The Best Places To Eat & Drink In Dubai

Bussola is three concepts rolled into one. First, there’s the restaurant itself, offering timeless Italian fare for lunch and dinner – the seafood appetisers are a great match for the waterside setting. Then there’s a Pizzeria with a more casual vibe. From morning to sunset, your third option is the Mare by Bussola lounge, which offers a beach club-style experience fuelled by lighter plates, cocktails and shisha. Book a cabana and there’ll also be a fruit platter waiting for you.

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The ‘Shanghai’ in Shanghai Me refers more to its interiors than the output of its kitchen. In surrounds that speak to the city’s 1920s golden age – when it was known as the ‘Paris of the East’ – the menu casts its net much wider. Amid the sushi rolls and Singapore noodles, one of the founders has given his name to ‘Evgeny’s Wagyu Beef Sub’, which is a high-end, truffle-loaded take on a Japanese sando. Feel free to stick around as DJs build a party atmosphere out on the tree-lined terrace.

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Dubai’s financial centre, the DIFC, isn’t short on restaurants. Japanese fine-diner Clap stands out not just because it has the area’s biggest rooftop terrace. This offshoot of a Beirut original also has a crack team doing sterling work in the kitchen. For the full experience, head to the open kitchen, go omakase and put your evening in the hands of a chef. Otherwise, there’s a showpiece bar for well-crafted cocktails or the aforementioned terrace for some special skyline views. Look out too for Ongaku, a suitably hidden speakeasy. 

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The exclusive global mini-chain you might have seen in New York, London or Miami has found a home in the new-for-2023 Atlantis The Royal hotel. Milos matches its older siblings with a focus on Greek seafood, though none of them can boast a terrace looking onto a fountain of fire and water. The main space features a fully iced seafood counter and a raw bar alongside its open kitchen. Many of the ingredients come direct from the Med – including the fish – and the freshness shines through. 

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Sitting within the vast new Atlantis The Royal, Dinner is your chance to try a couple of Heston Blumenthal’s greatest hits – his mandarin and chicken liver parfait ‘Meat Fruit’ and ‘Tipsy Cake’ spit-roast pineapple dessert – alongside some of his refined takes on British classics. Heston’s triple-cooked chips have also made the trip and go beautifully with the ribeye steak. For high-quality cooking with a side of theatre, there’s nowhere better in Dubai right now.

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Greek has become a fashionable cuisine in Dubai recently – and that’s in no small part thanks to Avli by Tashas in the DIFC. Interiors are recognisably Mediterranean, with an outdoor terrace coming into its own during the cooler winter months. Many of the best dishes are grilled over open charcoal fires, while sharing mains like whole sea bass with lemon butter or jumbo prawn saganaki encourage Greek-style family feasting.

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You might know Sushisamba as the eye-catching spot at the top of the Heron Tower in the City. Sitting even higher in the sky – on the 51st floor of the St Regis hotel – its Dubai outpost is also reached by speedy elevator and has the same wow factor. Looking out, the 360° views are remarkable. Looking in, the venue revolves around an open kitchen with a robata grill and sushi bar. As ever with Sushisamba, Japan, Peru and Brazil provide the culinary inspiration, while a state-of-the-art cocktail list runs from a smoky and complex ‘Samba Corcovado’ to a floral and refreshing ‘Sparkling Hanami’.

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The name might look French at first glance, but this harbourside restaurant is all about modern Japanese cuisine. Chef Shun Shiroma specialises in perfectly turned sushi rolls and hot plates like 72-hour lamb ribs. 3 Fils isn’t licensed, but it’s gone the extra mile with its mocktails – the ‘Zaatar W Shay’ blends earl grey, guava and thyme to great effect. In cooler months, the tables outside are the ones you want – they look out across Dubai’s old fishing harbour.

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Reif has three places around town, but its casual spot in Dar Wasl Mall is the one that’s earnt a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide. It bills itself as a ‘kushiyaki’ place – which means yakitori-style skewered meats are a strong suit. A chicken katsu sando is among the star dishes, though you’ll also find ramen, maki and sashimi on the menu. As with so many places in Dubai outside the big international hotels, it’s unlicensed – but that just means its mocktail game is strong. 

