50 international dishes from the UAE to feast on

Americas: Alligator pear
at Bull & Bear

The original Bull & Bear was in the Waldorf Astoria in New York but this restaurant in DIFC has a more modern approach, in looks and menu. A prime example is this cool avocado dish. Presented in the shell of the green fruit, this creamy, cooling dip is delicious paired with the crispy rice crackers. As interesting and fun as it looks.

Dhs65. Burj Daman Building, DIFC (04 515 9888).

Americas: Arroz Nikkei at COYA

No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu, this dish just never gets boring. An iron pot of creamy rice, mixed with delicate sea bass… It just doesn’t get any better. This could well make it on to this list until the end of time..

Dhs216. The Galleria Al Maryah Island (02 306 7000) and Four Seasons Hotel Dubai at Jumeirah Beach (04 316 9600).

Americas: Baja tacos at Amerigos Mexican Bar & Restaurant

This chilled Mexican restaurant is home to a colourful and modern dining room, and more vegan and vegetarian options on the menu to enjoy. Of all the flavourful and authentic Mexican dishes, the baja fish tacos simply stand out above the rest. Lightly battered fish is joined by spicy aioli and red cabbage, and wrapped in soft tortillas. It’s light but super tasty, and every time we buy a plate (which is embarrassingly often), we wish they would never end.

Dhs68. Park Inn by Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi Yas Island, Yas Island (02 656 2000).

Americas: Buffalo Franks Wings at Perry & Blackwelder’s

Cast love aside and fly on the (chicken) wings of P&B’s. Let’s face it – they’re infinitely more worth doing an extra load of laundry for. Prepare to emerge from a basket of these crispy, juicy Buffalo beauties (rival flavours are available) completely smothered in sauce, and with an invigorated appetite for life. Or, at least, chicken drummers.

Dhs68 (ten), Dhs100 (20), Dhs142 (30), Dhs205 (50 – oh go on, just do it). Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim (04 437 6063).

Americas: Chicken parmigiana sliders at The Warehouse

There are many very good things about The Warehouse. That should go without saying really, as we were hardly going to name it Time Out Abu Dhabi‘s Best Bar of the Year for 2019 without having some solid reasons for doing so. But as well as offering a cool night out, it also has a menu of very enjoyable sharing-style bar food. We’re obsessed with the mini sliders, served in a kind of brioche loaf (we love the satisfaction of tearing it apart) and while the classic cheeseburger is excellent, the chicken parmigiana variety is our number one choice. Tended breaded chicken is topped with lots of tasty tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, and it’s utterly addictive.

Dhs60. Pearl Rotana Capital Centre, Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street (02 307 5591).

Americas: Chocolate fudge
at Americano

Gooey, rich chocolate brownie, piled high with vanilla ice cream, slathered in moreish, piping hot chocolate sauce. You really can’t get better than this classic pud. Excuse us while we inhale it, and then have a lie down.

Dhs38. Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim (04 584 6475).

Americas: Guacamole at Loca

We feel like there should be something more fancy and more substantial on this list from Loca, but the one thing we always make sure to order every time we visit is the guacamole. It’s wonderful, and they make it right in front of you, so it’s always super fresh.

Dhs72. The Galleria Al Maryah Island (02 582 3639) and Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa (04 346 1111).

Americas: Jerk Fried Rice
at Ting Irie

Made for sharing (although mistakenly ordered for one…), this is a brilliant blend of sweet diced pineapple and spiced pulled jerk chicken, it is all too easy to shovel down.

Dhs95. Souk Al Manzil, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai (04 557 5601).

Americas: Key Lime Pie Paletas
at La Carnita

At the end of a muy caliente meal, everyone needs something a little smooth and icy to soothe the tongue. These sweet, soft, limey, biscuit ice-cream popsicles win. Is it uncouth to head to a restaurant purely for dessert? We don’t think so.

