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
After a major refurb, the decor has as much pizzazz as the food at this pan-Latin outpost conceived by star chef Richard Sandoval. Feast on such small…
Bur Dubai
Chutneys provides a richly nuanced culinary journey to northern India. There's lots of familiar feel-good fare including juicy kebabs and fluffy biryanis,…
