40 Best Restaurants in Dubai 2026, Checked Open

The starred rooms and the tasting menus

Twelve restaurants for the evening you plan the trip around. Dubai has two three-star kitchens in the 2025 selection, Trèsind Studio and FZN, and they are two hundred metres apart on the Palm; Gault&Millau gives both 19/20, its top mark in the country. Row on 45 was Time Out’s Restaurant of the Year 2026 and Manāo was What’s On’s. Hakkasan is the one red card: paused since April, reported to reopen on 23 September. The rest are open, expensive, and mostly booked a week or more out.

Modern Indian tasting menu · Palm Jumeirah

Trèsind Studio

Three MICHELIN Stars (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: five toques, 19/20, Restaurant of the Year; Himanshu Saini Chef of the YearMENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.3

Neighbourhood: Palm JumeirahSt. Regis Gardens, The Palm (rooftop)
Price range: $$$$Tasting menu AED 1,350 per person per tresindstudio.com read 2026-09-20; MICHELI
Dish to order: The surprise multi-course "Rising India" tasting menu; Time Out singles out the charred lobster tail with pickled tomato and corn currynamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

All four sources read treat it as the benchmark for modern Indian cooking in the Gulf: precision, theatre and regional storytelling across a long surprise menu in a 15–20-seat room where every table faces the kitchen. The only recurring caveat is price and the need to book far ahead. Occasion: once-in-a-trip celebration dinner.

Hours: Mon–Sat 6pm–11pm (tresindstudio.com). Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Himanshu Saini. Booking: Own website / phone +971 58 895 1272. Note: Three MICHELIN stars in the 2025 selection, one of only two in the city, and 19/20 from Gault&Millau. MICHELIN gives the address as St. Regis Gardens; OpenTable says the Nakheel Mall east-wing rooftop. Same rooftop, two addressing conventions.

Open in Google Maps Palm Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, tresindstudio.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Seven-course tasting menu at Monstera Bistro, Ljubljana, not this restaurant. Photograph: Bex Walton from London, England, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Modern European–Japanese tasting menu · Palm Jumeirah

FZN by Björn Frantzén

Three MICHELIN Stars (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: five toques, 19/20; International Brand of the YearMENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.22

Neighbourhood: Palm JumeirahAtlantis The Palm
Price range: $$$$Time Out (13 Aug 2026): tasting menu "from Dhs2,000 per person"; MICHELIN tier $
Dish to order: Nine-course tasting menu; Time Out highlights the duck barbecue with yuzu, Kampot pepper and foie gras, and turbot with cecina de wagyunamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources describe the same arc: doorbell, canapés in a Scandi living room, then a 27-seat dining room built around an open kitchen, with Nordic technique and Japanese restraint applied to luxury produce (Norwegian shellfish, Brittany turbot). Time Out flags it as one of the city's most expensive menus but "also one of the best". Occasion: blow-out celebration; book the counter.

Hours: Dinner only; bookings released on the first day of each month (MENA 50 Best profile). Exact hours unconfirmed.. Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Björn Frantzén (founder). Booking: Own website restaurantfzn.com / phone +971 50 107 6322.

Open in Google Maps Palm Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, thenationalnews.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Noix de Saint-Jacques de la Côte d'Armor et ses perles de ciboulette, not this restaurant. Photograph: Marianne Casamance, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Creative European–Japanese tasting menu · Dubai Marina

Row on 45

Two MICHELIN Stars (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: four toques, 18.5/20Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: Restaurant of the Year and Best Tasting Menu over Dhs1,000

Neighbourhood: Dubai MarinaGrosvenor House, Tower 2, 45th floor
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$; Time Out places it in its "Best tasting menus over Dhs
Dish to order: The 17-course, three-act tasting menu; MICHELIN and MENA 50 Best both call out the Japanese produce (amaebi, bafun uni, ankimo, Akkeshi oysters)named by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources agree the draw is ingredient-first cooking rather than showmanship: a 22-seat, three-room progression from lounge to open kitchen to chef's library. Time Out named it 2026 Restaurant of the Year for exactly that focus on flavour over theatre. No source raises a complaint beyond the price and scarcity of the four-seat chef's table. Occasion: anniversary or landmark birthday.

Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Jason Atherton. Booking: Own website rowon45dubai.com / phone +971 56 832 4545.

Open in Google Maps Dubai Marina district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of A dimly lit, atmospheric cellar at Porto Calém, showcasing stacks of large, traditional wooden barrels. The barrels, pre, not this restaurant. Photograph: Michael Gaylard from Horsham, UK, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Modern French · Palm Jumeirah

STAY by Yannick Alléno

Two MICHELIN Stars (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: two toques, 14.5/20

Neighbourhood: Palm JumeirahOne&Only The Palm, West Crescent
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$; set menus are a three-course "Essentiel" and six-cours
Dish to order: The six-course "Experience" set menu; à la carte also offered. No single signature dish named by the sources read.named by oneandonlyresorts.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN praises a luxurious-but-unstuffy colonial-style room with private dock and gardens, personable service and cohesive modern-French plates; Gault&Millau scores it 14.5. Only two independent sources read, so consensus is thin; neither raises complaints. Dress code: casually elegant, long trousers for men; children 9+. Occasion: romantic dinner with the drive to the far end of the Palm as part of the treat.

Hours: Daily 6:30pm–10pm; Saturday lunch 12:30pm–3pm (oneandonlyresorts.com). Licence: Presumed licensed (hotel restaurant) – not explicitly confirmed by sources read. Kitchen: Yannick Alléno. Booking: SevenRooms / +971 4 440 1010.

Open in Google Maps Palm Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, oneandonlyresorts.com, gaultmillauae.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Raspberry tart with custard cream, not this restaurant. Photograph: ChickenGrass, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Modern Italian · Jumeirah 2 (Jumeirah Bay Island)

Il Ristorante – Niko Romito

Two MICHELIN Stars (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13.5/20

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 2 (Jumeirah Bay Island)Bulgari Resort Dubai
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$
Dish to order: The "Degustazione" menu; MICHELIN flags the fish dishes and pasta as highlightsnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN describes a sleek, romantic Bulgari room with a marina terrace and precise modern Italian cooking from chef Giacomo Amicucci using produce flown from Italy. Gault&Millau is markedly cooler (13.5, one toque) than MICHELIN's two stars – a genuine disagreement the editor should note. Occasion: date night with a terrace table in winter.