Dhs28. InterContinental Dubai Marina (04 425 4030).

Americas: The ‘Famous’ Bentley Burger at Bentley Kitchen

Burgers should be eaten with your hands but we understand if you need to cut this one in half to get stuck in. With an Angus beef patty cooked pink, just the way we like it, Applewood smoked shedder, homemade smoked ketchup and a beauty of a bun, it’s a real foodies burger and together with the fries served with shredded herbs or with truffle and parmesan, it makes a brilliant meal.

Dhs75. The Galleria Al Maryah Island (02 626 2131).

Asia: Chicken tonkatsu wrap at Japang

There’s something about Japang’s beautifully crisp Japanese karaage chicken that we can’t get enough of. While you can get the marinated fired chicken strips straight up on their own, to get the best out of them is with the chicken tonkatsu wrap. Made with tonkatsu sauce (Japanese barbecue) with shredded cheddar cheese, homemade coleslaw it’s delicious – and affordable at Dhs21.

Dhs21. Dubai Silicon Oasis (04 350 2020).

Asia: Dim sum at Li Jiang

We’re cheating slightly here, but it’s our own game, so who’s going to tell on us? We love the dim sum at Li Jiang, which is a sliver away from being the best Asian restaurants in the city. There’s no arguing with the dim sum, though. Our favourite is the crystal prawn option, but choose any and you’ll be impressed.

Various prices. The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, Khor Al Maqta (02 818 8282).

Asia: Dim sum at The Noodle Bowl

Not just the preserve of world-dominating Taiwanese dumpling titans or fine-dining Cantonese chains, Dubai might not be overrun with great dim sum spots but it’s out there if you know where to look. No stranger to Time Out Dubai’s best budget restaurant lists over the years, Satwa’s Noodle Bowl is still a great pick for cheap eats. Need a steer? Try the barbecue chicken cheung feung (Dhs20) and wontons in spicy soy sauce (Dhs20). Fill up the table with Chinese mixed vegetables (Dhs34) and Singapore noodles (Dhs36) and you’ve got a generous meal for two that won’t break the bank.

From Dhs18. 2nd December Street, Satwa (04 345 3382).

Asia: Emo fries at 3 Fils

Whenever you go to this multiple Time Out award-winner make a point of asking what the specials are, and if the emo fries are among them, order as many as you can. Triple-fried potato (massive chips, really), topped with slivers of top-quality toro and black truffle.

Prices vary. Jumeirah Fishing Harbour (04 333 4003).

Asia: Golden bricks at 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant

Take a deep-fried block of rice, top it with tuna tartare, avocado and tobiko and finish with a pristine sliver of gold leaf you have this masterpiece. On a menu of many highlights, this is something we can recommend to everyone.

Prices vary. The Galleria Al Maryah Island (02 672 3333) and Address Downtown Dubai (04 547 2241).

Asia: Gyoza
at Bento-Ya

A stalwart of Dubai’s Japanese food scene, this no-frills restaurant is still more than worthy of a visit, if only to get your chops(ticks) around a plate of its hefty, pan-fried chicken gyoza. Full of flavour, and seriously filling. Head here if you’ve recently had a heavy night…

Dhs33. Al Kawakeb Building, Sheikh Zayed Road (04 343 0222).

Asia: Koreana sandwich at BRD

The menu at this tiny venue in independent foodie hub Dar Wasl Mall is a paean to all things chicken. From tenders and wings to the range of sandwiches, you’ll want to keep ordering more and more. This sandwich – crispy chicken with a honey soy glaze, spicy mayo, slaw and spring onions, is incredible.

Dhs45. Dar Wasl Mall, Al Wasl Road (058 583 2721).

Asia: Laksa at Sontaya

Indonesian food is packed full of big flavours and laksa certainly doesn’t lack depth of vibrancy. Sontaya’s take on the classic is a real joy, thick egg noodles soak in a warming curry of creamy coconut, chilli and lemongrass and with juicy prawns quail eggs, tofu and fried onion it’s a medley of textures and tastes that makes you want to lick the bowl clean and book a flight to Jakarta.

