Must-see restaurants in Downtown Dubai

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    Zuma

    Downtown Dubai

    Every dish speaks of refinement in this perennially popular bi-level restaurant that gives classic Japanese fare an up-to-the-minute workout. No matter if…

  • Baker & Spice

    Downtown Dubai

    A pioneer of the local-organic-fresh maxim in Dubai, this London import offers a seasonal bounty of dishes, prepared in-house and served amid charming,…

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    Eataly

    Downtown Dubai

    Italy's popular shop-cum-cafe has landed in Dubai Mall, bringing artisanal morsels from around the Boot to discerning palates. Stock up on pesto from…

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    Zaroob

    Downtown Dubai

    With its live cooking stations, open kitchens, fruit-filled baskets, colourful lanterns and graffiti-covered steel shutters, Zaroob radiates the urban…

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    Morelli's Gelato

    Downtown Dubai

    The family that introduced Italian ice cream to the UK in 1907 now also serves their wonderfully creamy flavours to gelato fans in Dubai. Order just a…

  • Nightjar Coffee

    Downtown Dubai

    New Zealander Leon Surynt works directly with cocoa bean farmers, ensuring sustainability and fairness. There is a similar vision behind the menu, with…

  • Carnival by Tresind

    Downtown Dubai

    Fun is firmly on the agenda at this wildly popular restaurant, which offers a playful take on Indian molecular gastronomy. Behind the smoke and mirrors,…

  • Tom & Serg

    Downtown Dubai

    This always-bustling warehouse-style cafe with concrete floors, exposed pipes and an open kitchen would fit right into Madrid or Melbourne, which is…

  • Milas

    Downtown Dubai

    Milas is how Emiratis pronounce majlis – the traditional guest reception room. This particular majlis has a sleek contemporary look (wood, glass, neon)…

  • La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie

    Downtown Dubai

    Downtown residents regularly swing by the downstairs boulangerie (bakery) for buttery croissants, toothsome pastries or petit déjeuner (breakfast) on the…

  • Sum of Us

    Downtown Dubai

    This two-floor industrial-style and plant-filled cafe with outdoor seating roasts its own beans, bakes its own sourdough bread and serves food that is at…

  • The Daily

    Downtown Dubai

    Warehouse-style decor, floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace – overlooking Burj Khalifa, no less – make an instant impression at this casual all…

  • Basta!

    Downtown Dubai

    The decor here hits the spot (along with the cuisine): warm parquet flooring, leather chairs, lofty ceilings and a huge mural of Italian actress Sophia…

  • Play Restaurant & Lounge

    Downtown Dubai

    The decor here is all drama with floor-to-ceiling windows, edgy artwork and tiered, as well as secluded, dining areas. The imaginative menu is a truly…

  • At.mosphere

    Downtown Dubai

    The food may not be out of this world, but the views are certainly stellar from the world's highest restaurant (442m) in the Burj Khalifa. Book far ahead…

  • Karma Kafé

    Downtown Dubai

    Look for the large Buddha guarding the dining room dressed in sensuous burgundy with gold leaf accents. The menu hopscotches around Asia with classic and…

  • Boca

    Downtown Dubai

    Decorated simply in muted earth colours with Torres wine barrels as a nod to Spanish vino, Boca has a menu that includes such chiringuito (beachside…

  • Super Natural Kitchen

    Downtown Dubai

    Along with the daily specials, the menu here celebrates vegan cuisine with tasty dishes using ingredients like cashew cream cheese, courgette noodles,…

  • Yamanote

    Downtown Dubai

    Yamanote has the novel idea of combining traditional European bakery delicacies with Japanese ingredients. The results include such irresistible sweet…

  • Somewhere

    Downtown Dubai

    Flanked by shelves of glossily illustrated travel books, the concise menu here similarly skips across cultures and continents and is innovative and…

  • Exchange Grill

    Downtown Dubai

    One of Dubai’s premier steakhouses, Exchange Grill has updated its former, rather stuffy decor and now boasts a punchy New York–inspired look with…

  • The Lion

    Downtown Dubai

    Nick and Scott of Folly fame have taken over the (former) Black Lion and updated the name, the decor (a bit) and, most importantly, the grub. The classics…

  • Lime Tree Cafe

    Downtown Dubai

    This comfy Euro-style cafe is an expat favourite for leisurely breakfasts, innovative sandwiches stuffed into their homemade Turkish pide and the…

  • Refresh Delux Cafe

    Downtown Dubai

    This is the first of what promises to be a new chain in the 'affordable healthy eating' bracket. The menu includes an all-day breakfast with such Med…

  • Bebabel

    Downtown Dubai

    A welcome new restaurant in Fashion Avenue with an extensive menu of sumptuous-sounding choices. For breakfast, try one of the traditional breads, like…

  • Noire

    Downtown Dubai

    It's a novel idea: dining on three gourmet courses, paired with wines, in the pitch black to savour every flavour, texture and aroma to the full, and…

  • Mercato

    Downtown Dubai

    Turquoise paintwork, stripy red-and-white awnings and a Gaudí-esque mismatch of colourful floor tiles provide the canvas for this rustic-style Italian…

  • The Lighthouse

    Downtown Dubai

    The brainchild of Dubai-based chef Izu Ani, this cafe-shop hybrid is a beacon of good taste when it comes both to hand-selected designer gifts and to…

  • Hoi An

    Downtown Dubai

    With an all-Vietnamese team in the kitchen, you can be sure the tastes are lusciously authentic at this upmarket restaurant. It's been around forever but…

  • Asado

    Downtown Dubai

    Meat lovers will be in heaven at this rustic-elegant lair with stellar views of the Burj Khalifa from the terrace tables. Start with a selection of…

  • Ting Irie

    Downtown Dubai

    Come here for authentic Jamaican food, from the curried goat with coconut rice to oxtail and beans and jerk chicken. The all-time favourite snacks are the…

  • Leila

    Downtown Dubai

    This Beirut import serves granny-style rural Lebanese cafe cuisine adapted for the 21st century: light, healthy and fresh. The homey decor more than…

  • Elevation Burger

    Downtown Dubai

    This Virginia-based chain proves that there is such a thing as guilt-free fast food by serving burgers made entirely from organic, grass-fed and free…

  • Bubbles & Boba

    Downtown Dubai

    There's nothing like adding a little texture to your cuppa courtesy of a sprinkling of slightly sweet and gummy tapioca. Originally a Taiwanese treat…

  • Thiptara at Palace Downtown

    Downtown Dubai

    Thiptara means 'magic at the water' – very appropriate given its romantic setting in a lakeside pagoda with unimpeded views of the Dubai Fountain. The…

  • Noodle House

    Downtown Dubai

    This multibranch pan-Asian restaurant is a reliably good choice for a casual lunch or dinner. There’s great variety – from roast duck to noodle soups,…

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