Post Category - EatEat - Post Category - Eating OutEating OutOur top five brunch spots that have just popped up around town
Brunch is a Dubai institution – whether you’re doing it alone (i.e with hubby and friends) or taking the kids, there are food stations to discover, dessert tables the size of small islands to navigate and plenty of fun to be had. We’ve done the hard work (okay, it wasn’t actually that hard) and checked out five of the newest brunches in town. Remember to take a look at our roundup of the most family friendly breakfast spots and our directory of kid-friendly restaurant options in Dubai too!
Toko Garden Brunch
Think little people can’t do Japanese? Think again! This gorgeous spot at the Vida Downtown Hotel serves up plenty of delicious treats and entertainment for the kids too. The beautiful outdoor garden is the perfect scene – shaded from the sun by an umbrella canopy and small enough for the littles to move about a bit but not go too far out of sight, we cosied up in a little booth and got to work on the scrummiest food.
A BBQ outside offers everything from freshly grilled miso cod to lamb chops, corn-on-the-cob and lots of delicious meats marinated in Asian flavours. But for us, the real treasure lay indoors where the freshest sushi, sashimi, salads, tempura and seafood was beautifully presented (and the choice was perfect – not so much that you didn’t know where to start!). Kids can order from a special menu including cheeseburgers, chicken strips and fried rice but ours loved digging into yakitori chicken, dim sum and edible flowers from the salad-bar.
And then there were the desserts. From mini cheesecakes to chocolate fondants and plenty in between – all completely delicious. When the kids got bored of sitting and eating, a little soft play area and colouring station kept them happy – along with face-painting, balloon bending and running around like loons between the tables. If you want loads of children’s entertainment and oodles of space then this isn’t the brunch for you. But for great food and a very relaxed kid-friendly atmosphere, Toko definitely gets a huge thumbs up.
Price: from AED 400
Date: Every Friday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm
Location: Vida Downtown Hotel
To book: call +971 (0) 442 8383 or visit www.vida-hotels.com
Geales Posh Nosh Family Friendly Brunch
One of our favourite family-friendly hotels in Dubai now offers a fab brunch for all ages at Geales – a ‘Best of British’ restaurant with a gorgeous setting overlooking the hotel gardens. Brunch here is very civilised, even with kids in tow. Everything is served at the table (other than dessert, but we’ll come to that bit later), from the most magnificent seafood platter including oysters, prawns and smoked salmon to duck liver pate with brioche toast, roast lamb with all of the sides and the most delicious fish ‘n’ chips we’ve had outside of the UK, served on cool wooden boards.
The staff here couldn’t be more awesome – aside from their fab uniform (black and white striped tees), nothing is too much to ask for. When middle child insisted on pasta with tomato sauce, it was whipped up in a flash and when same middle child (there’s a pattern here) got stung by a bee, the hotel nurse was called over to soothe the pain with a gigantic ice-pack.
The ‘Chelsea Garden’ has been introduced to this brunch to keep the kiddos entertained with activities including art classes, bake art, face-painting, a bouncy castle and even mocktail making, all on a lovely lawn within sight of the table. They all stayed put and happy, until we all discovered 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. If the kids went missing at anytime, they were guaranteed to be found here! Great food, environment and a chilled out vibe – definitely one of our best recent finds.
Price: AED 290 including soft drinks, AED 440 including house beverages, AED 90 for children aged between 9 – 12, under 9’s free of charge.
Date: Every Friday from 12.30pm -3.30pm
Location: Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
To book: Call +971 (0)43995555 or visit www.geales-dubai.com
Brasserie 2.0 Brunch at Le Royal Meridien
If you’re looking for a fun vibe, without the kids (not that we don’t love our little darlings, but sometimes a grown-up brunch out is called for) and where the food is as important as what’s on offer at the bar, then the newly renovated Brasserie 2.0 is perfect: bright and beautiful and with a great atmosphere. If you like fresh seafood and amazing sushi then this is the brunch to visit; seriously, we’ve never seen or eaten seafood like it (there must be a joke in there somewhere but we’re not going to attempt it…). A must for seafood lovers but also for carnivores, an outdoor barbecue has an amazing variety of dishes and a condiments station to choose from plus lots of other international dishes, a yummy dessert station and some of the best cheeses we’ve eaten in ages. With amazing live music and cocktails this isn’t a family friendly brunch but the ultimate pre-party get-in-the-right-mood place. It was honestly one of the best brunches we’ve tried.
Price: from AED 400
Date: Every Friday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm
Location: Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
To book: Call +971 (0)43995555 or visit www.
Olea, Kempinski Mall of the Emirates
A levantine brunch in one of the finest 5 star hotels in the heart of Dubai (ideal for a little pre or post food shopping!), Lea at Kempinski Mall of the Emirates is all about offering families a fun and relaxing time. We sat on the terrace next to the pool, the atmosphere was totally chilled and a live BBQ counter meant that the most amazing smells of shish kebabs and chargrilled chicken beckoned! The kids had a ball: the dessert section was a great hit (of course) and they could get face-painted right next to it (butterfly faces and bowls of ice-cream – the ideal kiddie combo!). A magician came to the table and gave us some fab entertainment plus involved the kids in a really fun way. The fresh juices were delicious and the home-made ice-cream to-die-for. The kids said that the best part was the Tamarind man who walked around and served coffee in his cool outfit!
Date: Every Friday from 1pm to 4pm
Location: Kempinski, Mall of the Emirates
To book: Call +
The Boulevard Kitchen Brunch
If Levant food is your thing then this family-friendly brunch will tick all the boxes! Freshly prepared Shish Taouk, mixed grill and Shawarma from the grill, sumptuous salads, pickled veg, buckets of creamy dips and sauces along with comforting traditional stews will make your eyes (and belly…) pop. If your little ones don’t know their Labneh from their lobster, simply order from the specially-created kids menu. Easy as pie… which there will be plenty of at the dessert table along with other sweet treats making sure you leave on a –sugar- high. Leave the littlies in the lovely kids area post dessert and kick back with a cheeky Shisha (it’s included!).
Price: AED 295 (house beverages and a hubbly bubbly), AED 195 (soft drinks, juices and a hubbly bubbly), AED 95 (children between 6 and 12 years old), Children below the age of 5 dine for free.
Date: Every Friday from 1pm to 4pm
Location: Boulevard Kitchen, Manzil Downtown Hotel
To book: Call www.manzil-downtown-dubai.com