Licence: Presumed licensed – not explicitly confirmed. Kitchen: Giacomo Amicucci; Niko Romito (concept). Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown. Note: Two MICHELIN stars and a single Gault&Millau toque for the same kitchen, which tells you how differently the two guides weigh restraint.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, gaultmillauae.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Spaghetti with tuna sauce, not this restaurant. Photograph: Adry0104, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Creative tasting menu (Dubai "third-culture": Middle Eastern, Japanese, European) · Al Satwa

moonrise

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: three toques, 16/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.10

Neighbourhood: Al SatwaEden House (rooftop), 41 Street
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$; 12-course tasting menu (MENA 50 Best profile)
Dish to order: The 12-course tasting menu; MENA 50 Best cites aged shima aji sashimi with fattoush tiger's milk and turbot with sarookh sauce as representative platesnamed by theworlds50best.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources frame it as Dubai's most personal fine-dining story: self-taught, Dubai-raised chef Solemann Haddad cooking his childhood city for 15 guests a sitting. MENA calls it the hardest reservation in town. No complaints recorded other than scarcity of seats. Occasion: solo or couple at the counter; not for groups.

Hours: Two sittings nightly, 15 seats (MENA 50 Best); exact hours unconfirmed. Kitchen: Solemann Haddad. Booking: SevenRooms.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of a dark view of the 8 Counter Seats at Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu, an omakase Singapore Restaurant, not this restaurant. Photograph: Bobby.Creations, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Contemporary Thai tasting menu · Jumeirah 1

Manāo

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection); Abhiraj Khatwani MICHELIN Young Chef Award 2025Gault&Millau UAE 2026: two toques, 14/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.9

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 1Wasl Vita Mall
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$; 8- or 11-course tasting menus, à la carte at lunch
Dish to order: The 11-course tasting menu with the in-house non-alcoholic pairing; no single dish is singled out by the sources readnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources praise authentic, balanced Thai spicing rendered as a precise tasting menu, and all note the star arrived five months after opening. MICHELIN highlights the non-alcoholic pairings and lively soundtrack. No complaints recorded. Occasion: adventurous date night or a dry celebration.

Hours: Tue–Sun 7pm–11pm. Licence: Appears dry – MICHELIN describes only in-house non-alcoholic pairings; licence status not explicitly confirmed. Kitchen: Abhiraj Khatwani (chef-founder) with Mohamad Orfali (co-founder). Booking: SevenRooms via manao.ae.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, theworlds50best.com, whatson.ae, gaultmillauae.com, manao.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Kaeng Kheaw Wan (Thai green curry), served at Rongros, not this restaurant. Photograph: Chainwit., via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Indian fine dining · Downtown Dubai (Opera District)

Jamavar

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: two toques, 14/20Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: highly commended, Best Indian

Neighbourhood: Downtown Dubai (Opera District)Address Residences Dubai Opera
Price range: $$$MICHELIN price tier $$$; jamavarrestaurants.com/dubai lists a set menu from AED
Dish to order: Old Delhi butter chicken; MICHELIN names Bhatti Ka Octopus and Sindhi Methi Goshtnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources agree on opulent chandeliers, balanced spicing and a Mayfair pedigree that "lives up to the hype". MICHELIN notes a pre-theatre set lunch for Dubai Opera. No complaints recorded. Occasion: business dinner or pre-opera.

Hours: Daily 12pm–12am; set lunch Mon–Fri 12–6:30pm from AED 99. Licence: Licensed. Booking: Own bookings – jamavarrestaurants.com / +971 4 553 7852.

Open in Google Maps Downtown Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, gaultmillauae.com, jamavarrestaurants.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Cooking naan bread inside Tandoor in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India, not this restaurant. Photograph: Ravi Dwivedi, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Japanese omakase (sushi and Kobe/Ozaki wagyu) · Bluewaters Island

TakaHisa

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection – no star)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: three toques, 16.5/20 (highest three-toque score)MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.23

Neighbourhood: Bluewaters IslandBanyan Tree Dubai
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$ ("prices aren't for the fainthearted"); takahisa.ae pub
Dish to order: The counter omakase, split between chef Namekata's Toyosu-market sushi and chef Ueda's A5 wagyunamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources say sit at the counter for the two-chef omakase; produce traceability from Toyosu and Japanese beef is the selling point. The one consistent complaint is cost. Occasion: solo or two-person counter dinner for serious sushi obsessives.

Hours: Daily 12pm–2am (takahisa.ae). Licence: Presumed licensed (hotel) – not explicitly confirmed. Kitchen: Takashi Namekata (sushi) and Hisao Ueda (wagyu). Booking: SevenRooms (takahisa.ae) – MICHELIN page links OpenTable; phone +971 4 556 6688.

Open in Google Maps JBR and Bluewaters district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, takahisa.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Sushi platter, Nikko, Japan, not this restaurant. Photograph: Joli Rumi, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Modern Cantonese · Palm Jumeirah

Hakkasan Dubai

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection)

Neighbourhood: Palm JumeirahAtlantis The Palm
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$
Dish to order: Lychee lobster with yuzu pearl; Assam seafood toban if you want heatnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Closed, reopeningchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN and the Atlantis page both frame it as a glamorous night out: moody lattice-screened room, party soundtrack, accomplished Cantonese classics plus Dubai exclusives. Only two sources read; the closure means no 2026 reviews exist. Occasion: group celebration dinner once reopened – confirm status before publishing.

Hours: Dinner Wed–Sun 6pm–11pm; bar to 12:30am. Licence: Licensed (bar hours published by Atlantis). Kitchen: Andy Toh (executive chef, per atlantis.com). Booking: Atlantis website / SevenRooms (hakkasanatlantis). Note: Paused with six other Atlantis venues on 20 April 2026. The National reported on 4 September that it reopens on 23 September 2026 with a new drinks list, and atlantis.com shows normal hours with no closure notice. It is on the list on that basis; if you are booking for the week of reopening, call.

Open in Google Maps Palm Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, thenationalnews.com, atlantis.com, curlytales.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Peking duck slices, not this restaurant. Photograph: Fumikas Sagisavas, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Indian vegetarian tasting menu · Dubai Hills

avatāra

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: two toques, 14/20

Neighbourhood: Dubai HillsDubai Hills Estate Business Park, Building 1
Price range: $$$$MICHELIN price tier $$$$; avatara.ae publishes no AED price, read 2026-09-20
Dish to order: The multi-course "avatāra Experience" menu; no single dish singled outnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN praises strikingly presented vegetarian courses each told as a story by an engaged team, in a light-green room facing an altar-like finishing table; Gault&Millau awards two toques. Only two independent sources read. Occasion: vegetarian celebration; also the reason to cross town to Dubai Hills.

