Dubai
White tablecloths, silver service and a menu that’s decidedly more ristorante than trattoria, Scalini is one for the foodies. Expect high-end Italian…
Must-see restaurants in United Arab Emirates
Bur Dubai
This all-veg street-food haven does a roaring trade in dosas (savoury wraps), stuffed parathas (pan-fried flatbread) and other southern Indian soul food,…
Downtown Dubai
Along with the daily specials, the menu here celebrates vegan cuisine with tasty dishes using ingredients like cashew cream cheese, courgette noodles,…
Sharjah
If you can manage to not suffer serious indecision while choosing from this old-school parlour's absolute novella of a menu, you're doing better than us…
Bur Dubai
Resembling an exotic Mogul palace, Antique Bazaar's decor is sumptuously ornate with carved-wood seats, ivory-inset tables and richly patterned fabrics…
Bur Dubai
Namesake of legendary Bollywood singer Asha Bhosle, this sensuously lit dining room shines the spotlight on contemporary northwest Indian fare. The…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Sushi purist or not, you're sure to find your favourite among the huge, attractive selection of French-infused California-style bites at this minimalist…
Bur Dubai
Head a block back from the Bur Dubai Abra Station to find this superb no-frills place, one of the best South Indian vegetarian restaurants in town and one…
Abu Dhabi
Industrial-chic meets comfy Victoriana at this welcoming deli-cafe where exposed piping, bare bulb lighting, chandeliers and chalkboards with ornate…
Bur Dubai
Located in the heart of the revitalised Shindagha area, fronting the same-name guesthouse, this enticing spot offers a combination of Emirati, Lebanese…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This contemporary Indian bistro seems mildly incongruous, away from the food court and surrounded by shops, but it packs a lot of sizzle into its kebabs,…
Abu Dhabi
Cosy dining, complete with tree sprouting in the middle of the restaurant and a mezzanine-level bar area. Concentrating on bistro-style cooking, dishes…
Dubai
Vintage black-and-white photos of Egyptian actors keep an eye on diners here for their kushari fix (a mix of noodles, rice, black lentils, fried onions…
Dubai
With silver-and-white interiors and a sandy terrace with front-row views of Burj Al Arab, Rockfish serves up Mediterranean-style seafood in glam but…
Bur Dubai
This hip cultural space and cafe is especially beloved for its soulful coffee and Western-style breakfast, including homemade granola, French toast and…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With its carved wooden archways, midnight-blue partitions and elegant tables, Al Nafoorah is no slouch in the looks department. The menu ticks all the…
Dubai
Head here to refuel after you have exhausted yourself on the adjacent ski slopes. Although the surroundings are a drab brown-on-brown, the dishes are…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Expect vibrant decor, from the colourfully painted truck dominating the exterior facade to the antique wood doors and sweeping lounge bar where cocktails…
Sheikh Zayed Mosque Area
The faux 'Emirati house' set-up and fake camel plonked outside the front door may get your tour-group radar buzzing, but this place is actually a favoured…
Downtown Dubai
Yamanote has the novel idea of combining traditional European bakery delicacies with Japanese ingredients. The results include such irresistible sweet…
Downtown Dubai
Flanked by shelves of glossily illustrated travel books, the concise menu here similarly skips across cultures and continents and is innovative and…
United Arab Emirates
Locals love this place serving well-priced fresh seafood amid a very cheerful, and fish-thematic (fish mobiles hanging from the ceiling, plastic fish…
Sharjah
Grab some spicy hummus, yalanji (stuffed grape-leaves) and a rocca (rocket) salad and you've got a tasty lunch going on. This place is very popular with…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Retro Feasts was started by a couple of young Londoners nostalgic for their childhood food. The setting is sublime, right on the sand with comfortable…
Downtown Dubai
One of Dubai’s premier steakhouses, Exchange Grill has updated its former, rather stuffy decor and now boasts a punchy New York–inspired look with…
Dubai
Since 1978, everyone from cabbies to professional chefs has flocked to this Pakistani eatery, where you eat like a prince and pay like a pauper. Loosen…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This classy cafe – an outpost of celebrity chef Thomas Keller's popular US chain – serves fiendishly good pastries, cakes and macarons. Everything is…
Downtown Dubai
Nick and Scott of Folly fame have taken over the (former) Black Lion and updated the name, the decor (a bit) and, most importantly, the grub. The classics…
Downtown Dubai
This comfy Euro-style cafe is an expat favourite for leisurely breakfasts, innovative sandwiches stuffed into their homemade Turkish pide and the…
Yas Island
Sit outside on the terrace at this good-value Middle Eastern restaurant for a casual evening meal of grilled kofta saj (meatballs in flatbread) or mezze…
Deira
Overlooking the Creek, this breezy dining space has a New England simple sophistication feel: lazy ceiling fans, wicker chairs, stripy fabrics and varying…
Sharjah
Black-and-white photographs mix with filigree lattice screens and arty metal lamps at this upscale Moroccan spot. It was closed for a renovation when we…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Get cosy between lanterns, rugs and throw pillows at a low-slung table in the mood-lit dining room, then treat your taste buds while tapping your toes to…
Dubai
Literati young and old love this adorable bookstore-cafe combo geared towards families. It not only has a fabulous selection of children's books in…
Downtown Dubai
This is the first of what promises to be a new chain in the 'affordable healthy eating' bracket. The menu includes an all-day breakfast with such Med…
Downtown Dubai
A welcome new restaurant in Fashion Avenue with an extensive menu of sumptuous-sounding choices. For breakfast, try one of the traditional breads, like…
Downtown Dubai
It's a novel idea: dining on three gourmet courses, paired with wines, in the pitch black to savour every flavour, texture and aroma to the full, and…
Dubai
Kaak is flat sesame bread that's a street-food staple in Lebanon. This upbeat mall-based eatery serves it with various sweet and savoury fillings,…
Dubai
In a pretty cottage with a quiet patio out the back, this concept cafe comes attached to a concept boutique selling beautiful things for home and hearth…
Downtown Dubai
Turquoise paintwork, stripy red-and-white awnings and a Gaudí-esque mismatch of colourful floor tiles provide the canvas for this rustic-style Italian…
