Belgian Café: Since throwing open its wood-panelled doors at the start of the year, this cosy little whistle-wetter has quickly found favour with the city’s more discerning drinkers. The traditional oak and brass decor might be partially responsible, but the big draw is the bar itself, behind which you’ll find Abu Dhabi’s broadest selection of continental draughts. All come served up in traditional goblet-style glasses by friendly staff, who are happy to recommend an accompanying bar snack or two. The recently opened outdoor terrace, situated next to a marina, may stifle the European theme a tad, but it’s still an excellent place to settle down with the Saturday papers, stroke your mighty beard and enjoy a good old quaff.
Open daily 5pm-1am. InterContinental Abu Dhabi, Khor Al Bateen, www.ichotelsgroup.com (02 666 6888).
Cho Gao: Smouldering incense sticks, dim lighting, soothing pan-pipe tunes – we’ll admit it, the first time we wandered into this new South East Asian-themed watering hole, we wondered if we’d accidentally stumbled into a spa instead. But as the expertly mixed drinks came and went and the soundtrack took a turn for the livelier, it wasn’t long before the Crowne Plaza’s latest opening secured itself a spot among our favourites. Factor in decent bar snacks, almost suspiciously friendly staff and a daily happy hour offering half-price drinks until 7pm (look out for team TOAD huddled in the corner most evenings) and you’ve got one of the finest drinking dens in the city.
Open daily noon-1am. Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Al Markaziyah, www.ichotelsgroup.com (02 616 6149).
Hakkasan: Okay, so it’s best known as dining spot, but that doesn’t change the fact that TOAD’s Best New Restaurant 2010 also boasts an impossibly cool drinking area, perfect for those looking to impress their guests. Well-informed mixologists will be happy to recommend something from their extensive drinks menu to suit your tastes, but go for The Hakka – a fruity concoction that’s the bar’s signature blend – and you won’t be disappointed. And, of course, should you and your chums drink up an appetite, there’s the added advantage of being stumbling distance away from some of the city’s best food.
Open daily 6pm-2am. Emirates Palace Hotel, Ras Al Akhdar, www.hakkasan.com (02 690 7999).
Relax@12: For well-blended beverages at altitude, look no further than Aloft’s trendy new rooftop lounge. While smooth tunes play in the background during the week, local DJs drop in to pick up the tempo on a Thursday and Friday, giving the stylish crowd something to shake their well-dressed behinds to. Situated next to Adnec, this uptown venue may be a little out of the way for some, but if you’re in the market for stunning views, a laid-back vibe and excellent (if a little pricey) grub, this addition to the city’s nightlife scene is worth the short taxi jaunt. It’s still relatively quiet, so get involved before the crowds descend.
Open Sat-Wed 5pm-midnight; Thu-Fri 5pm-1am. Aloft Abu Dhabi, Al Safraat, www.aloftabudhabi.com (02 654 5000).
Stars ‘N’ Bars: Sports bars aren’t exactly a rarity in Abu Dhabi – we’d challenge you to walk more than a few feet without virtually tripping over one – but few can boast a claim to fame as impressive as this spot on Yas Island. Opened just last month, it’s the first overseas branch of a brand that began life in Monte Carlo, a stone’s throw from the street circuit used for the Monaco Grand Prix. Based next to our own F1 track, the new Abu Dhabi outlet is packed with all manner of motorsport memorabilia, and boasts some painfully chic surroundings.
Open Sun-Wed, 11.30am-midnight, Thurs-Sat, 11.30am-1am. Yas Marina and Yacht Club, Yas Island (02 565 0101).
