Bountiful Food, Free-Flowing Drinks & Kids Activities Galore. These Are Some Of The Brunches We’re booking This Season
We love a good brunch – and so do our kids! The food, the drinks, the entertainment, the opportunity to sit and eat as a family in the knowledge that there’s something to keep everyone happy! Brunch has become somewhat of an institution in our desert city – so whether you have family/friends in town and you want to show them a good time or you’re catching up with buddies and their gang, here are some of the brunch places you should fit into your weekend plans.
How about brunch on a terrace, overlooking lush green polo fields and surrounded by horses grazing and birds singing? Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club offers all of the above plus lots more including kids activities which knock the socks off face painting and balloon bending (although they have those too!). We’re talking pony rides and other fun stuff – oh and oodles of space for your littles to run and play. Oh and most Friday’s there’ll actually be a polo match on so you can sip on a cool drink while watching each chukka – and even help with replacing the divots in the intervals.
Classic Polo Brunch
Palermo Terrace, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club
Fridays 1pm – 4pm
Adults AED 275 inclusive of non-alcoholic drinks or AED 375 for unlimited house beverages
Kids aged 6 – 12 years AED 110, under 6’s free of charge
To reserve email reception@poloclubdubai.com or call +971 (0) 4 362 7881
www.poloclubdubai.com
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With celeb chef Gordon Ramsay at the helm of Bread Street Kitchen, the food at this Atlantis hotspot is bound to be good (expect all the British classics from Fisn ‘n Chips to traditional roasts), but there’s so much more that makes this one of the best family friendly brunches in town.
First up, sharing starters, main courses and desserts are brought to your table so there’s none of that wandering around huge buffets for hours (hooray!), which means plenty more time for chatting and fun.
Secondly, the kids get to try out some awesome activities including a cooking masterclass. Best of all, the little ones are whisked off to enjoy The Lost Chambers Aquarium as part of the deal so that you can finish your meal in peace while they get up close and personal with some very cool sea creatures. Sound amazing? We think so!
Family Brunch
Bread Street Kitchen, Atlantis The Palm
Fridays 12.30pm – 4pm
AED 335 per person with selected alcoholic beverages
AED 225 per person with non-alcoholic beverages
AED 95 per child
www.atlantisthepalm.com
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If you haven’t been to Geales (for brunch or otherwise) then you’re missing out, mamas! This ‘Best of British’ restaurant has a gorgeous setting overlooking the lush gardens of Le Royal Meridien and a chic black and white interior (helloooo instagram!). And brunch here is very civilized, even with kids in tow. Everything is served at the table (other than dessert, but we’ll come to that bit later), from a prawn cocktail to-die-for to shepherds pie and the most delicious fish ‘n’ chips we’ve had outside of the UK, served on cool wooden boards plus kids options including spaghetti bolognaise and homemade chicken nuggets. The kids are guaranteed to have a ball with activities on the lawn, under the shade of palm trees, including a bouncy castle, canvas painting, face painting, balloon magic and much more. And then there’s the ‘sweet shop’: a room dedicated to all your childhood faves (a Willy Wonka-style paradise) piled high with everything from toffee apples to cakes, muffins to sweets – a kiddie heaven! This brunch is also very VERY good value and the house beverages include a rose wine so good we’ve only tasted similar in Provence (yay!).
Geales’ Family Friendly Saturday Brunch
Saturdays 12pm – 4pm
Adults AED 195 including free-flowing soft drinks and AED 345 inclusive of free-flowing alcoholic beverages
Kids aged 13 – 18 years AED 99, under 12 years free of charge
www.geales-dubai.com
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For those who crave an escape from the city, this brunch at the Al Forsan Restaurant in the gorgeous Bab Al Shams Resort, overlooking the beautiful and serene Arabian desert, is just the thing! From buffet stations to live-cooking plus a kids’ corner with loads of child-friendly options there’s also live music, competitions and activities for the whole family including bouncy castles, slides and camel or pony rides. We love!
