Top Dubai restaurants: a FooDiva 2022 guide

On the back of a bumper year for the Dubai restaurant industry where the good concepts have thrived with more business than ever, we have a bumper seventh edition of FooDiva’s annual guide to top Dubai restaurants. A record number of 40 establishments have made the cut. ALL are proudly homegrown, locally developed restaurants that tick every box – food, service, location, interior, atmosphere and value for money in equal measures – in line with FooDiva’s editorial policy. These are all independently operated, and very much my go-to restaurants when am not reviewing new kids on the block. You won’t find large chain brands or imported franchises here.

Entries are categorised by licensed and unlicensed, sub-divided into districts, and then alphabetically. Treat it as a bucket list guide to inspire your next breakfast, lunch or dinner outing. A useful round-up for visitors too.

If a choice of 40 is not enough, then here’s another guide to under-the-radar restaurants in Dubai. And if you’re after bespoke tips and foodie itineraries, then check out FooDiva’s restaurant recommendations service.

Would love to know any other restaurant favourites of yours pretty please 🙂

LICENSED

Bluewaters Island

Alici: Now that Ain Dubai (Dubai Eye) is finally open, you have even more reasons to dine at this Amalfi-inspired seafood restaurant after a sunset spin. The deep-fried anchovies ‘alici’ are a must-eat, as is the sea urchin spaghetti, paired with picture-worthy views and a striking coastal décor. Walk off lunch, brunch or dinner with a stroll across the pedestrian footbridge from Bluewaters to JBR Walk soaking up the scenic skyline.

Dubai Marina

Bistro des Arts: This gem on Dubai Marina Mall’s promenade transports diners back in time to a quintessential Parisian bistro offering a genuine taste of classic French fare with go-to plates of escargots, steak tartare and crêpes Suzette. Breakfast, a Frenchie ‘brunch’, culinary themed soirées, as well as the regular lunch and dinner à la carte menus are all on offer.

JB’s Gastropub: THE pub for all things pork glorious pork from bacon scratchings to pork belly and metre-long sausages. In the Amwaj Rotana on JBR Walk.

Tamoka: Remember the sand-in-toes gem Palm Grill at Ritz-Carlton Dubai on JBR Walk? Well say goodbye, and hello to new Latin-American restaurant Tamoka, with a separate sundowner beach bar Cana – and a drastic transformation. You may still get sand in your toes, but only once you’ve slipped off funky sneakers or jewelled sandals. A dedicated team runs this hotel-operated show.

JLT

Mythos: This slice of Santorini in JLT impresses with its no-frills simplicity and charm across both food and décor, despite the lack of a view. A charming husband and wife team run the kitchen and front-of-house respectively. Always busy, so book well ahead.

Palm Jumeirah

Ibn Al Bahr: The Club Vista Mare complex on Palm Jumeirah’s eastern shoreline boasts many restaurants – one of which is a Lebanese seafood tavern owned by fishermen. Choose fish from the daily catch on display, along with a selection of meze plates from the à la carte menu, and enjoy a meal on the terrace soaking up vitamin sea.

Myrra: A Spanish-cum-Greek menu may have your eyes rolling, as it did mine – but talented chef Tim of Opa fame has married delicious tapas with meze to create a pretty sand-in-toes setting, also at Club Vista Mare on Palm Jumeirah.

Barsha

Lola Taberna Española: You may have gathered that as soon as pork is spotted on a Dubai menu, the restaurant in question receives a FooDiva visit pretty soon. This time, the independent concept at the Tryp Wyndham hotel in the depths of Barsha is a Spanish ‘taberna’ tavern, with a medley of traditional and innovative tapas plates, Iberico ham ingredients included.

Umm Suqeim

Bastion: Golden oldie La Parilla atop Jumeirah Beach Hotel has been replaced by Bastion, a new brasserie-cum-steakhouse, with a breathtaking view of the Burj Al Arab. Foie gras, beef tartare and steaks aside (hello tomahawk), plenty of vegan dishes await.

Folly: A prime sundowner setting at Souk Madinat Jumeirah overlooking the waterway and Burj Al Arab. The Folly ‘pop’ cocktail is an Instagram must. One half of the chef duo may have departed for other shores, but it’s still worth lingering for dinner and indulging in chef Nick’s table d’hôte menu.

Taverna Greek Kitchen: This Greek restaurant at Souk Madinat lives up to its taverna name with a casual, rustic decor and expansive boardwalk. A Greek chef ensures classic, authentic dishes including the signature slow-roasted lamb shoulder – all at a wallet-friendly price point.

The Meat Co: A dramatic refurb at the Souk Madinat outpost has overhauled this homegrown steakhouse concept into a classy Art Deco-inspired dining room, terrace and wine tasting room. Beef cuts across all budgets are on display for diners to pick and choose, including the buttery Japanese Saroma Wagyu.

