We all know Dubai never slows down and neither does its restaurant scene but ever so often, a handful of places manage to cut through the crowd and command our attention.
China Tang Dubai
Few restaurants in Dubai commit to glamour quite like China Tang Dubai. With chinoiserie detailing, mirrored ceilings and stained glass catching the light over Marasi Bay, the restaurant is inspired by 1930s Shanghai and brings classic elegance to life with new dining experiences.
The Grand Tier Brunch, held every Saturday from 1 to 5 pm, is perhaps the most extravagant of the lot. Offering a five-course sharing menu with unlimited dim sum, curated music and tableside theatrics, the brunch channels the spirit of Sir David Tang’s famously lavish dinner parties. Packages start from AED 398.
Then there’s Sir David’s Business Lunch, which manages to make weekdays feel considerably more exciting. Available weekdays from 12 to 3 pm, the menu offers two- and three-course options starting at AED 148.
On Wednesdays, Club Canard,The Silk Road Edition invites guests into something altogether more atmospheric. A midweek soirée styled on a 1930s Mayfair speakeasy, with cocktails inspired by the ancient trade route from East to West. The Beijing Duck Pancakes alone are worth the trip.
Finally, Sunsets by the Promenade runs Monday to Friday from 4 to 7pm along the waterfront with classic cocktails from AED 58, small plates, and a stunning view.
Girl & the Goose
There’s a reason Girl & the Goose has become one of Dubai’s most talked-about restaurants. Chef Gabriela Chamorro’s approach to Central American food is personal and completely unlike anything else. And for its one-year anniversary, the restaurant has introduced a refreshed menu that leans even further into the dishes we know and love.
The newly introduced Central American Street Eats section is rife with options such as The Honduran Chicken Quesadilla, made with paratha baleada, sweet plantain, grilled corn and caramelised onions or The Fire-Grilled Corn Ribs that smoky and impossible to resist.
There’s still plenty for regulars too, including Gigi’s Steak & Frites, Achiote Chicken Dumplings and the restaurant’s standout ceviche selection, now joined by a new Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche.
Good Burger
Founded by husband and wife duo Luma Makhlouf and Haider Al Assam, the concept began as Haider cooking burgers at home for friends.
Their first permanent home is now open at Damac Mall and it delivers on the hype. What separates Good Burger from the city’s endless smash burger wave is its deliberate focus on thicker patties and a more balanced bite. The signature Boujie burger, made with Black Angus beef, caramelised onions, American cheese, crispy onions and truffle aioli inside a custom potato bun, remains the headline act for good reason.
The menu also includes Nashville Mozzarella Sticks, Blooming Onion, chicken sandwiches, wings, brookies, soft serve, and milkshakes, all wrapped up in interiors are fun and playful. It’s casual comfort food done properly, which is probably why the queues haven’t really slowed down since opening.
The Dish by Chef Sperxos
Tucked inside Palm Jumeirah Mall, THE DISH by Chef Sperxos, this under-the-radar spot has become one of the more interesting places to eat on the Palm if you’re looking for something outside the usual brunch-and-beach-club circuit. Greek-Mediterranean cuisine has found a compelling home inside Depachika, one of Dubai’s most thoughtfully curated food halls, inspired by Japan’s legendary basement-level depachikas. Chef Alexandros Sperxos, who has spent the better part of a decade shaping dining experiences across the UAE, brings a personal take on the flavours of his homeland to The Dish, a counter that pulls in the brightness and confidence of Mediterranean cooking in a format perfectly suited to the relaxed, exploratory atmosphere of a food hall.
Tucked inside THE DISH by Chef Sperxos, this under-the-radar spot has become one of the more interesting places to eat on the Palm if you’re looking for something outside the usual brunch-and-beach-club circuit.
Le Trottoir de Paloma
If your workday lunch rotation has become painfully predictable, Le Trottoir de Paloma might be the excuse you need to step away from the desk. The French-inspired bistro has launched a new business lunch menu that is generous and refreshingly uncorporate.
Available Monday to Friday from 12:30 to 4 PM, the AED 125 set menu includes one appetiser, one salad, and one main, with dessert available for an additional AED 10. The starters range from Beef Carpaccio and Salmon Tataki to Mini Burgers and Crunchy Shrimp, while mains include Miso Scottish Grilled Salmon, Black Angus Fillet with morel mushroom sauce, and Risotto Limone.
What makes Paloma especially appealing is the setting itself. Hidden within One Central’s 25 Jump Street, the restaurant balances cosy interiors with a lush terrace that feels surprisingly removed from the city’s usual lunchtime chaos.
CQ French Brasserie
You know those Sundays where you have every intention of being productive and then somehow end up at a table for three hours with a half-empty bottle of wine and no regrets? CQ French Brasserie has essentially turned that into a dining concept.
The concept is simple and entirely irresistible. A long afternoon built around Sancerre, that crisp, mineral-driven Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, paired with a three-course menu of French classics served throughout the day. Starters lean into the brasserie canon with Escargots, Moules Gratinées and Salmon Tartare. Mains bring Steak Frites, Seabass with beurre blanc and a Linguine aux Vongoles that has no business being quite this good. Finish with Crème Brûlée or Pain Perdu and consider the weekend officially well spent.
Available every Sunday across both CQ French Brasserie locations, Sancerre Sunday offers bottles of Sancerre for AED 276 alongside a three-course set menu priced at AED 219 per person, served all day.
Iris Harbour
Dubai’s rooftop crowd has officially migrated waterfront-side, and Iris Harbour is quickly becoming one of the city’s busiest new social spots. The venue brings the familiar Iris energy to Dubai Harbour, pairing skyline views with sunset drinks and lively brunches.
The legendary Iris Brunch returns every Saturday from 1:30 to 5:30 pm with curated drinks and upbeat music. Packages start from AED 360.
Then there’s Iris Sunsets, which might be one of the more appealing golden-hour plans in the city right now. Running Sunday to Friday from 4 to 7 pm, the experience includes drinks from AED 35 served with complimentary antipasti, all against the backdrop of Dubai Harbour as the sun drops behind the skyline.
Midweek plans are covered too, thanks to a Wednesday Ladies Night featuring two hours of free-flow drinks and curated bites for AED 240.
Sutēki
If Dubai’s current dining scene has taught us anything, it’s that people are increasingly looking for restaurants with a strong point of view. Sutēki certainly has one.
Recently opened at Harbour House in Dubai Harbour, the concept describes itself as a “wagyu room with an art-house point of view,” which honestly sounds dramatic until you walk in and realise it fully commits to the idea.
The menu focuses entirely on wagyu, explored through raw dishes, grilled plates, and more contemporary Tokyo-inspired interpretations. There’s a clear sense of restraint to the cooking here. Nothing feels overloaded or performative.
The interiors mirror that same approach. Warm woods, low lighting, red and orange tones, harbour views, and carefully curated artwork give the restaurant the feel of an intimate supper club rather than a conventional steakhouse.
Open Wednesday to Sunday from 6 pm, with the bar running until 3 am.
