Born in Lisbon in 2014, Time Out Market locations worldwide are the ultimate destinations for food and culture – designed to bring the best of the city together under one roof. And now Time Out Market is open in Dubai.
Located at Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, in a gobsmackingly gorgeous 43,000 sq ft space, Time Out Market Dubai houses 17 home-grown brands, hand-picked by Time Out Dubai editors. In addition to three bars and cultural activations, the reasons for visiting are many. Here are just 19 to get you started.
It’s time to dig in.
1 Proper Emirati eats from Al Fanar Restaurant
It wouldn’t be the first Middle Eastern Time Out Market without authentic regional flavours – and at Souk Al Bahar Emirati restaurant Al Fanar brings them by the bucketload. Al Fanar launched in Dubai in 2011 and prides itself on traditional dishes. Ready for the tastiest history lesson of your lives? You should be, as Al Fanar aims to educate diners about Emirati cuisine via recipes passed down through generations. Dishes include sautéed black tiger prawns with slow-cooked biryani rice, sea bass machboos, and moreish, syrupy sweet dessert luqaimat – an Emirati dough-based treat.
2 Phenomenal pho from Vietnamese Foodies
Chef Lily Hoa Nguyen is the mastermind behind this authentic Vietnamese kitchen – an idea born from cooking lessons she used to run while living in Turkey. After relocating to Dubai, she set up Vietnamese Foodies in JLT in 2018 – where it soon became a runaway hit thanks to its larger than life flavours, healthy dishes and pocket-friendly prices. Recipes are steeped in family tradition (“I would spend my summers as a child in Vietnam on the farm learning to tend to plants and animals,” says Hoa Nguyen) and at Time Out Market Dubai you’ll dig into specialities including coconut tempura prawns, vegan curry with tofu and yellow Vietnamese sauce, rice paper rolls and lemongrass chicken rice. But the star turn is none other than pho – where seafood, beef brisket or chicken is simmered in 14-hour bone broth lifted by Viet herbs, zesty lime and a warming kick of chilli.
3 Fulvio’s Kitchen’s head-turning pasta plates
One of the most exciting openings at Time Out Market is Fulvio’s Kitchen – a brand-new Italian concept from Fulvio Opalio, head chef at Orange Hospitality, the operators of multiple Time Out Dubai award-winners Il Borro Tuscan Bistro and Alici Dubai. The Italian chef is passionate about pasta and menu heavyweights include pumpkin tortelli and veal ragu tagliatelle. The headline act? An indulgent, earthy Parmesan wheel risotto with black truffle prepared in front of market-goers, that Opalio promises will add a “touch of curiousity”. Consider our interest piqued.
4 Brix’s seriously inventive sweet treats
Everyone knows Dubai has a sweet tooth, but Brix takes things to the next level. This cool dessert bar comes from the team behind cult favourite 3 Fils. It has developed a core following of its own thanks to its tasty truffles and brilliant bon bons in a range of palate-intriguing flavours including Earl Grey, tiramisu and balsamic. Whatever you do, don’t leave without trying a slice of African Powerhouse – rich, robust dark Ghanian ganache with cooling vanilla ice cream.
5 Liban’s shawarma to spread the word about
In a recent poll of Time Out Dubai readers, shawarma was named the city’s most iconic dish. And if you’ve a hankering for this superb street food then this new concept from much-loved local eatery Allo Beirut will put your saliva glands into overdrive. Lebanese founder Fadi Haider has launched Liban to “bring the dishes that we loved growing up to Dubai”, with nostalgia the team’s priority at this fresh new spot. Some ingredients, such as kishk and zaatar, are sourced from Lebanon, so expect authentic flavours in the simple yet delicious cooking.
6 Elevated European dishes from folly Workshop
When there’s not one, but two Gordon Ramsay-trained chefs at the helm, there’s a weight of expectation. But the folly duo of Nick Alvis and Scott Price shoulder it effortlessly, and the popular pair’s new concept is set to be a sought-after spot at Time Out Market Dubai. Famed for creative British-leaning fare, the team opened folly with Gates Hospitality at Souk Madinat Jumeirah in 2017. At the Market, folly Workshop’s menu is a hit-list of greats, including the bestselling crispy hen’s egg with maple syrup and pancetta, as well as funkier, crowd-pleasing plates. We’re predicting its marvellous 24-hour braised sticky beef ribs are going to be a must-try dish for meat-lovers.
