There are absolutely hundreds of options when it comes to eating out in Dubai – and to the unexperienced gastronome the selection of restaurants can be a little bit daunting.
So whether you’re just a visiting foodie, or are looking to delve more into Dubai’s dining scene, here are our top picks of Dubai’s top 10 trendiest restaurants (no particular order)…
Where: Inka
The selling point: Incredible views of the Burj Khalifa, warm modern atmosphere with a sprawling bar. Oh, and the top-notch Peruvian food.
Price: Dhs300 to Dhs350 per person.
Dress code: Smart elegant.
Sofitel Downtown Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 6pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3469295. inkadubai.com.
Where: La Cantine du Faubourg
The selling point: A dreamy, artsy-type French restaurant in DIFC, with an attached terrace serving up great views over Downtown Dubai.
Price: Dhs150 to Dhs200 per person.
Dress code: Smart casual.
1st floor, Emirates Towers Hotel, Trade Centre 2, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3527105. lacantine.ae.
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Where: Wakame
The selling point: Delicious Pan-Asian food,with seriously rateable bar snacks and over a dozen Japanese shochu cocktails crafted from homemade and all natural ingredients.
Price: Dhs250 to Dhs350 per person.
Dress code: Smart casual.
3rd level, Sofitel Dubai Downtown, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 12pm to 3.30pm, 6pm to 12am. Tel: (04) 2246663. wakame.ae.
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Where: Coya
The selling point: First-rate Latin American food in one of 2015’s most talked about restaurants, with a sharing concept menu, bustling pisco bar, live South American music and a hidden members’ lounge.
Price: Dhs 300 to Dhs350 per person.
Dress code: Smart trendy.
Restaurant Village Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 2, Dubai, daily 12.30pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3169600. coyarestaurant.com.
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Where: CATCH
The selling point: With an emphasis on seafood dishes, CATCH comes complete with an open kitchen and several serving stations, with everything from hot and cold to raw, rolled and grilled.
Price: Dhs200 to Dhs250 per person.
Dress code: Casual.
1st floor, Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre Area, Dubai, daily 7pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3571755. catchdubai.com.
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Where: R Trader
The selling point: This prohibition-era themed venue is 50 per cent restaurant and 50 per cent watering hole, with a warm wood-toned art-deco interior keeping in line with their speakeasy get-up. It’s another sharing concept restaurant, but there have only been rave reviews about the food.
Price: Dhs200 to Dhs250 per person.
Dress code: Smart.
Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, daily 12pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3435518. facebook.com/rtraderdubai.
Where: La Serre
The selling point: A two-storey Parisian-style venue consisting of a casual café downstairs with a fancier restaurant upstairs. White wood, cream walls and the whiff of freshly baked bread litter the restaurant, with a menu full of classic Mediterranean fare.
Price: Dhs250 to Dhs300 per person.
Dress code: Smart casual and a little bit trendy.
Vida Downtown, Qamardeen District, Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai. Tel: (04) 4286969. laserredubai.ae.
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Where: Weslodge
The selling point: Serving up food for the “gutfoundered”, which is Canadian for “very hungry,” Weslodge dishes out big cuts of meat on sharing-style platters accompanied by small raw plates of fish and veg, with 68th-floor panoramic views of Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa.
Price: Dhs150 to Dhs400 per person.
Dress code: Smart casual.
68th floor, Tower B, JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay, Dubai, daily 6pm to late. Tel: (04) 5601700. facebook.com/weslodgedubai.
Where: Bagatelle
The selling point: A South of France inspired, New York infused dining concept, which after 10pm includes dancing on the tables (quite literally). Food and drink-wise, expect unique spins on French classics, signature cocktails and fancy vino.
Price: Dhs350 to Dhs450 per person.
Dress code: Glam chic.
Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 8pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 354035. bistrotbagatelle.com.
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Where: The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill
The selling point: The hint is in the name. The Maine specialises in seafood – but you can also expect meat cuts, pizzas, craft cocktails, and of course, fresh oysters. Big band music plays in the background, with décor reminiscent of a seaside brasserie.
Price: Dhs200 to Dhs400 per person.
Dress code: Casual.
DoubleTree By Hilton Hotel, JBR, Dubai, daily noon until midnight. Tel: (04) 4576719. themaine.ae.
***Prices based on starter, main and a house beverage or two soft drinks
Images: Supplied
