Looking for the best restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi? Downtown is one of Abu Dhabi’s most vibrant areas, where you can get a meal for as little as Dhs5 or plump for dinner in a fancy hotel… plus everything in between.
Whether you’re scouring for the city’s best karak, Chips Oman paratha, street food or your next favourite hidden gem, there’s always excitement to be found downtown.
There are also some fantastic bars to visit, if you’re looking to have a night out in the city. And if cafés are more your speed, downtown Abu Dhabi has you covered there too.
We’ve been on a food tour of restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi to find the very best. Here’s where you should hit up the next time you’re in the city.
Jump to:
Restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi
Aroy Dee
This is one of the most popular restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi for a reason. For those who are pining for Thai street food, Aroy Dee is the place to be. Most of the mouth-watering mains come in around Dhs35. For that you can grab a red curry with roasted duck, a fiery Thai massaman curry or pad Thai, all of which come in hearty portions and served with a warm smile from waiters. This place is an absolute Dee-light.
For the best places for backpackers to eat in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, 11am-midnight. Electra Street (behind the ADCB head office) (02 666 5461).
Bait El Khetyar
Looking for Arab cuisine on a budget? Bait El Khetyar serves heaps of delicious food including shawarma, falafel, tabbouleh, fattoush and manakish. There are branches spread across Abu Dhabi, but the OG can be found on Hamdan Street, with two levels and plenty of seating. Pro tip: order a fresh juice with your shawarma. You’re welcome.
For the best street food in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, 7am-1am. Hamdan Street (02 449 9916).
Bonna Annee
Did someone say Ethiopian food? Stews and curries are what Bonna Annee excels at, although over the years we’ve worked our way through the whole menu and nothing misses the mark. Try the Bonna Annee special to sample some of its greatest hits. It seems that like a good stew, the restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi all seem to get better with time.
For top new brunches in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, 10am-midnight. Behind Salam Street, Al Zahiyah, facebook.com/bonnaanne (02 491 2128).
Burro Blanco
On the hunt for one of the best tacos in Abu Dhabi? Then head straight to Burro Blanco. The no-frills Mexican eatery doesn’t do any gimmicks that guests might expect from a themed restaurant. It is all about the grub and the trio tacos are top notch. But unlike other entries on our list, the customer gets to select what goes into the three six inch flour tortillas. Chilli, beef, pollo, verde salsa, the choice is all yours.
For the best tacos in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open Sat 11am-midnight, Mon-Thu noon-1am, Fri and Sun noon-midnight. Zayed the First Road burroblanco.ae (02 309 3911).
Coal Steakhouse
If you’re after a sizzling steak, Coal Steakhouse is one of the restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi that has you covered. The new restaurant is open now at the trendy Sheikha Fatima Park area with premium cuts plus surf and turf options. There’s grilled chicken, proper loaded burgers, sushi and sashimi to try. Knives out for one of the best places to eat downtown Abu Dhabi.
Click here to read about Coal Steakhouse opening.
Sheikha Fatima Park, Al Khalidiya, instagram.com/coalabudhabi (056 996 9700).
Korean Kitchen
Hungry for Korean restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi? Korean Kitchen serves up some of the finest Korean-style fried chicken in Abu Dhabi. Keep things simple with the OG fried chicken or take things up a notch with one of the saucier variations: sweet and spicy, honey-garlic, chilli-soy, and teriyaki. And if you like your spice, the spicy fried chicken will blow your head off. There are all the other Korean staples to enjoy too. Get out your chopsticks.
For the best fried chicken in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, 10.30am-10.30pm. Al Najda Street (050 571 2665).
Pickl
Fast and fresh burgers downtown Abu Dhabi, sound good? Then you’re going to want to head straight to Pickl at WTC. This homegrown burger joint is the winner of the Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards best burger for a reason. Serving brilliant burgers, sandos, shakes and fries, this is one of the top restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi.
Click here for Abu Dhabi’s best burgers.
Sun-Thu 11am-2am; Fri-Sat 11am-3am. World Trade Centre (02 886 7314).
Punjab Highway
Looking for the best Indian restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi? Take a trip down the Punjab Highway, where you’ll be speeding towards a culinary feast that’s really hard to beat. The food here is truly excellent and surprisingly cheap, proving that you don’t have to inflate prices just because your chefs are worth their weight in gold. Go for curry, daal, chaat, biryani or any of the other enticing options.
For Abu Dhabi’s best Indian restaurants click here.
Open Sun-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 9am-1am. Opposite Electra Park, Al Zahiyah, (02 641 1165).
Seven Hotpot
A list of restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi would be incomplete without hotpot. This is one of the best ways to enjoy a night downtown: soaking your choice of ingredients in layers of flavour, watching them cook and eating as much as humanly possible. There are a couple Seven Hotpots spread across Abu Dhabi, but if you’re looking for hotpot downtown you’re going to want to head to the branch on Electra Street.
Click here for the best hotpot in Abu Dhabi.
Open daily, 11am-1am. Zayed the first street, (02 546 8877).
Sola Restaurant & Café
Sola Restaurant & Café is one of the more upscale restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi. Located next to Sheikha Fatima Park, the inside is a swirling mix of green and gold, marble tabletops and a two-storey mural featuring a hand-painted desertscape. The décor fuses urban, New York-style coffeehouse with more than a touch of Abu Dhabi glamour. And the menu is putting the gourmet back in café. Add it to your must-try list ASAP.
For the top new restaurants and cafés in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, 7am-1am. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park, Al Khalidiya, solacafe.com (02 546 3558).
