8 of Dubais best new restaurant destinations opening this season, from a huge European-style dini
Michelin inspectors came through the city for the first time in 2022, as did the regional Middle East/North Africa awards from the World’s 50 Best restaurants organisation. Dubai dominated this year’s list, taking six of the top 10 spots.
The most popular restaurants used to be franchise expansions from foreign chefs, but now many of the top operators live and work in the emirate and are creating distinct concepts.
One of the biggest openings is The Guild, which fills a massive space in the city’s business district with several distinct dining areas.
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Later this year, the same developer behind Atlantis – Kerzner International – is bringing in even more top chefs to accompany two new hotels opening in Dubai at a venue called The Link.
It’s one of eight exciting venues opening in Dubai this season:
1. The Guild
From long-time Dubai restaurateur Tom Arnel, behind Tom & Serg and, more recently, Hawkerboi, comes The Guild, where the focus will be on European cuisine.
Five years in the making, the 20,000 sq ft (1,900 square metre) space is at the foot of ICD Brookfield Place, the new destination office for bankers in the Dubai business district.
Entering feels like walking into a jungle – minus the animals and humidity. Real and fake botanicals drip from the walls: Kentia palm trees, ficuses, ZZ plants and snake plants.
The Guild has been opening in phases that Arnel is calling, in typically dramatic Dubai fashion, Act I, Act II and Act III.
Act I includes a patisserie and brasserie called the Nurseries, with home-made sweets and pastries, and lunch service that includes dishes such as confit duck leg and lobster linguine.
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The Potting Shed is a separate, slightly sunken area, for which Arnel says he drew inspiration from London luxury hotel Chiltern Firehouse.
Act II, which opened last week, includes the Rockpool, for seafood such as grilled Hokkaido scallops; the Salon, for formal dining, with dishes that will include black truffle risotto, wagyu and prime steak, and garlic snails; and the Ritz Room, for private parties.Act III will be the Aviary, a cocktail bar that will stay open late.
2. The Link
Located in a cantilever that connects brand-new skyscrapers in northern Dubai, The Link is intended to feed both local residents and guests at two new hotels: the luxury One&Only One Za’abeel and fitness-themed Siro.
Arrazuna, an elevated food hall from Finnish-Turkish chef Mehmet Gürs, will serve cuisine from the Levant and the Arabian peninsula. French cuisine will come courtesy of La Dame de Pic, from chef Anne-Sophie Pic.
Chef David Muñoz is bringing his signature mohawk haircut and his StreetXO concept; chefs Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones will open a Thai restaurant called DuangDy; Chef Paco Morales’ Qabu will serve Andalusian cuisine; and the site’s Japanese restaurant will be Sagetsu, from chef Tetsuya Wakuda.All are slated to open in December.
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3. Row on 45
Chef Jason Atherton has been opening a collection of restaurants and bars at the Grosvenor House hotel this year.
The last of the four spots is the posh Row on 45, which will serve a 17-course tasting menu in three “acts”.
Act I takes place in a champagne lounge that is meant to feel like an old-money parlour in a baronial residence. Act II is the meal.
The third act, the “Grand Finale”, is desserts and drinks, including premium cognacs and rare whiskeys, in the “chef’s library”.
The restaurant has space for 22 guests per night. The meal costs 1,145 dirhams (US$312) per person, drinks not included. Opening night is September 21.
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4. Jamavar
The team behind this pan-Indian fine-dining concept, which has a Michelin star at its London dining room, is planning an outpost in Downtown Dubai for December, with executive chef Surender Mohan overseeing the menu.
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The Dubai menu isn’t confirmed; here’s hoping it will include dishes that are popular on the London menu, like old Delhi butter chicken and Tellicherry pepper and garlic softshell crab.5. Hoe Lee Kow
Dubai has more than 13,000 restaurants, but it hasn’t had many destination Korean restaurants. Now it’s going to have two.
One is Hoe Lee Kow (get it?), from Dubai chef Reif Othman, who has built a mini-empire of Asian restaurants in the city, including Reif Japanese Kushiyaki.
His latest includes offerings like Reif lunchbox (stocked with kimchi fried rice, bulgogi and Napa kimchi), as well as grilled wagyu galbi and Jeju Island scallops.
The restaurant had a soft opening in July, and officially launches September 27.
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6. Gimi
Dubai’s other notable Korean restaurant opening is Gimi, a place with a hawker-stall vibe and Chinese, Indonesian and other Southeast Asian influences.
Dishes include bibimbap made with Korean rice, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and scallion and beef rendang. The restaurant, which opened on September 12, doesn’t serve alcohol but offers nonalcoholic cocktails.
The location in Jumeirah – one of Dubai’s older neighbourhoods, close to the beach – is down the street from 11 Woodfire, another restaurant from the Atelier House Hospitality group behind Gimi.
7. Signor Sassi
Transplanted from London, Italian restaurant Signor Sassi is settling into one of the most interesting culinary locations in Dubai – the newly revamped rooftop of the St. Regis Hotel, on the Palm Jumeirah island.
The St. Regis Gardens, as it’s called, is also home to two-Michelin-star Trèsind Studio and Chez Wam. Two other restaurants, steakhouse Leña and jazz-age styled Aretha, will also be opening at the location.
Dishes at the new Signor Sassi, which will open on September 25, include lobster alla Catalana, pizzas and braised beef short ribs.
8. Maison de la Plage
Some beach clubs are better known for the lounging scenes than bikini sandwiches. But Maison de la Plage from Izu Ani, one of Dubai’s best-known chefs, will undoubtedly be focused on the food.
The French Mediterranean menu will feature dishes such as rigatoni with truffle, the “Izu” burger and a niçoise salad. The restaurant is backed by Fundamental Hospitality, the group behind Dubai favourites such as Greek restaurant Gaia and Shanghai Me.
The group plans to open 100 restaurants globally in the next five years, including three more outposts of Gaia – in London in the UK, Marbella in Spain and Miami in the US – by the middle of 2024.
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