Restaurants

Looking for traditional Spanish food? Quiero opened in April in Barsha South and is serving authentic Spanish eats. Quiero – which means “I want” in Spanish – comes from Anisia Pienaar, who set up a restaurant inspired by dishes she loved growing up, all cooked by her mother Mary. And now Dubai’s Spanish food fans can get in on the treats, as the head chef at Quiero is none other than Mary herself. Get ready for a range of authentic tapas as well as paellas, desserts and more. Open daily 8am-10pm. Platinum One Tower, Arjan, Barsha South, quiero.ae/ (058 512 3222).

The popular burger joint is now open in Motor City Dubai, serving up its most popular dishes to burger and fried chicken fans. Serving up all the much-loved favourites including the Chicken Sando, loaded fries and, of course, burgers. Motor City, www.eatpickl.com.

This new pizzeria is the brainchild of Emirati restaurateur Mahmood Al Khamis (the guy behind other homegrown concepts: Drop Coffee and Origami Sushi) and is promising pizza lovers an “out of this world” experience. Moon Slice’s pride and joy is its Naples-style pizza base and instead of just water, milk is added to the dough, which is then left to ferment for 48 hours before being shaped, topped, and fired in the custom Italian oven at 380°C. The result? A thin, crispy, flavoursome base. Menu highlights include the diavola: a spice-packed pizza featuring wagyu carpaccio, spicy meatballs and olive aioli;…

This restaurant is housed at the huge 77-storey Address Beach Resort. The restaurant boasts a combination of Lebanese and Brazilian flavours, so if you’re looking for something a little bit different this could be for you.  Dishes on the menu include a range of different hummus – from loaded with feta or lamb to sweet potato versions – as well as other mezze and a selection of grills and Brazilian curries. Address Beach Resort, JBR (04 879 8888).

Love focaccia? You’ll love this. La Fabbrica Italiana, the UAE’s very first focacceria, has opened in Dubai’s trendy Wasl 51 and the menu at the homegrown, family-run restaurant features just three main items: artisan focaccia, burrata, and tiramisu. With focaccia being the shining star, La Fabbrica Italiana uses a 72-hour fermentation process that leaves the Italian bread airy and light. There are more than 15 focaccia variations to choose from including Italian favourites like Barese (the OG of focaccia recipes) and Ligurian focaccia, plus a za’atar manakish-style focaccia that pays homage to Dubai and the local flavours. For Time Out’s…

This new Californian restaurant is housed at Andaz the Palm, and as well as having brunches and lively after-parties, it serves up a menu of west coast cuisine every night of the week. Expect salads including the LA Diet (quinoa, pomelo, butternut squash) and Green Goodness, as well as seafood platters, Dibba Bay oysters, a range of poke bowls as well as burgers, sliders, Baja fish tacos, pizzas and more. Plus there are super views over the Palm and beyond to check out while you dine. Open daily noon-midnight. Andaz Dubai the Palm, Palm Jumeirah (050 107 3766).

Avocado is without doubt one of the most popular fruits around. Whether on toast, smooshed as guacamole or topping a salad, we can’t get enough (and the 12.3m #avocado posts on Instagram suggest we’re not alone). If that sounds like a piece of you, it’s time to check out L’Avo in Dubai Media City. Dishes star avocado (natch), but have a Middle Eastern twist – think avo labneh dip, avo hummus and avo beetroot dip. Toasts get creative, while there’s also avo pasta, avo quinoa salad, sandwiches, wraps and even desserts. Open daily 8am-11pm. Dubai Media City @wearelavo (058 800 1354).

Popular Aussie café chain Jones the Grocer has a new licensed restaurant, bar and workspace in Garhoud. The new spot is “laid-back, fun-loving, well-travelled and playful”, and it’s also designed to be a workspace. Plus, get ready for open-fire cooking in an open kitchen – so expect charcoal grills to star on the menu alongside your favourites at the new restaurant. Dishes include grilled lamb chops and tiger prawns, as well as bao buns and more. Opens May 11. Open daily 8am-1am. Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, Garhoud (04 702 8790).

This spot is serious about its fried chicken Popular delivery restaurant Jailbird now has its first dine-in spot, and it’s in Jumeirah. Dishes on the menu include Nashville chicken melt sando, the richie-rich burger with black truffle mayo, kale, and truffled gouda, and the Korean barbecue with bean sprout slaw, pickles, Korean barbecue sauce, sesame and miso mayo. There are six bun’d chicken styles to choose from, two types of “nuggz,” three styles of fries, a little birds meal for kids, and a giant cookie filled with Nutella for dessert. Open Sun-Thu 11am-midnight; Fri-Sat 11am-1am. Al Wasl, Jumeirah 2 (056…