Iris
Already popular in Lebanon, this upscale bar and restaurant has a 180-degree view of the port and the iconic lights of the Yas Viceroy from its outdoor terrace, so go at sunset to catch it at its best. Inside mellow lounge music plays and live bands perform every Thursday 7pm-10pm, Fridays after midnight and Saturdays 7pm till closing.
Open Sun-Thu 6pm-3am; Fri-Sat noon-3am. www.irisabudhabi.com (055 160 5636).
Cipriani
When Giuseppe Cipriani opened the doors to Harry’s Bar in Venice in 1931, he probably didn’t think his name would end up at Yas Marina. But the family-run bar has become a global chain of clubs, resorts and restaurants. This latest outpost, which re-opened in October following a refurbishment, seats 400. The Italian fine dining restaurant has a terrace overlooking the marina and promenade, and indoor bar and eating area with nautical touches. Cipriani is also home to Yotto, a Japanese sushi bar. Not a fan of raw fish? It serves cooked dishes such as chicken udon, too.
Open daily 6pm-midnight. www.cipriani.com (02 657 5400).
Rozanah
Named after a classical Lebanese song, Rozanah serves traditional mezze such as stuffed vine leaves and Middle Eastern dishes like lamb shawarma, grilled fish and sweet pastries. Now the weather’s cooler, sit on the terrace overlooking the fountain and smoke shisha. Belly dancing performances and shows by musicians playing the traditional Arabic oud are planned.
Open Sun-Thu noon-midnight; Fri-Sat noon-3pm. www.rozanah.ae (02 496 3200).
Café d’Alsace
Even before you get through the door, the scent of smoked cheese hits you – which gives the game away on what type of cuisine this cafe serves. As its name suggests, it has a range of dishes from the Alsace region in eastern France, which borders Germany and Switzerland. As such, the menu fuses French, German and Swiss cuisine – so expect the melted cheese dishes raclette and fondue, and flammkuchen, a kind of thin, crispy pizza usually served with crème fraîche, finely sliced onions and strips of meat.
Open Sun-Thu 8am-midnight; Fri-Sat 8am-2am. www.cafedalsace.ae (02 496 3200).
Stars ’N’ Bars
As with Café d’Alsace, Stars ’N’ Bars is an affordable, informal dining option. An American-style sports bar and restaurant, the menu is classic roadside diner: burgers, fajitas and burritos with apple pie for dessert. Most tables come with racing car seats and feature sporting paraphernalia underneath the table top, or bag the glass-topped table football table and play a game while you eat. You can catch all the big games on the bar’s 26 flatscreen TVs and 6x8ft projector screen, or hire a private booth which comes with its own TV. Monday night is quiz night which is free to enter. Next weekend, ’80s tribute band The Harlequins will play. The outdoor terrace, which seats 100, has a completely different vibe, with cabanas and shisha. Ladies’ night is 9pm-11pm every Wednesday with DJ Heston playing every night from Wednesday-Saturday.
Open Sun-Wed noon-1.30am; Thu-Sat noon-2.30am. www.starsnbars.ae (02 565 0101).
Aquarium
Next door, the floor-to-ceiling fish tanks give you a clue to the theme of this restaurant – in case the name didn’t give it away. The rest of the restaurant is adorned with nautical touches – the entrance is the hull of a ship and the chairs look like they’ve spent a few years basking in the sun. Aquarium serves Thai-style seafood, and it has plans for dedicated oyster, lobster and fish and chips nights which will cost around the Dhs400 mark for two. While the interior is impressive, now the weather’s cooler you might want to sit outside by the marina. Shisha is available on the terrace.
Open daily noon-midnight (02 917 5605).
Diablito
Open in time for the Grand Prix, this Mediterranean restaurant serves classic Spanish tapas such as garlic prawns, Spanish omelette and the ubiquitous patatas bravas – fried chunks of potato in a spicy tomato sauce. The indoor area fits just a handful of tables so most of the seating is on the ground-floor terrace overlooking the marina or the shaded rooftop, which has good views of the race track – and that means you get to hear the cars, too. Local and international DJs and occasional live acts are planned for Thursday and Friday nights.
Open Sun-Thu from 6pm; Fri-Sat from noon. www.diablito.ae (050 917 5605).