Hours: Tue–Sun 6pm–11pm; closed Monday (avatara.ae). Kitchen: Omkar Walve. Booking: OpenTable / phone +971 58 143 2867.

Open in Google Maps Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, gaultmillauae.com, avatara.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Vegetarian thali at an Indian restaurant in Dubai, not this restaurant. Photograph: Shahid1024, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Wood-fired modern grill · Jumeirah 1

11 Woodfire

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.14

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 1Villa 11, 75B Street (villa conversion)
Price range: $$$MICHELIN price tier $$$; lunch prix-fixe Mon–Fri 12–4pm advertised on 11woodfire
Dish to order: Wagyu burger with bacon jam and truffle, and the burnt goat's-cheese cheesecake (MENA 50 Best "must-try")named by theworlds50best.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources praise restraint: top-grade global produce grilled over oak, hickory or hay in a minimalist industrial villa with a courtyard. Gault&Millau's single toque is lukewarm relative to the star. Occasion: relaxed but serious dinner for meat and fish lovers; good for groups.

Hours: Daily 12pm–12am (11woodfire.com). Licence: Dry – 11woodfire.com describes an extended non-alcoholic bar; no licence indicated. Kitchen: Brando Moros (head chef). Booking: SevenRooms (11woodfire.com); Heritage Room 5-seat tasting Thu–Fri only.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, 11woodfire.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Asado tradicional argentino en preparación dentro de una parrilla de ladrillos. A la izquierda, un brasero de hierro con, not this restaurant. Photograph: Maxd2, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Chef-driven, at a price you can repeat

The most interesting section, and the one that has changed most since 2024. Kinoya’s ramen bar is second on MENA’s 50 Best 2026 and its best restaurant in the UAE. Orfali Bros reopened in January with a seven-course tasting menu and kept its star. 3Fils is a walk-in counter on the fishing harbour that the guide has loved since it opened. Berenjak arrived from London, Khadak does Bombay street food for $$, and Sufret Maryam’s mansaf is the dish we would send a first-time visitor to before any of the tasting menus.

Contemporary Syrian-rooted tasting menus · Jumeirah 1

Orfali Bros

One MICHELIN Star (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: three toques, 15/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.4 (No.1 in 2023, 2024 and 2025)

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 1Wasl 51
Price range: $$$$Time Out (13 Aug 2026): 13-course menu Dhs850 per person; MICHELIN tier $$$$
Dish to order: The OG tasting menu – Time Out names the "ooh la la", the corn bomb and the eggplant bayıldı; MICHELIN cites sea scallop with OB hot sauce, tamari and wagyu coppanamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources call it consistently excellent and the city's defining home-grown restaurant: three Aleppo-born brothers, a two-storey open kitchen and pastry lab, Syrian-Turkish-Armenian flavours in tasting-menu form. Time Out notes the shift from à la carte to tasting menus only. Occasion: the one dinner to book for a visiting food-lover; unlicensed so ideal for a dry celebration.

Licence: Dry – Time Out lists it as "Unlicensed". Kitchen: Mohamad Orfali (head chef) with Wassim and Omar Orfali (pastry). Booking: SevenRooms via orfalibros.com.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, orfalibros.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Baklava displayed on a white plate. Photograph by Peter Rimar, not this restaurant. Photograph: Chitrapa, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Japanese izakaya and ramen · The Greens

Kinoya

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.2 and named The Best Restaurant in the UAE 2026 (per MENA profile)

Neighbourhood: The GreensOnyx Tower 2, Sheikh Zayed Road
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand); MICHELIN: "prices are low"
Dish to order: Shio paitan ramen (the first bowl chef Neha Mishra ever made) or the duck ramen (MENA 50 Best); Time Out adds burnt-butter scallopsnamed by theworlds50best.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources agree: a buzzy, affordable izakaya whose supper-club-born ramen (eight bowls on the menu) outperforms its price, now with a Harrods offshoot. MICHELIN advises booking counter seats to watch the chefs. No complaints beyond crowds. Occasion: weeknight comfort dinner, solo counter meal.

Hours: Tue–Thu 12pm–1am (kitchen to 11:30pm); Fri–Sun 12pm–1am (kitchen to 11:45pm). Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Neha Mishra (chef-founder). Booking: SevenRooms via kinoya.com. Note: MENA’s 50 Best 2026 lists it second overall and names it the best restaurant in the UAE. It is a ramen bar in The Greens with no view and a queue; that is the whole argument for it.

Open in Google Maps Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, kinoya.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of bowl of ramen at Akita Station, not this restaurant. Photograph: Cheng-en Cheng, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Asian fusion, Japanese-leaning small plates · Jumeirah Fishing Harbour (Jumeirah 2 / Umm Suqeim border)

3Fils

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.17 (No.1 in 2022, the first MENA winner)

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah Fishing Harbour (Jumeirah 2 / Umm Suqeim border)Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 1
Price range: $$MICHELIN Dubai list shows "3Fils" at price tier $$ with Bib Gourmand
Dish to order: Chef's selection of small plates; finish with dessert from the in-house BRIX bar (MENA 50 Best profile names the "Ananas" dessert)named by theworlds50best.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MENA 50 Best and MICHELIN both reward an unflashy, unlicensed harbour-side canteen that punches far above its price with Asian-fusion plates and a serious dessert bar; Time Out's 2026 list covers the sister venues rather than 3Fils itself. Long queues and no-frills seating are the trade-off. Occasion: casual lunch or early dinner by the water, dry.

Hours: Daily 12pm–12am. Licence: Dry – MENA profile: "unlicensed venue". Kitchen: Jhovani Manolo (head chef, per MENA profile). Booking: Walk-in / own channels – unconfirmed. Note: Spelled 3Fils by the restaurant, ‘3 Fils’ by MENA’s 50 Best. Walk-in only, on the fishing-harbour boardwalk, dry.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: theworlds50best.com, guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Three pale, peach-colored, wrinkled dim sum in a brown steamer basket resting on white parchment paper lining, not this restaurant. Photograph: Mshuang2, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

"Third-culture" Asian–North American fusion · Downtown Dubai

Jun's

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: two toques, 14/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.8

Neighbourhood: Downtown DubaiSheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard
Price range: $$$MICHELIN price tier $$$; junsdubai.com advertises the tasting menu at AED 560
Dish to order: Butter-poached lobster pani puri and the sesame prawn cheese toast; 11-course tasting menu for first-timersnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources single out chef Kelvin Cheung's table-side personality and "contagiously fun" cross-cultural plates with Burj Khalifa views. No complaints recorded. Occasion: lively group dinner or date; good vegan options noted by MENA.

Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Kelvin Cheung. Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown.

Open in Google Maps Downtown Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Crew, Montréal, Canada, not this restaurant. Photograph: Crew crew, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Indian street-food brasserie · Jumeirah 2

Khadak

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: Winner, Best Indian

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 2Villa 426, Al Wasl Road
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand)
Dish to order: Radio Café kheema pao; kulfi falooda in dry ice to finishnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Both sources read praise the revival of forgotten Bombay café recipes by ex-Dishoom chef Naved Nasir, storytelling décor and family-friendly buzz; Time Out made it 2026 Best Indian. No complaints recorded. Occasion: relaxed family lunch or casual dinner; unlicensed.

Licence: Dry – Time Out lists it as "Unlicensed"; khadak.com menu is non-alcoholic. Kitchen: Naved Nasir (chef-founder). Booking: SevenRooms via khadak.com (site also lists a non-alcoholic cocktail menu).

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, khadak.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Authentic South Indian Masala Dosa, not this restaurant. Photograph: Sumitbanti, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Persian (London import) · Al Wasl

Berenjak

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: highly commended, Best MENA

Neighbourhood: Al WaslDar Wasl Mall, Shop 01
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand); Time Out notes a higher price point than
Dish to order: Black chickpea hummus and the coal-cooked kebabsnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Both sources praise refined charcoal kebabs and mezze in a mosaic-clad room with a separate family space; Time Out's one reservation is that it costs more than Dubai's many cheap Iranian eateries but justifies it. Occasion: group dinner in a residential mall; unlicensed.

Licence: Dry – Time Out lists it as "Unlicensed". Booking: own/phone.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Falalel with cheese fatayer, hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush, pita, tabbouleh and homemade pickles, not this restaurant. Photograph: Shreya13jain, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Japanese kushiyaki and izakaya · Al Wasl

REIF Japanese Kushiyaki – Dar Wasl

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13/20

Neighbourhood: Al WaslDar Wasl Mall, Unit 70
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand)
Dish to order: Charcoal kushiyaki skewers; no specific dish named by the sources readnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN and Gault&Millau both reward chef Reif Othman's original kushiyaki counter as good-value Japanese; the 2025 Bib was awarded to both the Dar Wasl and Dubai Hills branches. Thin consensus: only guide listings read, no full review. Occasion: casual neighbourhood dinner.

Kitchen: Reif Othman (chef-founder). Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, gaultmillauae.com, timeoutdubai.com, reifkushiyaki.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Asado argentino, con chorizos, salchicha parrillera, chinchulín, riñón, tira de asado y vacío, not this restaurant. Photograph: Aleposta, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Central American · Business Bay

Girl and the Goose

MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.43 (debut)What's On Dubai Awards 2026: Chef of the Year (Gabriela Chamorro)Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: Winner, Best American & Caribbean

Neighbourhood: Business BayAnantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
Price range: $$$girlandthegoose.com: summer dinner menu AED 249 for three courses; "Build Your O
Dish to order: Short rib clay pot; pupusas and beef-cheek tacosnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources tell the same story: a 10-seat home supper club scaled into a hotel restaurant without losing warmth, with the chef working the room. Praised for tortillas, ceviches and the clay-pot short rib; no complaints recorded. Occasion: friendly date or small group; licensed.

Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Gabriela Chamorro (chef-founder). Booking: Own website girlandthegoose.com/reservations / +971 4 575 3760.

Open in Google Maps Business Bay district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com, whatson.ae, theworlds50best.com, girlandthegoose.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Antojitos La Chiapaneca, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico, not this restaurant. Photograph: T.Tseng, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Palestinian and Jordanian (Levantine) · Jumeirah 1

Sufret Maryam

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.7; Salam Dakkak SevenRooms Icon Award 2026Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: Winner, Best MENA

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 1Wasl 51
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand)
Dish to order: Mansaf – lamb over saffron rice with jameed sauce; MICHELIN adds the labneh crème brûlée with za'atar ice creamnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources praise generous, refined Palestinian-Jordanian home cooking, superb breads (48-hour sourdough) and a homely art-filled room from the Bait Maryam founder. No complaints recorded. Occasion: family feast; unlicensed.

Hours: 12pm–12am. Licence: Dry – Time Out lists it as "Unlicensed". Kitchen: Salam Dakkak (chef-owner). Booking: own/phone.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, sufretmaryam.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Lebanon Flower, Abu Dhabi, not this restaurant. Photograph: pelican from Tokyo, Japan, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Modern European comfort food · Dubai Creek Harbour

DUO Gastrobar – Creek Harbour

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection) – both Creek Harbour and Dubai Hills branchesGault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13/20 (listed as "DUO Gastrobar")

Neighbourhood: Dubai Creek HarbourGrand Creek Harbour Residence, Tower 2 (promenade)
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand)
Dish to order: Beef cheek with onion gratin and the homemade lemonadenamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN praises unfussy, well-priced comfort cooking, an open kitchen and skyline views over the harbour; Gault&Millau awards a toque. Only two guide sources read, no full review; complaints not recorded. Occasion: relaxed waterfront dinner in a residential district few tourists reach.

Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown.

Open in Google Maps Dubai Creek Harbour district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, gaultmillauae.com, duodubai.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Grilled steak on black slate with herbs ready for serving, not this restaurant. Photograph: Shixart1985, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Where Dubai actually eats

Ten restaurants where the bill is under AED 100 and the queue is the review. Ravi in Satwa has been feeding the city since the 1970s. Bu Qtair is a fried-fish counter on the beach at Umm Suqeim. Al Ustad’s kebab house in Bur Dubai and Aroos Damascus in Deira are the Iranian and Syrian institutions. Al Fanar at Al Seef and Al Khayma in Al Fahidi are the two Emirati kitchens to compare, and Gerbou in Nad Al Sheba is the modern one. Most are dry. None takes a reservation platform.

