United Arab Emirates
Right on the corniche, this little place is a winner for its mezze menu and hearty biryanis with chicken or fish. Despite the name (and the prominent…
United Arab Emirates
Right on the corniche, this little place is a winner for its mezze menu and hearty biryanis with chicken or fish. Despite the name (and the prominent…
Bur Dubai
Lemongrass’ soothing mango-and-lime-coloured dining room is an ideal backdrop for brightly flavoured cooking that spans the arc from pad Thai (nicely…
United Arab Emirates
This cafe with loungey chairs on the terrace, good espresso-based coffee and a short menu of pastries, sandwiches and pasta is the nicest place to stop…
Dubai
With its loft-like ceilings, concrete floors, red-brick walls and eco-aware attitude, the Pantry may scream 'Shoreditch transplant' but is actually a laid…
Downtown Dubai
Come here for authentic Jamaican food, from the curried goat with coconut rice to oxtail and beans and jerk chicken. The all-time favourite snacks are the…
Dubai
This huge and fairly formal mall restaurant with decor inspired by ancient Iraq is locally adored for its excellent masgouf – wood-fired grilled fish, the…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Located on the 1st floor and with seamless views of the sand and the sea, Seven Sands dishes up generous portions of traditional Emirati cuisine in a…
Downtown Dubai
This Beirut import serves granny-style rural Lebanese cafe cuisine adapted for the 21st century: light, healthy and fresh. The homey decor more than…
Bur Dubai
At this small and basic joint, Nepali expats soothe their homesickness with platters of tasty momos (dumplings), including a version filled with 'buff' …
Abu Dhabi
Masala dosas (stuffed pancakes served with chutneys) are the speciality at this teensy canteen with just a few tables, which are usually filled with…
Sharjah
If you're with a group all with different tastes, this local UAE chain offers something for everyone – from pizza to lamb chops and pasta to big salads…
United Arab Emirates
It's all about seaside views and breezy Mediterranean style at Al Yamm Villa Resort's restaurant, where the Italian menu runs from porcini pizza drizzled…
Abu Dhabi
For a lunch of stuffed saj (flatbread), sandwiches or salad, the wide veranda here, with its old fashioned, comfy wicker sofas and low tables, is a shady,…
Omani Foods Restaurant & Kitchen
United Arab Emirates
You wouldn't know it from its ramshackle appearance – or its exceedingly snappy name – but this is the best joint on the Omani side of town for a meal…
Dubai
This comfy Euro-style cafe is an expat favourite famous for its luscious cakes (especially the carrot cake), tasty breakfasts, creative sandwiches …
Bur Dubai
The sister restaurant of the fabled Bu Qtair sits on the corner of a lone gentrified block in working-class Karama, with plastic chairs and tables spread…
Dubai
This corporate take on the street food truck craze comes complete with a kids' playground, prayer rooms, ATMs and other infrastructure and makes a good…
Dubai
Close to the Mall of the Emirates (next to a Holiday Inn), this local favourite is famous for its kunafeh (cheesy pastry in sugar syrup). Before the sweet…
Dubai
With a simple whitewashed wood pavilion set right on the beach in the shadow of Burj Al Arab, Shimmers is big on atmosphere. The homestyle Greek cuisine…
Downtown Dubai
This Virginia-based chain proves that there is such a thing as guilt-free fast food by serving burgers made entirely from organic, grass-fed and free…
Bur Dubai
Teeming with tourists lured by the romantic Creekside setting, this restaurant occupies one of Dubai's oldest buildings, a 1930s shipping office, and has…
Abu Dhabi
This restaurant isn't going to win any prizes for decor, but it does muster up delicious authentic Indian, Pakistani, Iranian and Middle Eastern dishes …
Abu Dhabi
A favourite meeting spot for Emiratis, this old-fashioned cafe deals in coffee and cake, croissants and classic sandwiches with some pasta dishes thrown…
Bur Dubai
Jaffer Bhai, the self-crowned 'biryani king of Mumbai', now feeds his soulful fare to adoring crowds in this modern Karama eatery decorated with a…
Bur Dubai
Look beyond the sun-bleached photos of dishes: the menu may have few surprises but does staples like grills, hummus and tabbouleh (salad of tomatoes,…
Abu Dhabi
If you want a taste of how seafood is enjoyed locally, nose round the back of the fish market, near the dry-fish section. This tiny Indian restaurant …
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
At this teensy country-style eatery most of the fresh ingredients – from lemons to chickens – are sourced from growers based in nearby Al Ain. Barbecued…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Only in Dubai. Yalla specialises in quirky samosas, but its recently released 24-karat-gold concoction certainly crowns the list: it's a king-size bite…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
The Westin's all-day buffet restaurant has dishes that aim at pleasing all, in an airy setting with citrus-coloured furniture on a white tiled floor and…
Bur Dubai
Egyptian flavours reign supreme here with tajines, mashawi (roasted meat), stuffed pigeon and a juicy bamia (okra casserole), although there are some…
Dubai
This multi-branch staple hasn't lost a step since first firing up that charcoal grill in 1972. Chicken tikka and various kebabs are all tickled to…
Bur Dubai
Locals love the opulent Bedouin tent–style ceiling of this formal Lebanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, complete with belly dancer and live band…
Downtown Dubai
Thiptara means 'magic at the water' – very appropriate given its romantic setting in a lakeside pagoda with unimpeded views of the Dubai Fountain. The…
Downtown Dubai
There's nothing like adding a little texture to your cuppa courtesy of a sprinkling of slightly sweet and gummy tapioca. Originally a Taiwanese treat…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This is the Lebanese fast-food favourite among locals, with high-quality Levant street food at heart-warmingly low prices. Stick to what they do best:…
Bur Dubai
A favourite pit stop of expats and Karama Market shoppers with an eye for a biryani bargain, this local chain puts tummies into a state of contentment…
Downtown Dubai
This multibranch pan-Asian restaurant is a reliably good choice for a casual lunch or dinner. There’s great variety – from roast duck to noodle soups,…
Dubai
Noodles are prepared here in every style imaginable – braised, tossed, fried, added to soups and paired with seafood, beef, chicken, duck or tofu. Service…
Dubai
We rarely get excited about lobby lounges, but this elegant symphony of one got our attention for including a Middle Eastern breakfast in its greet-the…
Bur Dubai
The original branch of what has evolved into a shopping mall mainstay, Pars serves Iranian classics like chelo kebab (kebab with rice) and khoresh-e…