Jumeirah

Mimi Kakushi: Baked bone marrow. Beef tartare. Teeny fried savoury buns. Pickled onions. All these umami flavours in one sole dish. Mimi Kakushi is an independently operated Japanese concept at the Four Seasons Jumeirah’s restaurant village. The food may be modern Japanese, but the striking nouveau Orient decor harks back to 1920s Japan evoking a true sense of place.

Downtown Dubai

Time Out Market Dubai: Souk Al Bahar is no longer a dead zone thanks to this food hall with 18 best-in-class Dubai concepts. With an overwhelming choice of dishes, I would urge you to download the app to help decide in advance, whilst reading the FooDiva tried and tasted guide of course. Also saves time with online payment. The three bars serve Dubai’s cheapest bottle of Champagne (the excellent Nicolas Feuillatte Brut) for AED400 including taxes.

DIFC

Avli: A cavern-cum-temple to modern Greek dining, Avli, which translates to ‘courtyard’, ticks the upscale restaurant box from Dubai’s Grecian craze. A test of any Greek kitchen is the execution of feta saganaki – and Avli’s, with its crisp honey-drizzled filo is the city’s best, rivalling any one might find in Greece. I recently taught myself to make it – no mean feat.

BB Social Dining: This owner-operated townhouse of a restaurant hidden in DIFC feels like a cosy speakeasy, boasting a Far-Eastern menu with a nod to Middle Eastern ingredients. The plump, pillowy bao buns, freshly baked in-house daily are Dubai’s best. The ground floor terrace makes for pretty conservatory-style surroundings. BB also offers Dubai’s cheapest Champagne by the glass served in an adorable coupe.

Boca: A Mediterranean concept with a strong Spanish tapas slant that embraces a sustainable menu ethos sourcing locally, whilst minimising food wastage. The wine list boasts Dubai’s most comprehensive selection of organic, biodynamic, sustainable and natural wines. The working wine cellar makes for an intimate private gathering.

La Cantine du Faubourg: An independently-operated restaurant in Jumeirah Emirates Towers with a gorgeous garden courtyard sports a brand new look following an extensive, arduous refurb. The contemporary French and broader southern European flavours remain unchanged.

Ninive: The sibling and neighbour to La Cantine boasts a magical open-air setting with a Middle Eastern and North African menu. Hidden amongst all the foliage are majlis-style alcoves with lounge seating. A bucket-list restaurant to take visitors for their one starlit night in Dubai.

Sheikh Zayed Road & Business Bay

Opa: The only Greek restaurant in Dubai to offer plate smashing, a tradition no longer prevalent in Greece. Surprisingly, the setting with its own dedicated entrance at the Fairmont Dubai is intimate. The menu may aspire to mostly modern Greek fare, however, Turkish influences do creep through.

The Maine Land Brasserie: The just-as-popular Business Bay sibling to The Maine Oyster Bar with a predominantly meat-centric menu. The New York-style grande dame dining room is as glorious as the short rib poutine.

Tresind Studio: An inventive Indian concept dedicated to a chef’s table experience by chef Himanshu Saini. Seasonal tasting menus with only 20 covers. A move to a new Palm Jumeirah destination is imminent.

Wafi

The Nine: This pub at the Sofitel Obelisk is known for its weekend roast lunch (now on a Sunday). For me, it’s all about the Yorkies (Yorkshire puddings) whether with beef, as tradition dictates – or any protein – all of which are on the menu here. The prime rib-eye of beef hails from Canada, whilst the English pork is showered with love from Dingley Dell, evident in the tender meat. And the crackling is simply put – a cracker – as are the cauliflower cheese croquettes. Make sure to leave room for the piping hot and ridiculously moreish apple pie.

Garhoud

Fujiya: I know I’ve discovered a good restaurant when a) the place is brimming with natives jovially tucking into their food – in this case Japanese – and b) I want to order every single dish from a mammoth menu. Independently operated with a dedicated entrance next to the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai’s ballroom, Fujiya is a traditional Japanese izakaya aka pub. Go here to feast on affordable Japanese comfort food whether kaki oyster fry, ramen or shabu-shabu. A second outpost has opened in the Swissotel Al Murooj.

Twiggy: An al fresco-only independently operated restaurant at the Park Hyatt overlooking the postcard-worthy lagoon pool and the creek. The Mediterranean menu bears many similarities to its sibling La Cantine. Go for a late lunch and linger for sunset.

UNLICENSED (WITHOUT ALCOHOL)

Palm Jumeirah

Depachika Food Hall: Inspired by Japanese basement level department stores, this food hall in Nakheel Mall on Palm Jumeirah boasts 40+ dine-in and retail vendors, with many homegrown concepts – including by go-to, Kilikio, by the Mythos team. There’s even a booze shop.

Emirates Hills & Barsha

Allo Beirut: Retro Lebanese street food joint on Hessa street that is always heaving. Order the beef and tahini shawarma wrapped in saj bread. And the pan-fried cauliflower.

