13 awesome new restaurants to try in Dubai

Stars ‘N’ Bars
It’s a bit of an institution in Monte Carlo and the Abu Dhabi branch has also been a success, so now Dubai’s new La Mer development is going to get its own Stars ‘N’ Bars. Largely American-style cuisine paired with sports coverage on big screens, it’s a little bit gaudy but usually pretty reliable if you want a decent burger, albeit costing up to AED85 for the privilege.
Where: La Mer, Jumeirah
Contact: +971 2 565 0101,

STK
Following on from the branch in JBR, the Address Dubai Mall will open another outlet of the Las Vegas steak restaurant. With seating for 240 inside and 100 outside overlooking the Dubai Fountains it’s going to be a big place, but their service is usually spot on. There will also be an opening in Abu Dhabi in 2018 but the venue is yet to be announced.
Where: Downtown Dubai
Contact:

Pizza Express Live
The first outlet of Pizza Express Live outside the UK will open at the new DoubleTree by Hilton Business Bay. Bigger and more varied than the existing it’s essentially the Pizza Express you know, but with live music and comedy. The one in London is famous for hosting surprise big names like Cybil Shepherd belting out showtunes, and booking top names in comedy, too.
Where: Business Bay
Contact: +971 4 424 8076,

Pret A Manger
The opening of a sandwich chain in Dubai Mall may seem like a small matter, but there are currently a lot of Brits looking forward to this one. It already has an outlet in Dubai Airport – ideal for stocking up before the flight – and with a saturation of high-end restaurants (covering every cuisine) in the city, somewhere to finally get a good, hearty sandwich packed with great ingredients for a decent price will feel oddly rare and luxurious.
Where: Dubai Mall
Contact:

Chalet Berezka Social Harbor
Set to open in Q1 and located on The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah’s new waterfront destination, this fully-licensed restaurant is being billed as an “epicurean taste adventure of Eastern Cuisine.” The two-level restaurant overlooks the offshore fountains and Atlantis Hotel and will have a stage for a full schedule of live entertainment on the ground floor and will hold a shisha license.
Where: Palm Jumeirah
Contact:

Avli
Taking over the space of the sadly-departed La Luz will be a Greek restaurant from Natasha Sideris (Tasha’s Café and Flamingo Room). Meaning “courtyard” in Greek it’s going to be a more casual outlet, licensed and focused on Mediterranean cuisine. Also open for breakfast and lunch the owners stress it will be more “relaxed and fairly priced”. Perhaps La Luz didn’t die in vain after all.
Where: DIFC
Contact: +971 4 359 7777

Scalini
London’s original Italian fine dining restaurant is set to land at Four Seasons, Jumeirah in January. The much-lauded haunt is known as much for its delectable cuisine as it is for welcoming high-profile celebrities through its doors such as The Beatles, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Jude Law and Simon Cowell. Trust us, you’re going to absolutely adore this place when it finally opens.
Where: Four Seasons Hotel, Jumeirah
Contact: +971 4 349 0068,

Crab Market
Although there’s a plentiful and varied menu of seafood delights at Emirates Financial Tower’s latest restaurant, it’s the unique crustacean creations that will really hook you in. Their signature dishes include the melt-in-your-mouth flavours of Kamchatka Crab.
Where: DIFC
Contact:

Slab
Seriously, with so many new eateries opening in La Mer, could we be on the verge of a new foodie capital in Dubai? Probably. The case is helped by SLAB – a gourmet deli that’s set to bring upscale sandwiches to a whole new level by fusing their creations with fine dining ingredients. Consider our interests thoroughly piqued.
Where: La Mer
Contact: +971 4 298 8899

Masti
American/Indian chef Hari Nayak’s cookbook Modern Indian Cooking made him one of the figureheads of progressive Indian cuisine in North America. Having opened Bombay Bungalow on the Walk at JBR, he’s now about to open a two-floor restaurant on the new La Mer site. It’s going to feature the now ubiquitous “small sharing plates” idea, but in this case, it’s probably the best way to experience as many of the flavours as possible from his repertoire.
Where: La Mer
Contact: 800 62784,