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Never been to an ‘urban Balkan bistro’ before? This is your chance. Tucked between Umm Suqeim park and beach, 21 Grams is an all-day spot doing a great line in quality coffee and fresh homemade breads and pastries, if you’re on the move in the AM. If you’ve got time to sit in, there are memorable breakfast options like a princess crepe with kajmak clotted cream, dried fruit compote and almonds. Later on, the signature ‘Soul Food’ menu is to the fore – appealingly hearty options include beef and quail ragout with homemade papardele pasta and kashkaval cheese

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Michelin recently rewarded this popular unlicensed restaurant with a Bib Gourmand for its good quality, good value cooking. It’s a deserved accolade. The trio of Syrian brothers who run Orfali lay on fun and unique small plates in a tiny space – hot options include the ‘Come With Me To Aleppo’ wagyu beef kebab with sour cherry, parsley, pine nuts and cinnamon. Two of the brothers are expert patissiers, which explains the remarkable desserts like miso banana cake, fig tart and a pistachio bomb.

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The original Da Michele is among the oldest and best pizzerias in Naples. Its venerable name can now be found above three doors in Dubai. Not so long ago, the City Walk branch moved to a bigger two-floor space in The Square with Burj Khalifa views – and got itself a licence. Pizzas continue to be cooked in time-honoured fashion – briefly and fiercely in a wood-fired oven to ensure that famous Neapolitan-style chew.

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Summersalt is the beach club at the Jumeirah Al Naseem hotel. Book a day pass for a full Ibiza-style experience, powered by signature cocktails with a Latin American edge – as well as pisco sours, there’s an ‘Inca Colada’ showcasing a clarified homemade blend of rum and mezcal. You can also soak up the laidback beachfront vibes by taking a table at the restaurant, where the menu runs from sushi and ceviche to grilled seafood and crowd-pleasing burgers.

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This cool beach club and restaurant on the base of Palm Jumeirah makes no secret of its influences: Tagomago is the name of a small island close to Ibiza. Rattan furniture and boldly striped umbrellas create a Balearic vibe that extends to the menu. Spanish staples like pan con tomate, padrón peppers, patatas bravas and garlic prawns are all offered. Signature cocktails include a refreshing ‘Palomino’ featuring fino sherry, albariño and yuzu. A kids’ menu signals this is also a family friendly place.

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This beachfront restaurant is part of the Nikki Beach Dubai Resort & Spa on Pearl Jumeira island. The pan-Mediterranean menu reveals Greek, French and Italian influences: if you’re playing it safe, there are never-fail mains like chicken parm; if you’re in a more yolo kind of mood, there are experimental options like the signature ‘seafood porridge’ featuring sea bass, calamari, prawns, rice and shellfish bisque. Martinis are a house speciality. 

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Twiggy by La Cantine is the achingly chic beach club and restaurant within the Park Hyatt Dubai Lagoon. It’s run by the people behind Tagomago with the same discerning eye – this one’s as alluring at lunch as it is for sunset drinks. The influence is French Riviera rather than Balearic, with a sushi menu offered alongside a host of carpaccios and salads including a classic tuna niçoise. As evenings draw on, DJs come to the fore.

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Greek-influenced Shimmers might just be the place you get your Dubai money shot. It’s got the white sands and blue waters of all Dubai’s best beachfront establishments – but it’s also got the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in its sights. Once you’ve got the shot, chef Emanuele De Leo’s menu opens with vintage Greek dips, starter-sized moussaka and spanakopita, then diversifies into carpaccios, tartars and wider Mediterranean options. A short list of signature cocktails conjures the old country with names like ‘Olympus’, ‘Skiathos’ and ‘Mykonos Breeze’. 

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The first Nammos was a ritzy beach club that opened in a quiet cove on Mykonos 20 years ago. The A-listers flocked, its reputation spread far and wide, and the group now has places in Cannes, Limassol and Dubai. Its Middle East outpost sits within the Four Seasons Resort on Jumeirah Beach. The terrace is the place to be during the day, idling your way through Greek-style sharing dishes or some of the jet-set seafood options. As the sun drops, the party vibes intensify.

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Stroll through the gardens of the smart One&Only Royal Mirage resort to reach this Latin American restaurant. When you get there, you’ll have no fewer than four timber-decked terraces to choose from – all looking out to Palm Island Bay – as well as a sleek indoor space. The kitchen plays all the hits: there are empanadas to start, Argentinean beef is prominent throughout, and there’s statement seafood like giant prawns as well as ceviches and tartares.

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On the outer ring of the Palm, Nobu’s first pool and beach club offers the kind of luxe experience you’d expect from the global sushi and hotel group. The menu for dining indoors is a scaled-down version of the one you’ll find close by at the Nobu restaurant – there’s sushi of course, and the famous black cod is presented here in a lettuce cup, alongside dainty seafood skewers, delicate tacos and some sando-style sandwich options you won’t find elsewhere. DJs help keep the atmosphere chilled throughout. There’s a separate pool menu for anyone who doesn’t want to leave the comfort of their air-conned cabana.