Roseleaf Café: Unlike popular perception, Roseleaf at Emirates Golf Club is more than just a bakery and a spot for good cake. The tray bakes are superb, in particular the cottage pie and moussaka, which, sadly, now only come in individual portions. Lovely breakfast spot too.

The Lighthouse: If you’re after healthy Mediterranean fare in Mall of the Emirates away from the white noise of the main thoroughfare, head upstairs to The Lighthouse in the Apple Atrium. The grilled aubergine with minced lamb is a must-eat. And if you’re not sick of shopping, the concept store with quirky gifting items and novel cookbooks will pull at your purse strings. In addition to the original licensed restaurant in D3, a new branch has opened in Nakheel Mall overlooking the park.

Umm Suqeim

21grams: The charming bistro paving the way for modern Balkan cuisine in Dubai is back in a new location with larger premises, a terrace with both Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa views, plus a private dining room. Meyan Mall in Umm Suqeim is a stone’s throw from the original outpost, so very much still in walking distance to the beach. There’s a slight revamp to the menu, however, the crowd-pleasing burek and savoury phyllo pastries remain.

Cast: A seafood bistro on Al Thanya street (same strip as Waitrose) with both indoor and terrace seating. The menu with some sustainably sourced fish offers a Pan Asian-Spanish fusion interpretation with star dishes like caviar-topped hasselback potatoes, squid ink paella, and grilled seabass served Jimbaran (Balinese)-style on addictive home-made potato crisps.

Kaftan: Dubai houses many casual Turkish eateries, but not many that manage to elevate Ottoman cuisine to a finer, exquisite level in the pretty garden setting of a converted villa overlooking Wild Wadi.

Terra: This eatery, located in the Waitrose Al Thanya complex, is likely to win the award for the most beautiful restaurant in Dubai with earthy tones (hence the name), cosy nooks and crannies, and a tropical garden setting. The menu by an ex-LPM sous chef does boast some similarities – and, sadly, only slightly cheaper – but that ties in well with its neighbour, Dubai’s most expensive supermarket.

Jumeirah

3Fils: Go here for the picturesque al fresco location at Jumeirah Fishing Harbour and small plates of modern Japanese fare, with the food singing as much as the setting. Save room for inventive desserts next door at sibling Brix. Since crowned MENA’s 50 Best Restaurant, you may have to queue given its no-reservations policy.

Dibba Bay oyster shack: Dubai has been calling out for a casual oyster shack for years, and, thankfully, now we have just that. The Fishing Harbour 2 complex, sandwiched between Kite Beach and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, houses not only any oyster shack, but one dedicated to locally farmed bi-valve molluscs from the UAE’s eastern coast of Dibba Bay. Plump and meaty Dibba Bay oyster no 3s, shucked to order. A compact menu also boasts organic smoked salmon, local burrata with tomatoes, bruschetta, and even caviar. Plus, a side of sea breeze. And for the summer months, the space is transformed into an air-conditioned glasshouse.

Seaview: In the same al fresco complex as Dibba Bay’s oyster shack sits a fisherman-owned restaurant serving the catch of the day from a chilled display. Simply choose the cooking style and a selection of meze sides. Don’t miss the towering tempura prawns as a starter. I’ve been known to kick off with oysters at Dibba Bay, and finish with mains here, before popping into the fish market next door for king prawns destined for the barbeque.

Lana Lusa: Set in Jumeirah’s Wasl 51 complex, this little corner of Portugal with a verdant terrace and live Fado tunes transports diners to the intimate, family-run restaurants of the Bairro Alto in Lisbon. A Portuguese owner helps deliver on authenticity, including freshly baked pasteis de nata (custard tarts), whilst non-purists will enjoy the Nutella filling.

Orfali Bros Bistro: Located in the same complex as Lana Lusa, the three Orfali brothers have created a casual restaurant showcasing a cutting edge twist on Middle Eastern dishes. Dubai needs more concepts like this one to shine the light on our native cuisine to a global audience. With two of the brothers as pastry chefs, the dessert counter is a prominent feature.

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki: An edgy Japanese eatery in Dar Wasl Mall from Dubai-based Singaporean chef and maverick Reif Othman. Reif is a creative soul, constantly adding new dishes to his tick-your-own-order menu. Thankfully, my favourite dish, the baked avocado with seaweed butter and teriyaki sauce remains a constant feature. A four-seater chef’s table meets kitchen counter, TERO (The Experience by Reif Othman) allows him to personally cook an omakase tasting menu for guests.

Bastakiya

Arabian Tea House: Good Emirati fare is, sadly, hard to come by in Dubai – but if you dig deep, you’ll uncover Arabian Tea House. Of the city’s three locations, the Bastakiya branch is the prettiest and where the tourists flock (read Instagrammable). I first tried this place on the recommendation of Natasha Sideris (Avli & Tashas fame) demolishing her go-to dish of grilled halloumi, ordering seconds, and returning for their sumptuous breakfast trays which are more representative of the national cuisine. The name is a nod to the unlimited black tea served in dainty Arabian glass teacups.

A bientôt.

FooDiva. x