Emirati · Al Seef, Bur Dubai (Dubai Creek)

Al Fanar Restaurant & Café (Al Seef)

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)

Neighbourhood: Al Seef, Bur Dubai (Dubai Creek)Al Seef, unit P3-07-02
Price range: $MICHELIN price tier $
Dish to order: Machboos and luqaimat with date syrup (alfanarrestaurant.com); the creek-side terrace seafoodnamed by alfanarrestaurant.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN praises rustic interiors, a terrace over the Creek and warm hospitality from a group built on Emirati cuisine; the restaurant's own site adds the classic dishes. Only one independent source read, so consensus is thin. Occasion: first-timer's Emirati lunch by the water; dry.

Licence: Dry. Booking: own/phone.

Open in Google Maps Old Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, alfanarrestaurant.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Machboos/ Machbus / Makboos مكبوس, Dish popular in Kuwait,Bahrain ,UAE and Qatar,, not this restaurant. Photograph: Miansari66, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Emirati and Arabic café · Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Bur Dubai

Arabian Tea House

Neighbourhood: Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Bur DubaiHeritage courtyard house, Al Fahidi Street
Price range: $$Visit Dubai listing shows $$–$$$
Dish to order: Emirati breakfast tray with gahwa (arabianteahouse.com)named by arabianteahouse.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

The restaurant's own site (founded 1997) and Visit Dubai both position it as the original Emirati heritage café in a Bastakiya courtyard, known for breakfast trays and gahwa. No independent critic review was read; treat as an editor pick to be verified on the ground. Occasion: slow breakfast before the Al Fahidi galleries; dry.

Licence: Dry. Booking: Online via arabianteahouse.com/reservation.

Open in Google Maps Old Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: arabianteahouse.com, visitdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of شاي عربي تقليدي, not this restaurant. Photograph: pixabay, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Levantine home cooking · Jumeirah Lakes Towers

Bait Maryam

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)MICHELIN "Worth Queueing For" tag

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah Lakes TowersCluster D, JLT (lakeside)
Price range: $MICHELIN price tier $ (Bib Gourmand); MICHELIN calls the lunch dish-of-the-day "
Dish to order: Maryam fukhara – kibbeh meatballs with pomegranate molasses in a claypot – and kunafa kheshnenamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN and Time Out both treat it as the mother-ship of Salam Dakkak's Levantine cooking: generational recipes, a glass-enclosed lakeside terrace, and queues. Two sources read; no complaints beyond waiting. Occasion: weekend family lunch.

Kitchen: Salam Dakkak (chef-owner). Booking: own/phone.

Open in Google Maps Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, baitmaryam.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Abu Dhabi, UAE, not this restaurant. Photograph: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Pakistani · Al Satwa

Ravi Restaurant

Neighbourhood: Al SatwaShop 245, Al Dhiyafa Road (opposite Union Co-op)
Price range: $Time Out: "a group of four would be hard-pushed to spend more than Dhs150"
Dish to order: Chicken jalfrezi with roti, followed by dhal frynamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Time Out loves the plastic-tablecloth charm, bustling mixed crowd and near-free feasting; search-result listing from directories repeat the praise (seekh kebab, karahi) and the single complaint – tired, cramped interiors. Occasion: late-night cheap eat, solo or group; take-away friendly.

Licence: Dry. Booking: Walk-in.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Chicken Karahi, Karahi Chicken, Karahi Murghi, not this restaurant. Photograph: Miansari66, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

Iranian kebab house · Bur Dubai (Al Hamriya / Mankhool)

Al Ustad Special Kabab

Neighbourhood: Bur Dubai (Al Hamriya / Mankhool)Near Al Fahidi Metro Station, Al Mussallah Road
Price range: $Time Out: "everything is super affordable"
Dish to order: The Special Kebab (Kebab Khas) – yoghurt-marinated mutton with Iranian rice and a pat of butternamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Time Out gives it cult status: open since 1978, run by three brothers, walls of 8,000 photos including royalty, and the best yoghurt-marinated kebabs in town. Only one critic source read; directory listing echo the praise. Occasion: cheap, characterful lunch after Al Fahidi; dry.

Licence: Dry. Kitchen: Family-run by three brothers. Booking: Walk-in.

Open in Google Maps Old Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Chelo Kabab Soltani - 2 grilled minced lamb kebabs, grilled tomatoes and rice with saffron. Photographed in the Persian , not this restaurant. Photograph: Benreis, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).

Kerala-style fried fish and prawns · Umm Suqeim 2

Bu Qtair

Neighbourhood: Umm Suqeim 2Fishing Harbour 2, off Jumeirah Beach Road (near the jet-ski slipway)
Price range: $Visit Dubai listing shows price tier $
Dish to order: Masala-marinated fried fish and prawns of the day with paratha/roti and curry saucenamed by visitdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Visit Dubai and Emirates position it as the beach shack turned institution, featured on Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown (2013), with plastic chairs and fish by weight. No 2026 critic review was read directly – the full Emirates page timed out – so this is an editor pick needing a ground check. Occasion: sunset fish supper after Kite Beach; dry.

Licence: Dry. Booking: Walk-in (queue; pick fish at the counter).

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide

Sources read 20 September 2026: visitdubai.com, emirates.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Two grilled whole fish on a plate, not this restaurant. Photograph: pompi, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Syrian · Deira (Al Muraqqabat)

Aroos Damascus

Neighbourhood: Deira (Al Muraqqabat)Ground floor, Green Palace Hotel, Al Muraqqabat Road
Price range: $Editorial tier from AFAR and directory descriptions (generous portions, value);
Dish to order: Mixed grill / kebab and kibbeh with the complimentary spread of pickles, vegetables and fresh bread (AFAR; aroosdamascus.ae)named by afar.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

AFAR and the restaurant's site describe a 1980-vintage Deira institution drawing a mixed crowd for Syrian grills, kibbeh and manakish served with lavish free sides into the small hours. Only one independent source read; directory listing add that parking is hard and payment has been cash-only (unverified). Occasion: late, loud, cheap group dinner in old Dubai; dry.

Hours: Al Muraqqabat: 7am–4am (aroosdamascus.ae). Licence: Dry. Booking: Walk-in.

Open in Google Maps Old Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: afar.com, aroosdamascus.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Special Chicken Shawarma Plate, not this restaurant. Photograph: Dr. Chinchu C., via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Contemporary Emirati · Nad Al Sheba 1

Gerbou

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)

Neighbourhood: Nad Al Sheba 1Restored 1987 villa, Street 20 off Nadd Al Sheba Road
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$; Time Out review: "prices are reasonable, and portions ar
Dish to order: Mansaf (feeds four) and the sago pudding by pastry chef Sahar Al Awadhi; MICHELIN recommends chicken machboos and the fwala "high tea" traynamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources praise the same things: a heritage 1987 building with every fitting locally made, European technique applied to salona and machboos, and warmth that "rivals grandma's cooking". No complaints recorded. It is the one genuine destination restaurant in Nad Al Sheba. Occasion: Emirati lunch or fwala tea; dry.

