Eating and Drinking in Dubai: New Restaurants To Try in 2016

From burger joints to fusion food, these are some of Dubai’s newest restaurants

There are a gazillion fabulous eateries in Dubai mamas, from beach-side burger set ups to mega swish venues worthy of a Michelin Star. And there’s nothing we love more than a scrummy meal out, be it with the fam, with the gals or with hubby for date night. These are some of the newest places to grab a bite, catch the latest food craze or just transport yourself to another continent without boarding a plane. Bon appetit!

Al Falamanki

Traditional Lebanese eatery Al Falamanki is about as authentic as you can get without jetting off to Beirut. From a menu bursting with the flavours and tastes of ‘mamas kitchen’ and music, décor and ambiance to accentuate the experience (all of the furniture and décor has been brought in from Lebanon’s old souks and homes). This is a piece of Beirut right in the heart of Jumeirah – just be sure not to miss it (the name is written in Arabic only and with all the canal road works you could easily drive past).

Al Falamanki, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 2, Dubai Tel: (+971) 800 325262654 www.alfalamanki.com

Bazxar

Described as a ‘food-market-restaurant-wine bar’, this place literally does it all in a really fun setting that’s split between a Vietnamese food station serving up steaming bao buns, dim-sum, soups and noodles, a ‘meat district’ offering burgers and hotdogs, a ‘bakery’ and a ‘coffee counter’ plus a ‘wine bar’ with over 30 wines by the glass (if you don’t have school pick-up and want a lunch out with the gals, this place is a fab option). The interiors are industrial combined with rustic wooden flooring and brightly coloured art – a real mix –just like the menu. And from Thursday – Saturday, 3pm -7pm you can enjoy 2 burgers and 4 brews for only AED 148. Bargain.

Open daily Sun- Wed from 8am – 12am, Thursday until 2am, Friday 12pm – 2am and Saturday 12pm – 12am.

Bazxar, 87 Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: (+971) 4 355 1111, www.bazxar.com

Read more: New Family Restaurants and Date Night Experiences in 2016

Brothaus Bakery-Bistro

Brothaus is Dubai’s new German bakery/bistro bringing us the best fresh bread and baked treats we’ve tasted for a while! Open from 7.30am (perfect for mamas whose kids refuse to sleep past sunrise), we love their German breakfast option (complete with cold cuts, chicken liver pate, cheeses, gherkins and hard-boiled eggs) and they do a mean power granola and warm chia seed porridge if stomaching pate in the morning is a bit much for you. For lunch and dinner there’s everything from sandwiches to burgers, chicken schnitzel bites and potato salad. And what’s a German joint without sauerkraut? Yup, there’s plenty of that too!

Brothaus Bakery – Bistro, Steinberger Hotel, Business Bay Dubai, Tel: (+971) (0)4 369 0000, www.steigenberger.com

Read more: The Best Places for Early Morning Breakfasts

Carnival by Tresind

If you think that Indian food is all about overly oily chicken korma and soggy naan bread then just wait until you try Carnival by Tresind. A modern take on Indian cuisine, Carnival brings fun and theatre to the table by reinventing traditional dishes and presenting them in unusual ways – they’ve even got an ‘airplane meal’ that comes in a little tray (but tastes so much better than anything you’ll eat at 30,000 feet).

Carnival by Tresind, Unit P5-03/01 Level POD, Burj Daman Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, Tel: (+971) 522424262 / (+971) (0)44218665, www.carnivalbytresind.com

Fish Beach Taverna

Fancy jetting off to Santorini (don’t we all, mamas?). Fish Beach Taverna may just be the next best thing without jumping on a plane. The interiors are stunning, think washed out blues, white-washed walls, stone floors and a beachfront terrace that might just be our new fave place to sit and watch the sunset over a glass of rose and a plate of freshly grilled squid. Heavenly.

Fish Beach Taverna, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, Dubai Tel: (+971) (0)45117139 www.fish-dubai.com

Meat ‘n Fish

For all the colours and flavours of the Med on your plate, head to Meat ‘n Fish in Box Park which blends Spanish, Italian, Greek and Portuguese influences cooked up by an equally Mediterranean kitchen crew. From tapas to sharing plates, pasta to salads – and obvs some gorgeously tasty meat and fish, all you need is the lapping of ocean waves and scent of herbs in the air to feel like you’ve escaped the desert. Perfect place for a mama lunch out.

Meat ‘n Fish, Block M5 – unit 03, BOXPARK DUBAI Al Wasl road, Jumeirah, Dubai
Tel: (+971) (0)4 343 0406, www.meatthefish.ae, www.facebook.com/MEATNFISHUAE

Miss Lily’s

Jamaican food is way up there on the foodie radar these days, and especially when it comes in the form of New York born eatery Miss Lily’s. One of the coolest spots to open up recently, the restaurant’s eclectic vibe, record shaped tables, neon-lit bar and colourful poster-clad walls set the scene for a vibrant menu including their world-famous jerk chicken, chilli king crab, goat stew and, of course, desserts to die for! Go in jeans and a tee or dress up a little glitzy – anything goes here, mamas! Can’t wait to try it for our next date night.