Dhs90. The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort – Abu Dhabi (02 498 8088).

Asia: Malay Curry
at Streetery Food Hall

We love this budget street food eatery. And Fat Aunt’s offering is stuffed with your choice of meat, potatoes and a rich flavoursome sauce is the best thing on a wildly impressive menu.

From Dhs29 (veg). Cluster D, JLT (04 587 3373).

Asia: Miso black cod at Zuma

Or, gindara no saikyo miso yaki, to give it its Japanese name. This is another classic that has graced this list lots of times. It’s pretty much perfect with chunky flakes of cod, which has a subtle but deep miso flavour, wrapped in a leaf. It looks stunning and tastes that way, too.

Dhs196. Al Maryah Island (02 401 5900).

Asia: Oops I Dropped My Chaat at Namak by Kunal Kapur

If you’re looking for something that’s playful, visually impressive and a delight to eat you’ll be hard pushed to find better than this. Plated to resemble a filled chaat that’s been dropped and splattered all over the plate the dish itself is visually impressive. Put the dramatic and Instagram-friendly presentation to one side and what you’ve got is a vibrant dish with a crispy shell that can be broken to scoop up crispy potato pieces, punchy chutney gel, almond soil, yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. It’s a brilliant dish to share.

Dhs70. Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, Sultan Bin Zayed The First Street (02 698 8137).

Asia: Pad Mee Isan at Café Isan

Our best Thai restaurant 2020 serves dishes from the Isan region of Thailand, and to shake up your pad Thai regime, try this one instead. Vermicelli noodles are stir-fried with heaps of flavour and bundled into an omlette package, like a little parcel of happiness.

Dhs42. Cluster B, JLT (04 557 9778).

Asia: Paneer roulade at Punjab Grill

With an enviable position overlooking the Grand Canal, the menu at this authentic Indian restaurant contains some creative plates as well as the classics. One of the more adventurous dishes is the unbeatable paneer roulade, and we can’t help but order a portion every time we visit. The huge bowl looks like Italian cannelloni, but in fact it features rolls of soft cheese stuffed with sweetcorn and spinach, and covered in makhani and spinach sauce. Genius.

Dhs98. Venetian Village, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, Al Maqta (02 449 9839).

Asia: Scallop nigiri
at Mama Zonia

Two pieces might not seem much of an exchange for Dhs50, but these fatties are plenty filling. Thick, buttery slabs of scallop are brought to life with a tiny dribbling of yellow chilli passion fruit, sprinkling of black salt and kizami wasabi (the good stuff). A proper mouthful, but you’ll be too stupefied for talking anyway.

Dhs50. Pier 7, Dubai Marina (04 240 4747).

Asia: Signature biryani at Kura Kura

This casual Indian restaurant is modesty sized (somewhat surprising given how popular it is), with only about five tables packed into the simple but stylish dining area. Whatever we eat we have to sip a superbly creamy and slightly sweet avocado lassi along with it, and while we love so many of the dishes on the relatively short, but carefully chosen menu, nothing tops the signature biryani. Prepared with “Indian levels” of spiciness (you have been warned), it contains a refreshing citrus sauce, loads of lovely spices and vegetables and chicken, prawn or lamb can be added in for a few extra dirhams. The pot is served practically overflowing, so be prepared to make a bit of a mess. We can’t praise this place highly enough.

Dhs23. Capital Tower, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (02 443 3733).

Asia: The Breakup at Tamba

This Indian-inspired restaurant is the very definition of the word cool, and you’ll find it packed out every Thursday for the ever-popular ladies night. The food is creative and served with a touch of theatrics (by that we mean lots of sparklers and dry ice), and nothing is more decadent and dramatic than the very chocolatey dessert The Breakup. Encased by a smooth chocolate shell, you get the satisfaction of smashing it open with a spoon before digging in to the layers of cream, chocolate mousse and nuts which hide inside. It’s worth every calorie.