Friday Farmers Brunch
Al Forsan Restaurant
Bab Al Shams
Fridays 12.30pm – 4pm
Adults AED 345 inclusive of soft drinks or AED 515 including selected house beverages
Kids aged between 5 – 12 years receive a 50% discount on the adult price
Under 4’s free of charge
www.meydanhotels.com
We love picnics and BBQ’s and lunches with a view, so this al fresco brunch at Crowne Plaza Festival City sounds like the perfect option – especially as it comes with pool access – hooray! The hotel’s lawns are transformed into a picnic wonderland every Friday, complete with benches, umbrellas, picnic rugs and cushions plus a fab pantry idea where you and your little ones can load up your wicker baskets with all sorts of scrummy treats including sandwiches, salads and artisan cheeses.
Want something hot? A BBQ offers everything from king prawns to lamb chops AND there’s a smoker for ribs and beef brisket (oh, and a pork selection if that’s your thing). Kids can have their own party in a designated zone while you sip on a glass of fizz, and you can all raid the ‘sweet shop’ for ice-cream and candy floss to finish off with. With a live guitarist and stunning views of the Dubai Creek Skyline, there’s plenty to love about this brunch.
The Pantry Brunch
Crowne Plaza Festival City
Fridays 12pm – 4pm
Adults AED 245 including non-alcoholic beverages and AED 345 with elected alcoholic drinks (upgrade to bubbles available)
Kids under the age of 11 eat free
www.ihg.com
There’s something ever so civilised about The Four Seasons, Jumeirah, and their Friday brunch is no exception. Located in the vibrant, market-style restaurant Suq, this brunch combines the best of all cuisines with delicious food stations and dishes brought to your table too – either indoors or on their gorgeous palm shaded terrace.
From freshly shucked oysters served up by the super friendly and very glam ladies of The Oyster Elite Co (which came round as often as you want them to) to steaming hot risotto served by the chef himself from a giant parmesan wheel. There’s also an amazing seafood selection, delicious British-style roasts and literally almost everything else you can think of!
For kids, order whatever they might fancy from your waiter and they’ll even take it over to a dedicated kiddie zone complete with movie screen and colouring. For pudding, treat them to ice-creams with all kinds of toppings. Choose to sit indoors or on the outside terrace overlooking beautiful gardens. Brunch here is casual yet elegant; we loved the relaxed vibe and the faultless service.
Suq Brunch
The Four Seasons, Jumeirah
Fridays 1pm – 4pm
Adults AED 350 including non-alcoholic beverages of AED 500 with selected alcoholic drinks (bubbles upgrade available)
Kids aged 6-12 years AED 175, under 6’s free of charge
www.fourseasons.com
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This brunch is definitely on our hit list. Offering a delightful culinary experience in the comfort of a modern setting, you are sure to start the weekend on a high. Enjoy food prepared at 9 live cooking stations, as well as mixology stations presenting some of the most mean cocktails, coupled with a table poolside and some chilled out music and you will be happy you came to Nomad! For the kids expect a Kids Carnival corner featuring a station with mini pizzas, popcorn, cupcakes and much more. Entertainment comes in the form of an inflatable castle, balloon bending and face painting, which should keep your little ones at bay whilst you soak up the ambiance for another hour or two…
Nomad Friday Brunch
Jumeirah Creekside Hotel
Fridays 12.30pm – 4pm
Adults AED 240 including non-alcoholic beverages or AED 340 for selected alcoholic drinks
Kids aged between 7-11 years AED 95, under 7’s free of charge
www.jumeirah.com
In the words of Aretha Franklin, “…what you want (Ooo) Baby, I got it..” Farriers Brunch is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow of your hard work week and they got it all going on, mamas! The food stations include everything from seafood to sushi, Chinese to British plus Italian, Indian and much more plus a dessert station and ice cream bar and the soothing sounds of a live jazz, soul and blues band coupled with outstanding views of the Meydan race course make for a fab atmosphere. Little ones can enjoy a supervised kiddie area in the open light foyer complete with bouncy castle, sand art, board games and a kids buffet plus goodie bags on arrival (and which kid doesn’t love a little gift?!).
