These tables are the talk of the town…
Dubai’s burgeoning dining scene is a culinary melting pot of homegrown favourites, haute international exports, and cool independent eateries. Here, we bring you the best new restaurants in Dubai to inspire the reservations you make this month.
Kira
One of a dozen elevated culinary outposts now open at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Kira is a dazzling venue of ornate design, gourmet cuisine, and picturesque views. Enveloped in verdant landscaping, the split-level restaurant spills from grand gilded gold interiors onto a beautiful Burj-facing terrace. The glittering restaurant presents a fusion of Japanese-Mediterranean flavours, featuring highlights like buttery garlic prawns with caviar, mother of pearl shells dotted with sushi and nigiri, and bowls of lobster pasta. Make lunch reservations for dreamy leisurely lunches, or come for dinner, then stay for the party next door at opulent after-hours spot, LITT.
Hanu
From star chef Kyung Soo Moon, who as Sunset Hospitality’s culinary director oversaw the smash-hit arrival of Sushisamba, comes Hanu. Hanu promises a new take on contemporary Korean cuisine, a largely untapped market in Dubai’s dining scene. The intimate restaurant is cleverly designed so guests are first greeted into a sophisticated lounge, before picking a booth or table where their culinary experience unfolds. The indoor tables are the ones to book for the best interactive dining – be sure to try the Meat Me at the Grill experience, where the skilled team expertly prepare four premium cuts on the charcoal grill in front of you, paired with an array of salts and condiments so you can curate your own flavours.
Baoli
The city’s in crowd are already firmly acquainted with Baoli, the sexy and sophisticated J1 Beach hotspot where reservations are so in demand you’ll need to book several weeks in advance to dine here on the weekend. And with good reason. While this sprawling restaurant and beach club – dotted with two Prada stores, a pool and a duo of bars – could easily be style over substance, the menu is excellent. A haute menu of crowd-pleasing Dubai dishes is remarkably well executed, featuring everything from light carpaccio, etravagant towers of sushi served on beds of dry ice, and fresh fish cooked to order. The best vibes are found as late lunch turns into sunset, and the sundowner DJ sets – especially on weekends – kickstart an enigmatic ambience that continues into the early hours. For late night revelry, head to the Moon Bar, a speakeasy-style spot with a line-up of guest DJs.
The Beam
Formerly Chef Patron at acclaimed Madinat Jumeirah restaurant Folly, Nick Alvis has turned his attention to another beloved part of town – Dubai Marina – for his new restaurant, The Beam. A bistro-style dining experience set in a corner of Le Royal Meridien’s neatly landscaped grounds, it features an immaculate (and pet-friendly) garden and a restaurant that moves from outdoor terrace to indoor dining with a lovely bar in the middle. Tables in the garden and on the covered terrace offer lovely views of Ain Dubai on the skyline, while those seated indoors are enveloped in an unpretentious warmth of neutral interiors and soft lighting. The culinary offering is reflective of a European bistro, elevated with a Dubai touch that’s fitting for the city’s competitive culinary scene. As well as the a la carte menu, a fresh fish display is adorned with towers of seafood and locally caught fish on ice, further enhancing the menu.
Kiyoshi
Now bringing upscale Japanese cuisine to a licensed venue at Dubai Creek Harbour is Kiyoshi. Contemporary Japanese flavours take centre stage in a cosy, dimly lit dining room, where a bar runs down one side of the room and laser-painted artworks dominate the other. At the back of the restaurant, a semi-private dining room is a prime spot for big group dining, while date night-goers can opt for intimate tables of two. The interiors are beautiful and authentic, as is the menu, which presents a concise but high-quality array of prettily plated options, like beef tataki, crispy prawn toast and flavourful grilled baby chicken.
Sirene by Gaia
A coastal iteration of elevated Greek restaurant Gaia, Sirene is the newest addition to J1 Beach. This gorgeous Mediterranean beach club and restaurant was worth the wait – its whitewashed interiors are show-stopping. The indoor restaurant spills onto an alfresco terrace, and further down to a lounge, then even further to loungers that dot the beach. Come for the Greek-Mediterranean fare that’s won chef Izu Ani multiple awards, and stay for the party – during late afternoons the tempo ramps up with guests staying late into the night for DJ sets that elevate the ambience.
Bar Des Pres
Adding to the gourmet collection of fine dining options in DIFC is Bar Des Pres, a lofty eatery on the 51st floor of ICD Brookfield Place. Fusing chef-creator Cyril Lynac’s French know-how with Japanese cuisine, the resulting menu is crowd-pleasing Dubai dishes served up in a fabulous setting with sensational views. Go for dinner, then head upstairs to Bar 1920 for cocktails that take you back to the Prohibition era.
Le Relais de l’Entrecôte
From Paris with love comes Le Relais de l’Entrecote, a beloved family-run bistro that regularly has diners queueing around the block. In Dubai, you’ll find it at ME Dubai, serving up the same quintessentially cosy French aesthetic, and a single-item menu of sirloin steak cooked to order and crispy golden fries. It’s priced at Dhs155 including a walnut salad to start, and while there may only be one starter and one main, dessert lovers can enjoy an array of tasty sweet treats to end their meal.
Gerbou
New in Jumeirah, long-awaited Gerbou is here to redefine Emirati cuisine. From Atelier House Hospitality – behind Michelin-Starred 11 Woodfire and Boxpark’s fancy French restaurant RSVP – and Tashkeel, the local incubator for arts and creative talent, Gerbou celebrates Emirati cuisine with a farm-to-table approach. Head chef Ionel Catau brings experience from globally renowned kitchens to lace international techniques into traditional Emirati flavours. The resulting dishes offer essences of the familiar but are also unique and exciting.