Hours: Weekday breakfast 7–11am, weekend 8am–12pm; lunch and dinner from 12pm; fwala 7–10pm (gerbou.com). Time Out: Mon–Fri 7am–11pm, Sat–Sun 8am–11pm. Licence: Dry. Kitchen: Pastry chef Sahar Al Awadhi; owner Tashkeel art and design studio (gerbou.com). Booking: Own website gerbou.com / +971 4 222 6888. Note: The only destination restaurant in Nad Al Sheba. Everything else in the district is mall casual dining, which is why there is no second Nad Al Sheba entry here.

Open in Google Maps Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, gerbou.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of A dallah of Arabic coffee, not this restaurant. Photograph: Abdulla Al Muhairi, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Emirati · Al Fahidi Historical District, Bur Dubai

Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)

Neighbourhood: Al Fahidi Historical District, Bur DubaiVilla 54-44, Al Fahidi Historical District
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand)
Dish to order: Lamb machboos to share, then luqaimat and sticky date puddingnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN describes a part-restaurant, part-museum courtyard under a tree with staff in traditional dress, bread baked in view and live music; carefully prepared rustic Emirati dishes. Only one source read. Occasion: atmospheric heritage dinner for visitors; dry.

Licence: Dry. Booking: own/phone.

Open in Google Maps Old Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, alkhayma.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of kuwaiti lgemat, not this restaurant. Photograph: Aldousari, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Northern Thai noodles · Al Karama

Khao Soi

Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: Winner, Best Thai

Neighbourhood: Al Karama
Price range: $Editorial tier: Time Out describes a cosy family-run noodle shop in Karama; no m
Dish to order: Khao soi (Chiang Mai curry noodles) and the red honey chicken noodles, with iced Thai milk teanamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Time Out crowned it 2026 Best Thai for "straight from Northern Thailand" flavours in a warm, family-run Karama room. Unlicensed. No second source found within budget. Occasion: cheap solo lunch or casual dinner in Karama.

Licence: Dry – Time Out lists it as "Unlicensed". Booking: Walk-in. Note: The one entry without a street address or coordinates: a Karama noodle counter that publishes neither. The map link searches by name.

Open in Google Maps Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of A steaming bowl of phở bò (rice noodle soup with beef) and its condiments, as served in the Cầu Giấy district, Hanoi, not this restaurant. Photograph: Codename5281, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Hotel dining rooms worth the hotel

Five rooms that would be on the list if they stood alone in a car park. Zuma and LPM in DIFC are the two most consistently full restaurants in the financial district a decade after opening. Il Borro at Madinat Jumeirah is the Tuscan T-bone. Shabestan at the Radisson Blu Deira Creek has been the city’s Persian room since 1983. Mimi Kakushi in Jumeirah 2 is the 1920s-Osaka fantasy that turned out to have a serious kitchen.

Contemporary Japanese (izakaya style) · DIFC

Zuma Dubai

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.34Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: highly commended, Best Japanese and Best Brunch

Neighbourhood: DIFCGate Village 6, DIFC
Price range: $$$MICHELIN price tier $$$
Dish to order: Miso-marinated black cod; robata grills (MENA)named by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Three of three sources credit it as a DIFC pioneer still delivering: three kitchens (main, sushi, robata), glamorous two-storey room, consistently excellent plates and slick service. No complaints recorded beyond it being a scene. Occasion: business dinner or Saturday brunch; licensed.

Licence: Licensed. Booking: SevenRooms via zumarestaurant.com / +971 4 425 5660.

Open in Google Maps DIFC district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Korean Food : Korean Barbecue, Grilling Beef, not this restaurant. Photograph: Jo Hanshin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

French-Mediterranean (Niçoise) · DIFC

La Petite Maison (LPM) Dubai

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: two toques, 14/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.27

Neighbourhood: DIFCGate Village 8, DIFC
Price range: $$$MICHELIN Dubai list shows "La Petite Maison (LPM)" at tier $$$
Dish to order: Lamb chops, potato gratin and the garlicky snails; MENA adds the green lentil salad and salt-baked sea bassnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources agree on consistency: a decade-plus DIFC grande dame that is still hard to book, with unfussy Franco-Italian sharing plates and staff who treat you like a regular. No complaints recorded. Occasion: business lunch or celebratory dinner; licensed.

Licence: Licensed. Booking: Own website lpmrestaurants.com/dubai / +971 4 439 0505.

Open in Google Maps DIFC district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, gaultmillauae.com, guide.michelin.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Plateau de fruits de mer (huîtres n° 2, bulots, crevettes roses). Les Huîtres de Trousse Chemise (Etablissements Franck , not this restaurant. Photograph: Jean-Pierre Bazard Jpbazard, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Tuscan Italian · Umm Suqeim 3 (Madinat Jumeirah)

Il Borro Tuscan Bistro Dubai

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)Gault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13/20What's On Dubai Awards 2026: Favourite Fine Dining Italian

Neighbourhood: Umm Suqeim 3 (Madinat Jumeirah)Jumeirah Al Naseem, by the Turtle Lagoon
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$
Dish to order: A 1.2kg T-bone to share, the estate olive oil, warm apple tartnamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources praise estate-sourced Tuscan produce, old-fashioned Italian charm and a lagoon-side setting; Time Out notes you must book. No complaints recorded. Occasion: family celebration or romantic dinner with Burj Al Arab views; licensed.

Licence: Licensed. Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown. Note: The MICHELIN Guide files it at $$; the 1.2 kg T-bone that everyone orders pushes a table of two well past that. Budget $$$ if the steak is the point.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, timeoutdubai.com, whatson.ae, gaultmillauae.com, ilborrotuscanbistro.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Risotto de gambas, restaurant Danieli (Vienne, Autriche), not this restaurant. Photograph: Benoît Prieur, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Persian · Deira (Deira Creek)

Shabestan

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2025 selection)MICHELIN "Iconic" tag

Neighbourhood: Deira (Deira Creek)Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, 2nd floor
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$ (Bib Gourmand)
Dish to order: Kash-e-Bademjan (signature aubergine dish) and the marinated grilled meatsnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN praises a third-generation family-run Persian dining room with Creek views and generous portions; it is one of Dubai's longest-running hotel restaurants. Only one source read. Occasion: old-Dubai dinner with a view for visitors staying Deira-side; hotel venue so likely licensed.