West to West Kitchen
West to West Kitchen is one of the most well-loved restaurants downtown Abu Dhabi for a reason. It lovingly combines the flavours of Jamaica, Sierra Leone and Trinidad & Tobago for a gorgeous blend of options. Whether you’re into jerk chicken, curried goat or groundnut stew this place knocks out some wonderful stuff. Grab some saltfish fritters as you wait for your mains. Yes please.
For Time Out’s full review of West to West Kitchen click here.
Open Mon-Wed noon-9pm, Thu noon-10pm, Fri 3pm-10pm, Sat noon-10pm. Electra St (behind the ADCB head office), instagram.com/westtowestkitchen (02 671 9119).
Cafés downtown Abu Dhabi
% Arabica
Looking for the best places to get caffeinated downtown? % Arabica is a minimalist café with branches across the UAE. Head to the corniche where this brilliant spot has become a favourite among coffee connoisseurs. It’s chic, bright white, and has its own branded espresso machines and blends.
For the best remote working cafés in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open Mon-Fri 7am-midnight; Sat-Sun 7am-1am. Corniche Road, (02 677 7335).
Café 302
A previous Time Out Abu Dhabi award winner, Café 302 can be found on Zayed the First Street at Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana. It’s known as one of the best cafés downtown Abu Dhabi for a reason. Go for the many coffees or make a proper meal of it (they have a special vegetarian and vegan menus, if you’re so inclined).
For the best coffee in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, 6am-11pm. Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana, Zayed the First Street (02 610 6688).
Em Sherif Café
There’s a new café downtown Abu Dhabi and it’s bringing the Levant to the Abu Dhabi corniche. Em Sherif Café opened earlier this year with Levant flavours in a sunny, picturesque setting. Grab a coffee or make a full meal of it.
Click here to see Time Out‘s first look at Em Sherif Café.
Open daily, noon-2am. West Bay, Corniche Road Abu Dhabi. emsherif-cafe.com (02 691 9999).
Rain Café
Puffy rain clouds, soothing blue tones, and a rare treat for Abu Dhabi residents: rain. There are locations across Abu Dhabi including the Abu Dhabi Corniche and this café is the perfect spot for a delicious coffee and a snack or meal during a lazy afternoon. No matter the location, the décor is always cute.
Click here for the prettiest cafés in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Corniche, Muroor, Yas Mall (02 677 7366).
Third Place Café
When it comes to working cafés downtown Abu Dhabi, Third Place is difficult to top. It’s the kind of place where groups converge to catch up, but you’d also be well placed to head there solo with a laptop or a book. Order yourself a breakfast, sandwich, salad or one of the mains and take your time to enjoy each and every mouthful.
For the best places to get breakfast outdoors, click here.
Open daily 8am-11pm. Corniche Road, thethirdplaceuae.com (02 681 1877).
Pubs and bars downtown
Backyard Bistro (BYB)
Better known as BYB to its regulars, Backyard Bistro is one of the most popular bars downtown Abu Dhabi. The music is loud, the crowd is a mix of glamorous and casual, and the music gets louder and louder over the course of the night. The décor inside resembles a hipster junkyard with furniture made from recycled tyres, motorcycles, petrol nozzles and more. Outside, the terrace has a more laid-back vibe with pretty hanging lights and plants.
For the best ladies’ nights in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open Sat-Wed noon-2am; Thu-Fri noon-3am. The Hub, World Trade Center Mall (050 114 3666).
Bambu
One of the newer bars downtown Abu Dhabi, Bambu is a newcomer that’s made a bang on the nightlife scene. Eye catching décor, pan-Asian and Latin dishes, vibey themed nights, and the all-important flower wall… what’s not to love? You might not expect such a vibrant spot to appear inside the unassuming Cristal Hotel, but once you walk inside you’ll forget the world outside.
For the best evening brunches in Abu Dhabi, click here.
Open daily, noon-4am. Cristal Hotel (02 652 0134).
Easy Tiger
Looking for no fuss no muss bars downtown Abu Dhabi? Easy Tiger has an endlessly fun vibe with pool tables, loads of drinks and an eclectic mix of music. But it’s not the kind of place where you need to rock up in stilettos. Wings, hops and a few games of pool is as good a night out as you can get in our book and Easy Tiger certainly has a laidback charm that keeps people coming back.
Click here to learn more about Bingo Boogie at Easy Tiger.
Open Mon-Fri noon-3.50am; Sat-Sun 10am-3.50am. Al Ain Palace Hotel (050 593 7977).
PJ O’ Reilley’s
If you’re looking for classic Irish pubs and bars downtown Abu Dhabi, you’re going to want to head straight to PJ’s. This classic Irish pub in the heart of Abu Dhabi is one of the most consistently wonderful spots, especially for those who value a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere and a pretty poolside terrace.
Click here to go around the world in 9 Abu Dhabi bars.
Open Sun-Thu noon-2am; Fri-Sat noon-3am. Le Royal Méridien, Sheikh Khalifa Street, (02 695 0515).
Stratos
Stratos is Abu Dhabi’s first and only revolving bar and if you’re looking for views of downtown, this is it. As soon as you step inside you’ll feel a shift in the atmosphere. Maybe it’s the jazzy tunes, maybe it’s the slowly revolving bar, or maybe it’s the busy space filled with plates whirling in and out of the kitchen. Whatever that “it” factor is you’ll be drawn in right away.
Click here to read the Time Out Abu Dhabi review of the Stratos supper club brunch.
Open daily, 2pm-2am. Le Royal Meridien (02 695 0490).
Up & Below
If you’re after a rooftop bars downtown Abu Dhabi, Up & Below should be on your list. This trendy bar was closed for a while but it’s open now at Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center. Go for grape, mixed drinks, hops and more. If it’s cool out, the terrace is a popular shout.
For Abu Dhabi’s best outdoor bars, click here.
Open daily, 3pm-1am. Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Centre (02 698 2222).
BACK TO TOP