Dhs50. The Hub at The Mall at World Trade Center Abu Dhabi (02 672 8888).

Asia: The Medi smashmosa
at Project Chaiwala

The clue’s in the name. Project Chaiwala’s smashmosas feature pulverised samosas filled with east-meets-further-east ingredients, topped with a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds, onion, tomato and a liberal smattering of bhuji. The MEDI features a samosa packed with zaatar, olives, aubergine, pine nuts and a halloumi-feta mix, topped with pomegranate molasses, mint chutney and yoghurt. It’s like your favourite Middle Eastern breakfast flavours travelled to Mumbai to find themselves. In contrast to the majority of gap-yah travellers, they’ve succeeded.

Dhs20. Cinema Akil, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz (04 223 1139).

Asia: Xiao long bao
at Zhen Wei Dim Sum

There are few things more satisfying than slurping up some soup dumplings, and these are up there with some of the best. The rich broth explodes from the casing, and the chicken stuffing is zingy and flavoursome.

Dhs85. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-11.30pm. Caesars Palace Dubai, Bluewaters Dubai (04 526 0381).

Europe: American Hot pizza at Marco’s New York Italian

We’re sure we weren’t the only ones who were tremendously excited when Marco Pierre White opened up his second restaurant in the capital in 2019. With a cool bar area, lots of retro booth and photos of the man himself covering the walls it ticks all the boxes. It specialises in uncomplicated, high-quality Italian food and if you’re a pizza lover you have to try the exceptionally popular American Hot. Served on a thin and crispy base and topped with salami, mozzarella, tomato and chillies, it delivers the perfect mix of fiery spice, delicious meat and stringy cheese.

Dhs85. Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Khor Al Maqta (02 654 3333).

Europe: Beef wellington
at Hell’s Kitchen
Gordon Ramsay’s Bluewaters restaurant sees diners presented with individually prepared, rugby ball-shaped beef wellingtons, sliced in half to reveal a fantastically pink centre. Try to appreciate the artful scoring of the buttery puff pastry before you demolish every last bite.

Dhs250. Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai (04 556 6466).

Europe: Burrata Pizza at Mare Mare

Forget the amazing views and this restaurant is still impressive with its excellent Italian food. We know good pizza and the burrata pizza here is up there with the best of them. The crust and base are a thing of beauty and when you’ve got a huge ball of buratta at the centre we can forgive you for using a knife and fork to get stuck into every but of the creamy cheese, tangy tomato and fragrant basil pesto that make this pie a real gem.

Dhs85. Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort (02 811 4342).

Europe: Butternut squash tortelli at Circo

You’ll find a menu full of all the staples and favourites from the boot-shaped country at this circus-themed Italian, plus a few more adventurous dishes such as truffle risotto and poached octopus. The butternut tortelli is swimming in butter (it’s so naughty but we love it), and the naturally sweet butternut goes perfectly with the nutty parmesan cheese and pesto sauce. Served perfectly al dente with just a hint of bite, we could eat bowl after bowl, after bowl.

Dhs79. InterContinental Abu Dhabi, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street (02 418 2415).

Europe: Escargot de Bourgogne
at La Serre

Love them or look at them in horror, La Serre’s garlic and parsley butter snails are good enough to turn even the most shell-dweller-averse diners around. Beautifully presented, and even more impressively prepared, they’re tender, tasty and just asking to have all their juices mopped up with a slice of toasted country bread. It’d be rude not to.

Dhs90. Vida Downtown, Downtown Dubai (04 528 3779).

