What’s On and The Black Hat Guide bring you the complete rundown of the best new restaurants in Dubai. Read snappy reviews, find out how book, and get a real insight with the help of our handy rating system. For a full explanation of how the Black Hat Guide works, click here.

Ananta
Indian
Dhs300 for two

You’ll get delicate Indian flavours and textures at this classy Indian place. All regions of India are covered at Ananta, with big clay ovens, which can be seen from the dining room, knocking out excellent tandoori dishes.

Oberoi Hotel, Business Bay, Dubai, daily 6.30pm to 11.30pm, Fri 12.30pm to 3pm. Tel: (04) 4441444. Metro: Business Bay. oberoihotels.com

Ba
Chinese
Dhs400 for two

A romantic restaurant with a great bar area and a tranquil terrace offering fantastic views of the city skyline. The lobster and scallop dim sum and the prawn wonton soup are great, but their trilogy of desserts will blow you away.

Fairmont The Palm, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Sat to Wed 7pm to 11.30pm, Thur and Fri 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4573338. Taxi: Fairmont The Palm. dineatba.com

Blue Jade
Pan Asian
Dhs600 for two

As well as Vietnam, there’s food from Thailand, China, Japan and Singapore in this calm and elegant restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton. Go for the moreish dim sum and fantastic sushi.

The Ritz-Carlton, JBR, Dubai, daily 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3186150. Taxi: Ritz-Carlton JBR. ritzcarlton.com

The Cave
French
Dhs500 for two

The crab Benedict is among the highlights of the ‘Parisian soul food’ on offer at The Cave. Tucked away in a dimly lit corner of the Conrad, the venue has cosy booth seating and even day beds perfect for whiling away an hour or two.

Conrad Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Sat to Tue noon to 1am, Wed to Fri noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 4447444. Metro: World Trade Centre. conraddubai.com

Cravin’ Cajun
American
Dhs250 for two

The chef, Jeffrey, is from New Orleans and serves up nothing but authentic Cajun and creole food. Essential dishes here are the gumbo, the shrimp jumbalaya and banana Foster. But the star of the show – and the dish Jeffrey hopes will become the restaurant’s trademark – is the fried chicken with cornbread waffles, spicy maple syrup and fried cabbage.

Novotel, Al Barsha, Dubai, Mon to Sat 7pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 3049000. Metro: Sharaf DG. novotel.com

Kanpai
Japanese
Dhs400 for two

The food can be a mixed bag at this dimly lit restaurant in Souk Al Bahar. Stick to smaller plates like prawns in wasabi sauce and bushido soup with crabmeat and you won’t go too far wrong.

Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, daily noon to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4419262. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. facebook.com/kanpaidubai

La Serre
French
Dhs450 for two

One of the prettiest new arrivals on Dubai’s restaurant scene, this Parisian-inspired bistro has a sun-filled boulangerie on the ground floor. Expect freshly baked breads and pastries downstairs and classy Mediterranean fare upstairs.

Vida Downtown Hotel, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, daily noon to 3pm, 7pm to 11pm, boulangerie 7am to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 4286969. Taxi: Vida Downtown Hotel. laserre.ae

Marco Pierre White Grill
British
Dhs500 for two

A handsome restaurant serving bold and hearty British comfort food that’s unfussy and accessible. The prawn cocktail is great, as is the pear crumble with ginger ice cream.

Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 5.30pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4447444. Metro: World Trade Centre. conradhotels3.hilton.com

Positano
Italian
Dhs360 for two

Big, hearty Italian food, informal decor, a buzzing open kitchen and an energetic manager from Sicily named Claudio all add up to a lovely restaurant

JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay, Dubai, 6pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4143000. Metro: Business Bay. jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com

Qbara
Middle Eastern
Dhs800 for two

A treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds, Qbara serves up delicious contemporary Middle Eastern cuisine in a seriously stylish setting. The soft shell crab is the highlight.

Wafi Fort Complex, Oud Metha, Dubai, Sat to Wed 7pm to 2am, Thur and Fri 7pm to 3am, Fri and Sat 12.30pm to 3pm. Tel: (04) 7092500. Taxi: Raffles Dubai. qbara.ae

Toko
Japanese
Dhs1,000 for two

Offering a modern take on the Japanese concept of izakaya, this chic new restaurant serves up beautifully presented dishes that are perfect for sharing. Keep an eye out for the pretty oriental parasols on the outdoor terrace.

Vida Downtown Hotel, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, daily noon to 3pm, 6pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 4428383. Taxi: Vida Downtown Hotel. toko-dubai.com

Tom & Serg
Café
Dhs150 for two

Hipster hangout serving up quirky, interesting breakfasts with astoundingly good coffee from expert baristas. The scrambled eggs with goat’s cheese on a slice of toast with a portobello mushroom is about as good as breakfast gets in Dubai.

Al Joud Centre, 15A Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, daily 8am to 4pm. Tel: (050) 3675332. Metro: Noor Islamic Bank. tomandserg.com

Urban Bistro
Café
Dhs150 for two

A popular breakfast and lunch spot for media folk, this picturesque lakeside café places a big emphasis on fresh, organic produce. The salads and sandwiches are unusual and interesting but the Full Urban breakfast, served with a fantastic sweet potato rosti, is the winner

CNN Building, Media City, Dubai, Sun to Thur 7am to 10pm, Fri and Sat 9am to 6pm. Tel: (04) 3624330. Metro: Nakheel. urbanbistro.ae

Yuan
Chinese
Dhs500 for two

A classy Chinese restaurant serving Dubai-style Szechuan cuisine. The main room is open and showy – somewhere to be seen – with tall throne-like chairs and a DJ behind the bar. Don’t miss the deep-fried tiger prawns with wasabi mayonnaise and the wok-seared wagyu ribeye.

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, Sat to Wed 7pm to 11.30pm, Thur and Fri 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4262626. Taxi: Atlantis The Palm. atlantisthepalm.com

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