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An easy place to lose an afternoon, Comptoir 102 is a plant-based café and concept store run by a chic Parisian. Its bamboo-and-carpet courtyard is the spot for a juice or smoothie, many of which are infused with super-ingredients like charcoal or bee pollen. There’s good vegan ice cream for afterwards, too. 

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This French-Japanese café-restaurant is not tucked into a hotel, but within a padel and yoga club. Build your appetite on one of its six courts – or not – before sitting down for pancakes or French toast from its all-day breakfast menu, which adds twists of miso or yuzu to lots of the classics. Wholesome options are abundant here too, from açai bowls to salads. Nette’s tastefully minimalist interiors are shrouded in lush greenery.

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At this homely café with a Greek owner, comprehensive menus are split into ‘classic’ and ‘inspired by’ options. The first features all-day breakfast dishes including eggs every which way, quesadillas, sandwiches and more substantial dinner items. There are mocktails, shots and cleansers to go with. The second offers signatures like zucchini rosa with napoletana, olives, capers, sundried tomatoes, roasted tomatoes and dehydrated mushroom crisps.

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The original Nice Guy is an Italian-American restaurant and celeb hangout in LA. Within the Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel, its Dubai outpost offers a similar exhilarating GoodFellas-with-a-hip-hop-soundtrack experience. You’ll need a reservation to get in – we’d start with drinks in the candle-lit lounge. If you end up sticking around, from chicken parm to cacio e pepe, the kitchen does the classics well. 

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Along one wall of this French restaurant in the middle of the DIFC foodie hub, there’s a bar that’s become a destination in its own right. Many of the people sat up at it will be there for the international LPM group’s signature cocktail: the vodka-based tomatini is a tangy treat that often leads to a second round and beyond. The Riviera-inspired menu is also worth staying for.

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Mimi Kakushi is named for a Japanese haircut of the jazz age – and that’s exactly where this glamorous restaurant wants to take you. Plush furnishings in pretty colours conjure 1920s Osaka, though the menu is a very contemporary fusion of east and west. There’s sashimi and nigiri, black cod and tiger prawn tempura, but also wagyu and foie gras gyoza. The excellent cocktail list is just as innovative – the ‘Sayonara’ is a negroni-style drink made with umeshu plum liqueur.

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This late-night lounge in the heart of the DIFC district is a regular on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. Beneath a starry ceiling that explains the bar’s name, décor is inspired by the Greek heritage of founder Natasha Sideris and the drinks list draws from far and wide for its influences. The ‘Moonlight Affair’ cocktail brings together Japanese Nikka whisky, Italian Fernet-Branca, Disaronno, apricot liqueur and roasted chestnut.

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Within the Pullman Dubai Downtown hotel, Honeycomb Hifi claims to be the Middle East’s first izakaya-style listening bar. In a small space with a recording studio feel, carefully chosen sounds are paired with contemporary cocktails and a short list of shochu, umeshu and yuzushu liqueurs. The Japanese menu is good too – try something from the binchotan grill or there are cold and raw small plates like tai sea bream sashimi. 

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The Canary Club is a rare licensed restaurant in Dubai that isn’t within a hotel. Opened by Joey Ghazal, the man behind the Maine, its decor is 70s West Coast and the menu is Japanese-Mexican. Wagyu gyoza sits next to short-rib tacos among the hot starters. Sticky lamb chops is a signature from the charcoal grill, and there’s a full column of sushi and sashimi options. A fun list of signature cocktails features a Banana Hammock (Bacardi Carta Blanca, Kraken, banana coulis, passion fruit juice, Falernum) and a Boozy Suzy (Bloom gin, Suze, Mancino Bianco, Skinos, saline solution).

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On the roof of the adults-only W Dubai – Mina Seyahi hotel, The Attiko makes the most of its location. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto the Palm and other sights – take them in with a sundowner like the Okinawa Island (rum, hibiscus rhubarb, fresh pineapple nectar). As night falls, the lights drop inside and DJs come to the fore – or there’s an atmospheric outdoor terrace for Dubai’s cooler months.

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If you’ve been to Amazónico London or its Madrid original, you’ll know what this exclusive mini-chain is about. A lush rainforest theme defines the interiors here in Dubai too. DJs spin ‘elec-tropical’ beats in the ground-floor bar and lounge, while the first-floor dining room has its own sushi counter. But the place to be is beneath the yellow umbrellas of the rooftop Paraíso club, perhaps even at its 10-seater DJ table.

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