7 Flavour bombs from Masti
Chef Prashant Chipkar and his team are constantly looking at dishes working out how to make them “Masti”. And by that they mean an international dish with hints of India – plus a barrel-load of fun and creativity. Exciting Indian fusion eats are the mainstay of the menu with lesser-seen combinations a massive draw for adventurous diners. Stracciatella and dill butter chicken, avocado ceviche pani puri, slow-cooked lamb croquettes and pulled chicken tikka with dosa waffles adorn a menu laced with as much personality as spice. Order it all, then add a side of smashed chaat roast potatoes – just because you really should.
8 Lashings of vegan brilliance at Little Erth by Nabz&G
Vegan, healthy food doesn’t have to be dull – or leave you reaching for the nearest bag of crisps – as proven by the team at creative kitchen Little Erth. Founders Ghalia Alul and Nabih Al-Momaiz pride themselves on exciting, quality dishes that are not only tasty and good for you – they’re good for the environment, too. Fill your thankful face with vegan shawarma, plant-based sliders, curries, vegan mac ’n’ cheese and more delicious goodies that are sure to turn the heads of even the most determined veg-dodgers.
9 Daringly moreish dumplings from Long Teng
One of the most authentic Chinese restaurants in town, Long Teng has a team of Chinese chefs cooking Chinese food – and the official language in their kitchen is Mandarin. Long Teng is slinging baskets of dim sum at diners as fast as you can keep eating them (which is rapidly when they’re this tasty). Long Teng serves up delicious dim sum, all made with seasonal ingredients, so look forward to chicken xiao long bun, crystal prawn dumplings, Angus beef and onion pancakes and more. There’s also kung pao chicken, wok-fried prawns and braised tofu to dig into. Still hungry? Long Teng’s famous seafood rice is on the menu too (opt for it with truffle and foie gras if you’re feeling extra).
10 Jawbreaker sandwiches from Local Fire by the Mattar Farm – Dubai’s first proper smokehouse
Hattem Mattar is the main man at this smoke station. You’ll know this smoked meat powerhouse from pop-ups around the city and that glorious scent of charred, tender, meaty brisking hovering enticingly in the air. Mattar is the top pitmaster in town and his skills are second to none. Officially he set up The Mattar Farm in December 2017, but has been hosting barbecues since 2005, which proved so popular that hungry diners called up to place orders. His Market brand, Local Fire, plates up monsterously tall sandwiches including our favourite pastrami Reuben, plus Mattar Farm’s acclaimed brisket and smoked sausages.
11 Cold brews that mean business from Nightjar
Coffee is an artform, and Nightjar is the master. Whether you can’t start your day without a cup of Joe, or whether you’re a coffee connoisseur, all bases are covered at Dubai’s trendiest coffee house. Nightjar was set up as roastery and cold brew craft production company back in 2017. In 2018 it set up shop in Alserkal Avenue, and now you can sip everything from flat whites to espressos, micro-lot and more at Time Out Market Dubai. Renowned for its barista bar, expect OG nitro cold brew coffee, cold brew ice tea, infused nitro cold brew coffee and kombucha all on tap. The only mistake you’ll make here is if you leave without one of the utterly indulgent chocolate brownies. No, you’ve got cocoa on your chin.
12 Fiercely fun fusion food from BB Social Dining
BB Social Dining is home to one of the most Instagrammable dishes at the market, and while we know it’s not all about looks, we’re predicting that the Habibti (soft shell crab bao) is going to be popping up on feeds globally. Baos, bites, bowls, barbecue are the backbone of the all-star line-up, while the wagyu katsu sando has become so popular it’s even led to a spin-off for the team – The Little Katsu Shop. “Wagyu katsu started emerging as a trend globally, so we jumped on this train, but with our own special twist,” says founder and exec chef Alex Stumpf. “We used the same dough as our baos, manipulated to a soft bread to toast”. A cracking creation, and one you won’t want to miss.