Miss Lily’s, 5/F, Sheraton Grand Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Tel: + 971 (0)4 354 4074 www.misslilys.com

Mori Sushi

Nope, not just another sushi joint mamas; Mori Sushi is a combo of Japanese and Latin flavours and hails from Sao Paulo (think hot avocado, pineapple crispy rolls and tortilla bread filled with fresh fish). The Feng Shui inspired interiors are minimalist and the ambience super cool – it isn’t licensed so expect fun mocktails rather than sake here.

Mori Sushi, The Boulevard, Dubai, Tel: (+971) (0)4 552 1853, www.facebook.com/MoriSushiUAE

Muchachas

Possibly the most Instagrammed interior in Dubai at the moment, Muchachas is a funky Mexican eatery in an unusual location (the Holiday Inn Express near Safa Park). The latest addition to the Tom&Serg empire, Muchachas is fun. Think a mix of turquoise walls, wooden floors and cacti and a menu that includes tacos delivered on porcelain Chihuahuas. And then there are the cocktails! Surely avocado margaritas count towards your 5-a-day, right?!

Muchachas, Holiday Inn Express, Safa Park, Tel: +971 (0)4 327 5878, www.muchachasdubai.com

Read more: 3 New Restaurants to Try in Dubai Over Eid

Ramusake

Love Japanese food? Then check-out Dubai’s version of London born Ramusake for all the classics with a twist. Tuna sashimi pizza, fried truffle and cheese dumplings with truffle ponzu and chicken sliders with kimchee mayo. Oh, and more delicious sounding nigiri, skewers and maki then you can shake a chopstick at. The interiors are dark, cosy and modern Japanese and the atmosphere buzzy. And if you like sake, then their looooong list of options won’t disappoint!

Ramusake, DoubleTree by Hilton, Dubai Jumeirah Beach, The Walk, Tel: +971 (0)4 559 5300, www.ramusake.ae

Revo Café

One of our favourite Dubai hotels has added to its already fab list of restos and cafés with Revo Café, a stylish urban space overlooking the ocean with a menu that offers everything from detox juices to burgers. And if you’re after a late brekkie then Revo is a must. Their all day menu includes a heap of egg options. Oh, and there are giant triple decker cakes and enormous cookies too…

Open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, from 8:00 am to 10:30 pm.

Revo Cafe, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, Dubai, Tel: (+971) (0)4 567 8322, www.dubai-palm.anantara.com/revo-caf-

Read more: Fueled and Ready – 15 of the Best Places for Mama to Grab a Coffee After the School Run

Stuffed Burger Co

There are burgers and then there are stuffed burgers from Stuffed Burger Co, oozing with scrummy centres and served up with French fries. This homegrown concept recently opened its doors on Jumeirah Beach Road (between Al Manara and Al Thanya – the ‘burger strip’) and has plenty of people talking (with mouths full!). From ‘mushroom and swiss’ to ‘thee cheeses’, there are plenty of stuffings to choose from and all sorts of non-stuffed versions to order if that’s more your thing.

Stuffed Burger Co, Jumeirah Road, Between Al Manara St (D65) and Al Thanya Street, Tel: (+971) 600 54 55 41, www.thestuffedburgerco.com

Totora

Uber cool, buzzy, fun… everything you want in a night out AND with fabulous food too. Totora is a Peruvian resto with a contemporary twist. We love the interiors, the DJ-spun music and the sesame and soy marinated ceviche, yam chips and authentic flavours (many of the staff hail from Peru, so you’re getting the real deal here). Our only bugbear? The restrooms are down an intimidating flight of stairs, which can be challenging with a heels/drinks combo!

Totora, Gate Village, Building 7, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, Tel: (+971) (0)4 399 9666, www.totora.com

Coming soon…

Brickhouse Al Manzil Souk

Brickhouse is a Mexican resto from Hong Kong that’s coming soon to Dubai… what a cultural mix, mamas! We’ve heard nothing but amazing reports about this awesome eatery and can’t wait to try their ceviche, scallop tostadas and compressed watermelon salad, all in funky surroundings incorporating local artists and graffiti.

Brickhouse Al Manzil Souk, Al Manzil Souk, Dubai, Tel: (+971) (0)4 428 5820, www.facebook.com/BrickhouseDubai

Bareburger

Dubai must have more burger resto’s than any other city we’ve been to – but there’s always room for another – and we’re pretty excited about the soon-to-open Bareburger from NYC at Festival City Mall. The menu will include a healthy turkey burger and even a vegan/gluten free option – but it’s the hot honey shake that we’ll be tasting first…

www.bareburger.com

Black Tap

Okay, so Black Tap is another burger place, this time one that combines craft burgers and craft beverages made of the very best ingredients and inspired by Michelin starred chef Joe Isidori (who masterminded the menu). You only need to Google the name to see why we want to visit here the minute it opens… those milkshakes are insane, piled high with everything from colourful pretzels to M&M’s, foamy cream to cookies and drizzled with caramel, chocolate and strawberry sauces. A-MAZING!

Black Tap, Jumeirah Al Naseem Hotel, Dubai, www.blacktapnyc.com

Happy eating, mama!