Europe: Margarita Pizza at Napo

Not all pizzas are created equal but the pizzas at Napo might just be the best in Abu Dhabi – and we don’t say that lightly. Sure, it’s a margarita pizza and you might be wondering what’s so special but with a brilliantly bubbled crist, perfect proportion of toppings and sauce, this margarita is really worth shouting about. This pizza is now the bar we’ll measure others by from now on.
Dhs60. Napo, Al Bateen (02 554 4614).

Europe: Mediterranean salad at Alba Terrace

The menu at this gorgeous European restaurant was created by British chef Tom Aikens, and it stars soups, salads, sharing plates, fish, meats and more. The outdoor area right by the pool is stunning, and as you relax on one of the pretty blue and white booths, smoothly sunk down into the edge of the infinity pool, we recommend embracing the theme properly and going for the Mediterranean salad as your starter. Ribbons of colourful raw courgette are joined by juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet red peppers and creamy feta cheese. It’s simple, but clearly made with the very best ingredients the kitchen can possibly source, and the vegetables are all packed with flavour and goodness.

Dhs50. The Abu Dhabi EDITION, Al Bateen (02 208 0000).

Europe: Ravioli aux fruits de mer at carine

This charming restaurant from chef Izu Ani has a menu bursting with must-try dishes. But our current favourite is the delicate ravioli, stuffed with tender, delicately seasoned seafood. The incredibly moreish little parcels are utterly delcious, and the sauce is fragrant and a clever mix of light yet indulgent.

Dhs120. Emirates Golf Club, Sheikh Zayed Road (04 417 9885).

Europe: Salame picante pizza at The Artisan

One of the big upsides to the lockdown period was the return of Italian restaurant The Artisan. The former Time Out award-winner has had a curious existence since first appearing in the city in 2016 but seems to now have a solid future ahead. Opening with pizza delivery only at first, it now occupies a space in the Waldorf Astoria DIFC. And the pizzas are out of this world – especially this one.

Dhs90. Walford Astoria Hotel DIFC (058 579 8323).

Europe: Sausage and mash
at The Irish Village Studio City

It does what it says on the tin. Or about 15 tins, judging by the size of this colossal portion. Three fat bangers sit atop a mountain of mash, in itself emerging from a vast sea of gravy. If you can summit this hearty peak in one sitting, we salute you.

Dhs65. Dubai Studio City (04 241 8444).

Europe: Seafood paella
at BOCA

A classic Spanish dish, and so popular at this DIFC restaurant there are even two dedicated paella nights. They’re massive, flavoursome, plus this one’s packed with shellfish and calamari.

Dhs249 (paella club). Gate Village 6, DIFC (04 323 1833).

Europe: Soppressata piccante
at Motorino

More commonly known as a pepperoni pizza, don’t dismiss this wonderfully cheesy, doughy, perfectly blistered and fiery version. Pass us a slice.

Dhs80. JA Ocean View Hotel, JBR (04 814 5590).

Europe: Spinach phyllo pie at 21 Grams

Dubai’s only Balkan bistro now has a heap of top dishes to get your teeth into. Choosing which to recommend is like picking your favourite kid. Smoked cevap tartare, Adriatic octopus… We love them all equally. But the phyllo pies here are our culinary equivalent of a first-born. Filling choices change regularly, but the classic spinach is a triumph, packed with freshly wilted greens, encased in a flaky, buttery swirl of pastry. Swoon.

Dhs34 (swirl), Dhs62 (tray). Jumeirah Beach Road, Umm Suqeim (04 349 0744).

Europe: Steak & Mushroom pie at The Duck Hook

We’ll have none of your puff pastry lid, pie imposters, for we have found the most perfect example of a pie in Dubai. A beast of a portion and accompanied by mash, peas and a rich, thick gravy, this short crust masterpiece will keep you satisfied for hours and hours.

Dhs115. Dubai Hills GolfClub (0800 666 353).

