From Levantine specials to a cult American classic, here are six of the city’s freshest new breakfast options…

01. Fume Downtown

pan-breakfast-fumeThe Pan Breakfast

If you haven’t yet checked out the downtown branch of this Dubai Marina favourite, make a breakfast date. The retro chic restaurant serves up traditional breakfast fare with a twist: creamy scrambled eggs with smoked Norwegian salmon on sourdough toast gets a layer of avocado and a caviar garnish (Dhs49), while the breakfast hash gets an Asian-inspired makeover with duck confit, hoisin sauce and spring onions on a layer of crispy potatoes (Dhs45). The dishes are delicious, the portions are generous and the views of the Burj Khalifa from the alfresco tables are gorgeous.

Fümé-Downtown-Dubai

Al Manzil Downtown, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, breakfast served Sun to Thur 8am until noon, Fri and Sat 8am to 2pm. Tel: (04) 4568785. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. fume-eatery.com/downtown

02. Denny’s

Cinnamon-Pancake-Breakfast_01-14Cinnamon pancake breakfast

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the objective of the breakfast menu at Denny’s is to make sure you don’t need to bother with lunch and dinner. The portions are huge, and the dishes are more hearty than healthy: think banana caramel French toast skillet (Dhs39) or the ‘meatlover’s omelette’ (Dhs49), which includes grilled skirt steak, cheddar cheese and pepperjack queso.

dennys

Sheikh Zayed Road, near Indigo Central 8 Building, Dubai, daily 24 hours. Tel: (04) 3212100. Taxi: Indigo Central. facebook.com/DennysME

03. Mezza House 

Mezza-House-Breakfast-(6)

For an alternative to pancakes and pastries, there’s Mezza House, which serves traditional Levantine breakfasts. We love the foul, a savoury mix of fava beans, olive oil, lemon juice and spices.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, daily 9am until noon. Tel: (04) 4205444. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. mezzahouse.com

04. Detox Bar at Boulevard Kitchen Terrace 

Boulevard Kitchen Terrace.The boosters

While you can get more decadent fare in the form of French toast, pancakes and pastries as well as traditional Middle Eastern delicacies, there’s a newly launched Detox Bar at The Boulevard Kitchen Terrace serving up a range of healthy smoothies, juices and shooters. Plus, the alfresco terrace is the perfect spot to enjoy the cool weather and watch the hustle and bustle of Downtown Dubai.

Manzil Downtown Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, daily 6.30am to 11am. Tel: (04) 4285888. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. vida-hotels.com

05. Aubaine

Aubaine_02-BR-(2)

The service is still a bit patchy in this London export’s new Dubai Mall home – but the croissants are flaky and the view of the Grand Entrance at Dubai Mall unique (lots of supercar spotting). Try the Formule Full French (Dhs86), which includes grilled steak, vine tomatoes, mushrooms and eggs, to keep you full until lunchtime. Warning: we went by recently to pick up takeaway croissants, and they turned us away brusquely and insisted they don’t do takeaway. We called them recently and they said that they do sell croissants takeaway, but last Friday morning they did stand between us and a croissant, and that was brave (because we’ll do almost anything for a good flaky piece of pastry).

The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, daily 10am to midnight. Tel: (04) 5016970. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. facebook/aubainerestaurantsdubai  

06. Cocoa Room

COCOA-ROOM5

Tucked away in the corner of Galleria Mall in Jumeirah is one of Dubai’s best-kept secrets. This cosy café boasts some of the tastiest pancakes in the city. Rich, fluffy and piled high with toppings, there’s a range of flavours, from peanut butter and Nutella to raspberry and white chocolate.

Galleria Mall, Al Wasl road, Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 8am to 11.30pm. Tel: (600) 544005. Taxi: Galleria Mall. cocoaroom.co

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