Some say it’s the most important meal of the day.
Whether that’s true or not, a good breakfast can be a truly brilliant thing to find.
And there are lots of great venues in Abu Dhabi serving up great morning feasts.
Here’s the top ten breakfast venues to check out in 2019, as voted for in the recent Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards.
WINNER: RAW BY NOLU’S
Nestled next to Al Seef Mall and mere metres away from two gyms, Raw by Nolu’s must be feeling very smug about bagging such a perfect location. Ideally located to draw in all the health buffs as they head out for a post-workout smoothie, it’s also a popular spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Honest, wholesome and healthy are just three of the watchwords of this wonderful third cog in the Nolu’s wheel.
Cuter and cosier than its big brothers in the capital, Raw has attracted its own band of devotees.
The sunshine bowls never fail to brighten our day, while the avocado toast with organic poached eggs is always a fantastic start to the morning. Garnished with almonds, radish, feta, sprouts and spiralised cucumber, it looks almost as wonderful as it tastes.
This is the kind of place where everything is spiralised, and gluten is the enemy. But it’s refreshing to know that whatever you choose, it definitely won’t be bad for you.
Al Seef Village, Khalifa Park area (02 444 8080).
HIGHLY COMMENDED: CAFÉ ARABIA
If there’s anything that screams lazy Saturday morning more than reading the paper (after you’re done with Time Out, of course) with some poached eggs and coffee, we’d love to hear about it.
But until then, that is the peak of a well-deserved weekend of “doing nothing”. And, if you want to do nothing, you’ve got to do it right.
Ditch that hankering for a fry-up and try some flavours of Arabia. Café Arabia is decorated in a mismatch of furniture, long wooden tables and sofas – it’s as homely as your granny’s living room.
When the sliding doors are open and, even when the sunshine is pouring in, you can expect a cool breeze sweeping through the place.
The Palestinian shakshouka here was one of the first dishes that made us a convert to the ways of Middle Eastern cuisine. Consisting of four eggs baked in tomato topped with feta and garlic mint yoghurt, and there are few better in the capital. The Arabian breakfast is also a feast we’d gobble up every day if we could.
15th Street, Al Mussala (02 643 9699).
HIGHLY COMMENDED: TASHAS
So incredibly healthy (and tasty) are the breakfast dishes at this South African import, we can almost forgive its owner for missing out an apostrophe from its moniker (almost).
The emperor’s breakfast (see, an apostrophe) is a beautiful way to kick-start your morning, while tashas quinoa is made all the lovelier by the perfectly poached egg on top. But the most eggs-travagant breakfast dish (sorry not sorry) has to be the so-called billionaire eggs. Featuring scrambled eggs and parsley, topped with parmesan shavings, truffle oil and seaweed caviar, it’s pure decadence. Okay, it might not be the same as having a billion in the bank, but you can really savour a taste of the high life here.
With a spot overlooking the boats and pretty waters at Al Marsa in Al Bateen, it’s a picture-perfect spot for a leisurely weekend breakfast with your friends and family.
The iced cappuccino at this family-run chain is definitely worth trying, too.
Marsa Al Bateen (02 445 0890).
SHORTLISTED
CAFÉ 302
This unashamedly hipster hangout always knows how we like our eggs in the morning and is just the type of weekend pick-me-up we need after a hard week of reviewing nightclubs. Along with lovely cold brews served in milk bottles (of course), Café 302 offers a great selection of healthy, filling, Insta-worthy breakfasts, the omelettes being a particular favourite.
Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana, Hamdan Street (02 610 6666).
LARTE
Larte has got breakfast down to a fine art – something you’d hope for considering its location in the Manarat Al Saadiyat creative hub. The Italian take on the full English is a hearty way to sate those Saturday morning cravings, though our fave is the sunny vegetables omelette – light, fluffy and packed with goodness.
Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island (02 657 5888).
MCGETTIGAN’S
McGettigan’s is perhaps better known for its party atmosphere than its food but should you have spent the night on the dance floor here, you’d be wise to return the morning after too. The signature full Irish is probably the best seller but we’re just as happy to devour the smoked salmon muffin (it’s less calorific, too).
Al Raha Beach Hotel and Resort, Channel Street, Al Raha (02 652 4333).
NO.FIFTYSEVEN BOUTIQUE CAFÉ
This tremendously trendy Al Bateen hangout loves to put a spin on dishes that we could sometimes take for granted. The black bagel might have been a new one on most people when it launched, but it tastes oh, so right. Breakfast here is a classy affair, with the burrata scramble, hash brown Benedict and breakfast burrito all thoroughly flavoursome.
Al Marasy, Al Bateen (02 441 6100).
NOLU’S
This three-time Best Café winner might have been usurped as the breakfast king by its sister venue, Raw, but we still can’t find much to fault about this Afghani-Californian eatery in Al Bandar. For several years it has been a go-to for breakfast for many of Abu Dhabi’s foodies, with the range of organic egg dishes a cracking way to start any day.
Al Bandar, Al Raha Beach (02 557 9500).
SHAY MAHDBOOT
Famed for its karak chai (the restaurant’s name does mean ‘perfect tea’ after all), this eatery also knocks up a mean breakfast. We can’t get enough of this intimate venue with its charming staff. We also can’t get enough of its shakshouka, so good it would even make egg-haters consider the errors of their ways.
Dihan Street, Al Muroor (02 621 7323).
THE SPORTSMAN’S ARMS
We don’t know about you but we’ve always loved the concept of an all-day breakfast. Why not have some brekkie at 9pm when everyone else is chomping on pizzas? This Zayed Sports City pub doesn’t judge, offering its range of ‘morning’ plates (think full Irish, avocado and feta smash and eggs Florentine) as and when you want them. Good on them, we say.
The International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City (02 447 1066).