Europe: Sticky Toffee Date Pudding at Oak Room

Yes, it’s a steakhouse, but the sweets on offer are as impressive as the cuts of meat. We love a generous helping and this wonderfully light take on sticky toffee pudding has us licking our lips just thinking about. The cake, soaking in suitably sticky toffee sauce, comes with a scoop of toffee ice cream that refreshes the palate and makes a journey to the restaurant for dessert alone seem like a good idea.

Dhs30. Abu Dhabi EDITION, Al Bateen (02 208 0000).

Europe: Truffle pizza
at Il Borro

As our Restaurant of the Year, everything here is superb, but the truffle pizza is a must-try. It’s decadent and delicious – think perfectly cooked dough, cheesy goodness and generous shavings of black truffle, which you can smell before it even hits the table. Forget the awkward moment when everyone is politely declining the last slice – you’ll be fighting for it.

Dhs165. Jumeirah Al Naseem, Umm Suqeim (04 275 2555).

Europe: Tzatziki at Mythos

This Greek is permanently busy and we’re entirely sure that that’s down to its moreish tzatziki (among other yummy dishes). Creamy, perfectly seasoned, bursting with flavour and served with warm and equally moreish flat bread. All the dishes at Mythos are fantastic (it is the Best Greek restaurant in Dubai, after all) but the tzatziki is a shining star of a dip.

Dhs20. Armada BlueBay Hotel, Cluster P, JLT (04 399 8166).

Europe: WHITE’s profiteroles at WHITE Beach

This is quite possibly the most decadent dessert you’ll eat all year (if not ever). These profiteroles are not only stuffed full of vanilla ice cream (contreversial) they are doused in molten, silky smooth chocolate sauce. Oh, and they’re dusted with gold. Casual.

Dhs109. Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah (04 426 2626).

MENA: Fried chicken liver
at Al Safadi

A ubiquitous Middle Eastern mezze staple, chicken livers are not hard to come by in these parts. But like many things local favourite Al Safadi does, these are some of the tastiest in town. Gently fried before being tossed in a pomegranate molasses sauce, with a hit of lemon juice, the tangy coating perfectly balances the rich, irony flavour of each bite.

Dhs37. Umm Al Sheif, Sheikh Zayed Road (600 500 601).

MENA: Chicken shawarma at Allo Beirut

King of the Emirates’ street food offerings, the shawarma needs no introduction. But – if you haven’t already met – you certainly need one to Allo Beirut. A fresh, funky newcomer to Dubai’s casual Levantine food scene, watch chefs slinging manakish into blazing-hot ovens, stretching out fresh wholemeal saj and carving meat from enormous vertical grills to wedge into these super sharwarmas. A familiar combination of juicy chicken, fiery garlic, fresh fries and tangy pickles. Fantastic.

Dhs10. Hessa Street (800 862 34788).

MENA: Sujuk roll
at Sah El Nom, Bluewaters

Sometimes it pays to go with your waiter’s recommendation. On our visit Sah El Nom on Bluewaters island, our smiling and sharply suited server insisted on the hot mezze sujuk roll. “The best dish on the menu,” he declared. And, after one crispy, meaty, spicy bite of the Arabic bread stuffed with sujuk, we responded: “One of the best in Dubai”.

Dhs35. Bluewaters Dubai (04 587 7096).

MENA: Shakshuka at Shay Madhboot

Tucked away next to a dry cleaners in Al Muroor, Shay Madhoot doesn’t really look anything special from the outside. But the greatness of this breakfast and karak spot isn’t exactly a big secret, and you’ll be lucky to grab a free table in this petite and very popular café. Everything is homemade and made from scratch, so you might be in for a bit of a weight if you come at a busy time. But the shakshuka is more than worth your patience. Neatly presented on a wooden board and with a wicker basket of freshly made porotta bread, it tastes possibly even better than it looks. The yolks are just runny enough and the delicately flavoured sauce is topped with chunks of delicious feta cheese. Incredible.

Dhs40. Dihan Street, Al Muroor (02 621 7323).