Licence: Presumed licensed (hotel restaurant) – not explicitly confirmed. Kitchen: Third-generation family-run. Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown.

Open in Google Maps Old Dubai district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Veg Biryani, not this restaurant. Photograph: Phadke09, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Contemporary Japanese (1920s Osaka theme) · Jumeirah 2

Mimi Kakushi

Gault&Millau UAE 2026: one toque, 13.5/20MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026: No.35Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: Winner, Best Japanese (second consecutive year)

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 2Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Restaurant Village
Price range: $$$Editorial estimate from Time Out/MENA descriptions (kobe, wagyu, sushi-led); no
Dish to order: Black cod; donabe rice pots and the bar's cocktails (MENA)named by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Four of four sources praise both the food – sushi, robata, black cod, claypots – and a bar programme rated among the world's best; Time Out named it Best Japanese two years running. Not in the MICHELIN 2025 selection, a notable omission. Occasion: glamorous date or pre-dinner cocktails; licensed.

Hours: Mon–Sun 12pm–2am, kitchen last order 1am. Licence: Licensed. Kitchen: Vladimir Kim (head chef, per MENA). Booking: SevenRooms via mimikakushi.ae / +971 4 379 4811.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com, theworlds50best.com, whatson.ae, gaultmillauae.com, mimikakushi.ae.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of This photo shows an intimate nighttime dining scene, likely at an outdoor restaurant or terrace in Pattaya, Thailand. Th, not this restaurant. Photograph: PattayaPatrol, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

On the sand

Three tables where the sea is part of the order. Gigi Rigolatto at J1 Beach is the Italian beach club that opened with the new beach in 2024. Ibn Albahr on the Palm is pick-your-fish Lebanese at $$, and the one of the three you can take a family to. Iliana at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab is Greek-island dining at Jumeirah’s newest resort. All three rest on thinner review evidence than the rest of the list, and their cards say so.

Italian beach club restaurant · Jumeirah 1

Gigi Rigolatto Dubai

What's On Dubai Awards 2026: Favourite Alfresco Restaurant

Neighbourhood: Jumeirah 1J1 Beach
Price range: $$$$Editorial estimate – premium beach-club positioning; no prices published on gigi
Dish to order: Vitello tonnato and gnocchi al pomodoro; tiramisu (signature dishes listed on gigi-restaurant.com)named by gigi-restaurant.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

What's On readers voted it 2026 Favourite Alfresco; the venue's own site describes an Italian beach house with pool, cabanas, kids' club and a Bellini bar. No independent critic review read, so consensus is thin. Dress code smart casual by day, chic and elegant at night. Occasion: long lunch into sunset on the sand; licensed.

Hours: Restaurant daily 12pm–1am (Sunday lunch 12–5:30pm, dinner 6pm–1am); beach and Bellini Bar 10am–sunset (gigi-restaurant.com). Licence: Licensed (Bellini Bar listed on the website). Booking: SevenRooms / +971 4 498 3900.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: whatson.ae, gigi-restaurant.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of The photo shows a beautiful seaside dining scene at dusk or night. There's an outdoor restaurant or café area with table, not this restaurant. Photograph: PattayaPatrol, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Lebanese seafood · Palm Jumeirah

Ibn Albahr

MICHELIN Selected (2025 selection)

Neighbourhood: Palm JumeirahClub Vista Mare (beachfront)
Price range: $$MICHELIN price tier $$
Dish to order: Pick your fish at the counter and have it simply grilled with Lebanese herbs and spices; ask for a table on the sandnamed by guide.michelin.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

MICHELIN praises the nautical décor, beach-facing terrace with tables on the sand and ingredient-led seafood cooked simply from a fresh-fish counter. Only one source read. Occasion: relaxed beach lunch with family on the Palm.

Hours: Daily, roughly 12pm–12am/1am depending on area (ibnalbahr.me lists 11:30am–12am, 12pm–12am, 12pm–1am and 1pm–12am for different sections). Booking: MICHELIN/TheFork or unknown.

Open in Google Maps Palm Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: guide.michelin.com, ibnalbahr.me.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Fresh Fish Section at the Waterfront Market, Deira, Dubai, not this restaurant. Photograph: Ithra Dubai, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Greek island-style beachfront · Umm Suqeim (Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab)

Iliana

Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards 2026: highly commended, Best Greek

Neighbourhood: Umm Suqeim (Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab)Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab resort
Price range: $$$$Editorial estimate – Jumeirah flagship resort venue; no prices read
Dish to order: Seabass carpaccio and chicken souvlakinamed by timeoutdubai.com
Status: Openchecked 20 September 2026

Time Out calls it the ultimate chic beachfront destination with sea views from indoors, terrace or rooftop and a teal pool for resort guests. No second source within budget. Occasion: scene-y beach lunch for hotel guests and visitors; licensed.

Licence: Licensed. Booking: Jumeirah reservations 800 323 232.

Open in Google Maps Jumeirah district guide Website

Sources read 20 September 2026: timeoutdubai.com.

Illustration only: a stock photograph of Moussaka and Greek salad served at a taverna in Laconia, Peloponnesus in Greece, not this restaurant. Photograph: Vouliagmeni, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Eleven more worth booking

Eleven restaurants that the best-known Dubai lists carry and our forty did not, each checked trading in September 2026. They are here as a table rather than as cards for a reason we would rather state than hide: every card on this page carries its own independently licensed photograph, we hold nine unused files, and reusing one or quietly dropping two restaurants would both be worse than this. Where a venue publishes no price or no signature dish, the cell says so.

