Must-see restaurants in Dubai

Elia's chef is from Crete, and it certainly shows in the heartwarming dishes, which are a combination of homey traditional, like moussaka, with…

New Zealander Leon Surynt works directly with cocoa bean farmers, ensuring sustainability and fairness. There is a similar vision behind the menu, with…

Jains run this super-friendly, super-healthy, vegetarian Indian restaurant serving 'body-harmonising' sattvic food that uses only fresh, seasonal and…

Back in 1930s Milan, Beatrice 'Bice' Ruggeri first opened her trattoria, which evolved into the city's most fashionable by the 1970s. Today Dubai's BiCE…

Maisan15 is an under-the-radar pick for deceptively decent seasonal food and locally roasted coffee. Open shelving, wooden pulley-systems and glass jars…

Richard Sandoval, the man who introduced modern Mexican food to the US, is behind the menu at this casual-chic restaurant with its contemporary take on…

Vibrantly coloured murals, a wall of wrestling masks and a Mexican chef: Luchador feels like an authentic south-of-the-border cantina. The menu is…

Behind the garish neon facade, this place at first looks like a sweet shop (the kunafeh, a vermicelli-like pastry soaked in syrup, is great), but it also…

With its three dining spaces, congenial staff and authentic Nepali cuisine, Fulbari is particularly full on Fridays with local Nepalese family…

This jewel of a restaurant draws friends, romancing couples and fashionable families to a sublime seaside setting with shaded wooden decks and floating…

Dubai is no stranger to the Peruvian food craze, but when Michelin-starred Virgilio Martinez opened his outpost, it marked another milestone. The food…

Fun is firmly on the agenda at this wildly popular restaurant, which offers a playful take on Indian molecular gastronomy. Behind the smoke and mirrors,…

The name of this gorgeously formal restaurant translates as 'long-time friend', which is quite apropos given its league of loyal followers. No gimmicky…

A neighbourhood hotspot, Miss Wang attracts a diverse crowd here for the food, the cocktails, the live band – or the karaoke (thankfully in a separate…

This always-bustling warehouse-style cafe with concrete floors, exposed pipes and an open kitchen would fit right into Madrid or Melbourne, which is…

The decor here is pure rustic Italian eatery, from the red-and-white chequered tablecloths to the traditional pizza oven and pics of actress Sophia Loren…

Prints by Goan cartoonist Mario Miranda decorate the simple, buzzing dining room of this purveyor of magically spiced dishes from the tropical Indian…

A winning idea, bringing street food under cover to escape the heat. There's around 16 different concepts to choose from, ranging from Lebanese to ice…

India's first Michelin-starred chef, Vineet Bhatia, is the menu maven at this gorgeous, intimate dining room lorded over by big brass Natraj sculptures…

Next to the Skydive Dubai drop zone, this stylish outpost with attached beach club checks all the culinary boxes, from breakfast to late-night snacks…