Meydan Hotel
Fridays
Adults AED 290 inclusive of soft drinks and AED 450 inclusive of selected house beverages (bubbly upgrade available).
Kids between 5-12 years AED 155, under 5’s free of charge
www.meydanhotels.com
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If you’ve seen those gorgeous instagram pics of giant dream catchers and white-washed décor then the likelihood is that they’ve been taken at El Chiringuito at Rixos, The Palm, – a slice of Ibiza here in Dubai. The vibe here is simply dreamy (think billowing white fabric, flowers, feathers and sun-bleached wood). And as for the food? A-MA-ZING!
Brunch is a table-served affair that includes Spanish dishes such as paella, grilled seafood, goats cheese salad and carpaccio for the grown-ups and pasta, homemade burgers or grilled chicken for the kidlettes. This place is all about long lazy lunching, glass of sangria in hand. And if the kids get restless, a little Chiringuito’s kids club is available for really cute activities including planting up flower pots for mama to take home (activities might change depending on which day you go on). With a beach club and pool included as part of the brunch package, there’s the opportunity to spend a whole day here (pretending to be in the Balearic Islands). We love.
La Familia Brunch
El Chiringuito
Rixos, The Palm
Saturdays 12pm – 4pm
Adults AED 395 per person with soft drinks and AED 495 per person with selected alcoholic beverages (bubbles upgrade available)
www.thepalmdubai.rixos.com
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One of the best value brunches around but with gorgeous food and fabulous kids activities guaranteed, Ronda Locatelli’s revamped Saturday brunch is a real treat. From wood-fired pizzas to freshly baked breads and all the scrummy Italian dishes you’d expect served up at an elegant buffet and also table-served, you get the best of both worlds (and heaps of food – wear comfy clothing!). Little ones can get stuck into pizza making, painting a canvas on the outdoor terrace or following a roving magician around the restaurant to try to figure out his amazing tricks.
Bellissima Saturday Brunch
Ronda Locatelli
Atlantis The Palm
Saturdays 12.30pm -3.30pm
Adults AED 195 inclusive of non-alcoholic drinks or AED 295 for unlimited house beverages.
Kids under 11 years free of charge
www.atlantisthepalm.com
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Dukesy’s Family Brunch at West 14th has got to be one of the best brunches we’ve tried with kiddies in tow, and here’s why: firstly, the brunch includes all day access to a stunning infinity pool overlooking the ocean and Dubai Marina, plus beach access too so you can build up an appetite before tucking in. Then there’s the lazy river for floating along under palm trees in a giant donut (for after lunch perhaps?)… perfect!
And that’s not all. Kids have a dedicated space complete with whatever they might like to eat (chocolate fountain included), bean bags and a screen playing movies. There’s a big bouncy castle out on the grass, activities including cupcake decorating and face painting to choose from and you can also check them into the kids club for a little while if you just need to sit and finish that glass of bubbles without wiping chocolate from faces (we hear you!). And with live BBQ stations, salads and a not-too-huge but totally delicious buffet selection all set in a very relaxed atmosphere, this is the perfect place to kick-back and spend the day.
psst.. each week has a different kids theme too – from ‘superheroes’ to ‘friendly firemen’ in case your little ones want to dress up, just check the website for details.
Dukesy Beach Brunch
West 14th, The Palm Dubai
Fridays 10am – 6pm (brunch served 1pm -4pm)
Adults AED 169 inclusive of non-alcoholic beverages or AED 369 per person with selected alcoholic beverages
Kids aged 6-11 years AED 97 under 5’s free of charge
www.west14th.ae
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Featured image via @adventureswithkaya