Checked trading, 25 September 2026
Restaurant	Neighbourhood	Price	Dish to order	Distinction
21 GramsBalkan (Serbian-leaning) bistro	Umm Suqeim 2Meyan Mall, 2nd floor	$$-$$$	Phyllo pie; wagyu beef kebabs with pickles; sarma; the 'komplet' egg	Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2025
BussolaItalian - three concepts: restaurant, pizzeria and lounge	Al Sufouh / Dubai Marina - Mina SeyahiThe Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina	Not published	Stone-baked pizza from the Bussola pizzeria	None
Estiatorio MilosGreek seafood	Palm JumeirahAtlantis The Royal	AED 700-1,400 per person typical; AED 2,000+ with premium fish or lobster. Priced by weight: AED 60-90 per 100g premium fish, lobster to AED 350 per 100g	Not publishedCostas Spiliadis (group founder)	None
Flamingo Room by tashasInternational / contemporary with a South African and African accent	Umm Suqeim / Madinat JumeirahJumeirah Al Naseem, on the turtle lagoon	AED 250-400 per person	Not publishedNatasha Sideris (tashas Group founder)	None
Fusion CevichePeruvian	Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT)Podium, Cluster Q, Saba Tower 3	Not published	Not publishedPenelope Diaz (self-taught founder)	None
GAIAGreek-Mediterranean	Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)Gate Village 4	Not published	Not publishedIzu Ani (with founder Evgeny Kuzin)	No. 33, Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants 2026
Mythos Kouzina & GrillGreek taverna	Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT)The Park, Cluster P	Not published	Not published	None
Ninive BeachContemporary Middle Eastern / North African	Jumeirah 1J1 Beach	AED 450-750 per person for the Saturday brunch packages	Not published	None
Soul KitchenLevantine x Latin American, framed around the Arab diaspora	Business BayMarasi Drive	$$$$ (brunch packages AED 195-495)	Not published	None
The GuildModern European / brasserie across four spaces	Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)ICD Brookfield Place	Brunch Society packages AED 440-549 per person; a la carte UNCONFIRMED	The Sunday roast is the most consistently singled-out orderPaul Gajewski (ex-Noma, Guy Savoy, L'Atelier Paris)	Opening of the Year, MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2024
The Maine Oyster Bar & GrillSeafood-forward American / Mediterranean brasserie with a raw bar	Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR)Ground floor, DoubleTree by Hilton Jumeirah Beach	Brunch packages AED 440-750 per person; a la carte UNCONFIRMED	Neptune's Folly seafood tower; the lobster roll; rotating oysters including local Dibba BayFounder Joey Ghazal (The Maine Group)	None

Two we checked and left off. Folly, the Nick Alvis and Scott Price restaurant, closed around October 2025 and its domain is now a parked page. Ninive’s original Jumeirah room is closed for the summer and returns on 1 October; its beach outpost at J1 Beach is open and is on the brunch page.

The fourteen we cut, and why

Space, not quality: Bordo Mavi (Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, Time Out's seafood runner-up), Hawkerboi (JLT, Bib Gourmand), Birch at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC (Time Out's best tasting menu under AED 1,000), Pierchic at Al Qasr, Goldfish on Al Wasl Road (Bib Gourmand), Konjiki Hototogisu at Mall of the Emirates (Bib Gourmand, $), Three Bros at Wasl 51 (MENA No. 29), Trèsind at One&Only Royal Mirage, Smoked Room and Tasca and Hōseki (all one star), Khoori Special Kabab in Al Mamzar, Dampa Seafood Grill in Port Saeed, Café Isan in JLT. All verified open on 20 September 2026.
Closed or paused, still on other lists: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Ossiano, Ling Ling, Brasserie Frantzén, La Mar, Cloud 22 (all Atlantis, paused 20 April 2026, no dates); Al Muntaha, L'Olivo and Skyview (Burj Al Arab, closed to about October 2027); Prime68 at the JW Marriott Marquis (temporarily closed); La Dame de Pic at One&Only One Za'abeel (Time Out lists it as temporarily closed and we could not reach the hotel to confirm either way, so it is out until we can).
Could not confirm trading: Logma, whose Dubai Mall branch was reported closed to the end of August and whose website is an under-construction page; Seven Sands, Al Mallah and Local House, which we ran out of budget to verify. None is listed until someone answers the phone.
Al Quoz: Time Out's 2026 winners in the district are two bakeries, a pie shop and a smash-burger counter. Good, but not this list.

Nothing on this page is ranked and nothing is paid for. Every closure was checked against the operator's own site on 20 September 2026; the Atlantis pauses were confirmed by The National on 20 April 2026.

Questions readers ask

Which Dubai restaurants have three Michelin stars?

Two, both awarded in the 2025 selection on 22 May 2025: Trèsind Studio (Himanshu Saini, St. Regis Gardens rooftop, Palm Jumeirah) and FZN by Björn Frantzén (Atlantis The Palm). Both are open and both hold 19/20 from Gault&Millau UAE 2026. The 2026 MICHELIN selection is announced on 6 October 2026.

What is the best restaurant in Dubai right now?

By the guides: Trèsind Studio and FZN on stars, Kinoya by MENA's 50 Best 2026 (second in the region, first in the UAE), Row on 45 by Time Out's 2026 awards, Manāo by What's On's. We have not ranked them. Pick by the evening you want: the cards above are grouped that way.

Which famous Dubai restaurants are closed in 2026?

At Atlantis, paused since 20 April 2026: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Ossiano, Ling Ling, Brasserie Frantzén, La Mar and Cloud 22, with Hakkasan reported to reopen on 23 September. Inside the Burj Al Arab, everything, until about October 2027. Prime68 is temporarily closed. La Dame de Pic is listed as temporarily closed by Time Out and unconfirmed by the hotel.

Is there a good restaurant in Nad Al Sheba?

One: Gerbou, a contemporary Emirati restaurant in Nad Al Sheba 1 that is MICHELIN Selected. Order the mansaf, which feeds four. The rest of the district's dining is mall chains.

Which of these are cheap?

Ten cards carry a single $, meaning under about AED 100 a head: Al Fanar, Bait Maryam, Ravi, Al Ustad Special Kabab, Bu Qtair, Aroos Damascus, Khao Soi and three others in the local section. Kinoya, Khadak, Berenjak, REIF and 3Fils are $$.

Do I need to book?

For the starred rooms and the hotel classics, yes, a week or more ahead for Thursday and Friday. Most of the local section is walk-in with a queue. Each card names the booking route where one exists.

Are these restaurants licensed?

Hotel restaurants and the DIFC, Bluewaters and beach-club venues are. Most of the local section is dry, and the card says so where we could confirm it. Where the card is silent we could not confirm either way.

How to read the cards

The starred rooms and the tasting menus

moonrise

Chef-driven, at a price you can repeat

Where Dubai actually eats

Ravi Restaurant

Bu Qtair

Hotel dining rooms worth the hotel

On the sand

Eleven more worth booking

The fourteen we cut, and why

Questions readers ask

Nineteen starred restaurants, and which are actually open.