1. Asia Asia – Pier 7 in Dubai Marina (Asian)
I will start with my favorite food memory in Dubai. When I think about our meals there, this is the one that first comes into my mind. I am biased, of course, because I am the biggest sushi lover, but this restaurant is so much more than that. We attended their Friday Brunch and had a delicious mix of Asian dishes that made my heart beat faster. I will never forget the Home Made Dim Sum Basket with beef and creamy sweet potatoes and the amazing braised beef called Beef Bao Bum. Top that with a list of colorful cocktails and you have the perfect combo.
PS: My favorite ones were Sangria Rose and Watermelon Martini!
PS2: The restaurant has a very cool design and a killer view over Dubai Marina.
Other Japanese restaurants to try in Dubai: Kanpai in Souk Al Bahar, 2 minutes away from Dubai Mall where sushi was excellent and Sakura Japanese Restaurant at Crowne Plaza on Sheikh Zayed Road where I recommend choosing Teppanyaki Night.
2. Fogo de Chao –DIFC District (Brazilian)
Being conveniently located near City Walk, Emirates Towers and Downtown Dubai, this restaurant has the most amazing view to Burj Khalifa from its terrace. But the most important part is the delicious food that it has to offer. I will be honest: this is a restaurant I recommend for meat lovers since it showcases the centuries-old Southern Brazilian grilling technique of churrasco.
We chose the Full Churrasco Experience which means continuous table-side service of signature cuts of fire-roasted meat. To make it more simple, you have a sign on the table. When you choose the green side, the meat keeps on coming. When you switch to red, the meat serving will stop.
PS: My favorite cut was Picanha (Prime of Top Sirloin) and Cordeiro (Lamb Chops).
PS 2: Their Open Buffet is full with delicious salads and Brazilian side dishes.
3. Luigia– JBR (Italian)
Italy is always in my heart, even in Dubai, so we had to try the newly open (at that time) Luigia Restaurant at Rixos Premium Hotel in JBR. We chose Melanzanealla Parmigiana (fried eggplants with Grana Padano) and Frittura di Calamari (fried calamari) as starters and they were yummy! Even though we were already full, we had to try their pizza since it is being advertised as the best one in Dubai. Well, they don’t lie, it is indeed delicious! And since I am a big pasta fan, I also had the classical Carbonara which didn’t disappoint at all!
All in all, if you are craving Italian food while in Dubai, Luigia is the place you have to visit!
PS: If you are searching for an alternative Italian restaurant, Roberto’s is among my favorites and I would also want to go again in the near future. Their truffle risotto was amazing and the view is to die for!
4. PF Chang (Chinese)
This one is already an old addiction for me. I have been to PF Chang for the first time in 2014 on my first visit to the city. My childhood bestie was the one that brought me there and I will be forever grateful because it has become my favorite Chinese Restaurant.
They have many locations around the city, but I prefer to go to the one in JBR because they have a beautiful sunset view and at Dubai Mall because you have a clear view to Burj Khalifa.
I recommend trying the Mongolian Beef, VIP Duck and Crispy Honey Chicken. If you love spicy food (but I really mean it when I say spicy), try the Dynamite Shrimps. Hubby absolutely loves them!
5. Coya at Four Season Restaurant (Peruvian)
A new entry on our list since we have first visited on our last trip in Dubai for New Year’s Eve. To be honest, I heard so many good things about this restaurant that I was eager to taste Peruvian food for the first time! Even though it was a bit spicy and I am not a big fan of that, the food was absolutely delicious. A mix between the original food of Peru with a modern spin and amazing flavours from Japanese, Chinese and Spanish influences.
My favorite starters were Tacos de Salmon, Baos con Res Wagyu meaning Wagyu short ribs and Maki Roll de Aguacate. For the main course, I chose the Salmon fillet, but I liked more Gabi’s choice – Costillas de Res that means spicy beef ribs.
PS: Try the yummy Pisco Punch Cocktail!
6. Gordon Ramsey Hell’s Kitchen Restaurant at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Island
I’ve had the famous beef wellington of Gordon Ramsey on the list for a very long time and I am happy we finally managed to taste it in the new location under its signature. The design of the restaurant is so cool and we loved taking pictures everywhere.
We went for the Signature Lunch Menu. As appetizers we had a delicious Caesar Salad and a surprisingly tasty corn cream soup. The main course was obviously the star of the day: the perfectly cooked beef wellington with mashed potatoes.
We ended our lunch with a delicious dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding with ice cream.
PS: If I must be honest, while the food was indeed amazing, the service was not perfect, having to wait a lot for our food even if the restaurant was not full, but I believe they have already fixed this problem.
7. 1762 Stripped – JLT (Boulangerie)
This is the perfect place for breakfast or brunch. You have lots of healthy, yet delicious options like salmon & avocado bagel, all sorts of salads etc, but you can also cheat by choosing delicious burgers, crunchy French fries or crispy bacon.
As a plus, you can taste freshly baked delicacies every day. I can still remember that turkey ham benedict croissant topped with creamy hollandaise sauce and those yummy fried sweet potatoes. Top that with freshly-roasted coffee and a great selection of teas.
PS: The location reminded me of Bali with its boho décor and healthy food!
8. Saltbae Burger DIFC – Burgers
We have to admit we are big fans of burgers so when we’ve heard there is a new place in town for this kind of food, we wanted to give it a try. It has immediately become famous because of its name and story, but we were happy to see the meat quality is great, the burgers are juicy and the milkshakes are good looking and tasty.
I have to be honest with you and say the prices are pretty high for a burger joint, but hey, we know what internet can create these days.
I am not a big fan of Nusret himself because I do not appreciate his style and way of acting, but he is doing a great job. While his restaurant Nusr-Et Steakhouse at the Four Seasons Hotel was already fully booking (as I’ve said, we were in Dubai for NYE), I am happy we still got to taste the burgers.
My favourite burger was the classical one: #Saltbae Burger with wagyu beef (costs around 35 euros). You also have to try the Parmesan Truffle Fries (around 10 euros) and Crazy Baklava Milkshake (around 23 euros)
PS: If you want an alternative burger joint, you should definitely try Black Tap, probably my favorite in Dubai. Not way cheaper, it is true, but delicious!
9. Azure Beach at Rixos Premium Dubai Hotel in JBR
I know this does not qualify as a real restaurant, but while enjoying the sun and great weather of Dubai, it is good to know you can also have a great lunch by the pool. Azure Beach is one of my favorite places to spend the day and their food has my heart as well.
I am probably biased because they have sushi options as well (and their Salmon Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll are amazing), but you have lots of other yummy choices. I recommend trying the Satay Chicken Wrap, the Prawn Tacos, Chicken & Cashew Salad and the Tartufo Pizza.
As a plus, you have a killer view of Dubai Eye and a beautiful pool to keep it cool all day long!
PS: Five Palm Jumeirah also offers quality food by the pool. Their Truffle pizza, shrimp tacos and crispy calamari made our beach day better!
10. Bombay Bungalow in JBR (Indian)
As you can see, I tried to make this top as complex as I could by adding places with different types of food. This being said, if you love Indian food or you want to try it for the first time, Bombay Bungalow is the perfect choice. As you probably already know, Indian food can be extremely spicy, but you can find mild options as well.
Here you will find traditional Indian recipes developed into a unique and contemporary menu – a twist to the classics as they like to say.
I recommend Buratta butter chicken, BhunaGosht (stir fried lamb) and, for dessert, Mango Kulfi.
PS: I love the design of this restaurant and it makes me wanna visit India as soon as possible.