13 Chicken worth getting in a flap about from Pickl
Pickl founder Steve Flawith takes his sandwiches seriously. The accidental chef – who at 17 traded potwashing gloves for chef’s whites within two weeks of joining a kitchen – is all about fried chicken. And burgers. And fried chicken burgers (aka, those sizzling sandos). Famed throughout the city for its crunchy, crispy, spicy coating that splits to reveal juicy tender chicken, the only thing better than the tenders are when they’re slathered in “comeback sauce” and smooshed into a potato bun.
14 The best of the city under one roof
Spread over 43,000 sq ft the sprawling space that is Time Out Market, in partnership with Emaar, is set to be a Downtown Dubai hotspot. With a stunning indoor area, with high ceilings and a bright airy feel, there’s also a sweeping outdoor terrace that wraps round the outside of the market serving up top-notch views of The Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa.
Take a sip and see a show
Not only are there 17 kitchens to pick and choose from, there are three bars to check out as well. The Palace Bar and Fountain Bar is serving up the most popular signature mixed drinks from Time Out Markets around the world, so expect libations from Chicago, Boston, New York, Lisbon, Miami and Montréal – as well as, of course, some homegrown specialities from mixologists here in Dubai. There’s also grape, as well as craft mocktails on the menu at these two. Meanwhile the Atrium bar is dedicated to all things grape. But it’s not just about the food – when live entertainment is back on the agenda you can look forward to everything from open mic nights to live music, comedy shows, poetry reading and more.
15 Slices to leave you shook from Pitfire
It takes a certain crust to stand out from the crowd, and Pitfire’s perfectly blistered, pillowy pies are the ones for the job. Set up by Michele and Bill Johnson, Pitfire serves up huge pizzas with shedloads of flavour. Alabama-born self-confessed foodie Michele isn’t a trained chef, but credits her mum and grandma for her love of cooking, so big thanks go to her fam from all the pizza-lovers in Dubai. Famed for its signature tasty crushed tomato sauce and creamy, gooey, molten mozzarella, there’s everything from the indulgent Truff Daddy to the tongue-tingling Hell’s Kitchen to get your chops around. In fact, you can’t fail when ordering here – unless you forget to ask for a side of those gorgeous garlic knots, of course.
16 Awesome original artwork from top local talent
Four local artists have created pieces especially for Time Out Market Dubai, and they will be on display at the Market until the end of April. We’ve teamed up with Dubai arts hub Tashkeel to showcase the top artistic talent and shining stars of the city, so expect to see creations from Victor Sitali, Abdulla Lutfi, Mike Arnold and Chie Nakano throughout April. Not enough art for you? Pierre Abboud, who has a Guinness World Record for producing the largest recyclable material mosaic, has been commissioned to create a sculpture for the Time Out Market Dubai stage. It’s made from recyclable bottles and will be on show at the Market until live entertainment resumes. The Market is also home to an art installation from Tarsila Schubert – a Brazilian-born street artist who’s now a UAE resident. The name may be familiar to art fans, as Schubert is famed for being the first female artist to paint a wall in Amman, Jordan, in celebration of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, so get your camera phones ready to click a snap of her mural at the Market.
17 24-karat gold at Scoopi Café
Scoopi doesn’t serve up standard ice cream – but it’s not just the wacky flavours and lashings of 24-karat gold that make it (literally) shine. Scoopi’s ice creams are cooled with liquid nitrogen, after innovative founder Zubin Doshi (who, fun fact, doesn’t actually have a sweet tooth) was bowled over by the world of molecular gastronomy. You can cool off with flavours including saffron pistachio, Nutella, Oreo, strawberry cheesecake or mango – or just be a baller and order this charcoal and edible gold combo.
18 Two Leaves by Project Chaiwala’s cooling bevs
Dubai weather can get pretty steamy when summer rolls round. Which makes it the perfect excuse to quench your thirst with something smooth and refreshing – and by that we mean the signature chai frappe from Two Leaves. This ice-cool new brand is fresh for the Market and comes from Project Chaiwala – who film buffs out there will know well from the Cinema Akil location.
19 Silky-smooth 18-hour ramen from Reif’s Japanese Kushiyaki
Reif Othman has worked in some of the most celebrated kitchens in town (hello, Zuma). And since setting up on his own, there’s no stopping the fanfare – in no small part thanks to his magnificent, much-talked about kushiyaki and glorious ramen. The 18-hour ginger chicken broth is lip-smackingly luxurious, while the spicy miso with Angus beef rib is utterly slurpable, too.
