If you love visiting destinations that offer a vast array of food options, you would be well-advised to book a trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The city is packed with superb restaurants, making the food scene there one of the most diverse you will find anywhere on the planet.
To save you time and effort, we have picked out five restaurants we believe you need to check out when you travel to Dubai.
Bagatelle
The brainchild of two French entrepreneurs – Aymeric Clemente and Remi Laba – the Bagatelle restaurant is a celebration of the fine cuisine of Southern France.
This is not the place for you if enjoy dining early, with the venue undoubtedly targeted at late-night diners who enjoy a lively atmosphere.
The signature menu, created by Rocco Seminara and Timothy Newton, features a plethora of world-class dishes including the unmissable truffle roasted chicken.
Bagatelle also offers an excellent selection of vegetarian and vegan options, meaning there is something to suit every taste on the menu.
With live music adding to the ambience, a visit to the Bagatelle in Dubai is a restaurant experience that will live long in the memory.
Hard Rock Cafe
Famous for its fully integrated resorts worldwide, the Hard Rock brand is most commonly associated with its music themed cafe-restaurants.
Located at the Festival Centre shopping mall, Dubai’s Hard Rock Cafe offers a wide range of tasty food options, wine, cocktails and more.
If you are missing Hard Rock’s famed gaming experience, you can jump onto their free Wi-Fi to access any of the numerous casino sites that operate in the area.
The pick of the bunch, which has over 7,000 games to play, is the hugely immersive Haz Casino mobile-friendly online casino.
Offering a wager-free welcome bonus, the site provides players a great way to unwind while enjoying the full Hard Rock Cafe experience.
GAIA
According to GAIA’s official website, the restaurant ‘aims to showcase the core elements of Grecian culture’ – it achieves the feat with contemptuous ease.
The homegrown food, beverage and lifestyle concept was created by Chef Izu Ani in collaboration with hospitality industry guru Evgeny Kuzin.
GAIA is the perfect place to visit for lovers of seafood, with the market-style fish counter offering you the opportunity to choose the freshest catch of the day.
The rest of the GAIA menu focuses on Greek mezze sharing dishes, all of which incorporate inventive flavours delivered with a modern twist.
Located at the Dubai International Financial Centre, this restaurant is another truly unmissable culinary experience for visitors to the UAE’s capital city.
La Cantine du Faubourg
La Cantine du Faubourg opened its doors more than a decade ago, replacing what had previously been a bank with a restaurant that is much more than its food offering.
The owners describe the venue as an ‘artistic rendezvous – a lifestyle’ with a conceptual vision that relies on five key principles: sound, music, image, art and food.
Located in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, La Cantine mixes a fun vibe with a sophisticated atmosphere to offer visitors a truly world-class dining experience.
Whether you are eating brunch, heading out for an early-evening light bite or searching for a sumptuous late-night dinner, La Cantine will not disappoint you.
The honey-glazed wagyu short rib is one of the standout dishes on the menu, while the walnut crusted Chilean sea bass with pumpkin, quinoa and parmesan sauce is a fish-lovers paradise.
Zuma
Zuma was opened in the Dubai International Financial Centre more than a decade ago and has since become established as one of the top restaurants in the city.
Offering contemporary Japanese cuisine, the restaurant is generally busy throughout the day so advance booking is extremely advisable.
There is a lounge area, bar and dining room, making it a great place to eat out and relax with friends or family members in an unhurried environment.
Zuma was recently nominated for the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards, highlighting the esteem in which it is held.
Founder Rainer Becker has enjoyed so much success with Zuma that he has opened a second restaurant in Dubai – Roka – which is another brilliant venue to visit.
