We’ve taken it upon ourselves to try breakfasts from all corners of Abu Dhabi to find out where to go and what to eat for the most important meal of the day. Behold the best breakfasts in Abu Dhabi…

Old favourites and good finds

01. French Bakery

You’ll find consistently good French food at this glamorous bakery/café. While the menu is small, dishes are well executed and presented nicely. What’s more, you can pick up some freshly baked croissants and bread for the ride home.

IPIC Tower, Al Muroor, Abu Dhabi, daily 7am to 11.30am. Tel: (02) 4444762. Taxi: IPIC Tower, just off Muroor Road. pascaltepperfrenchbakery.com

02. Wheat

Popular with city-dwellers downtown, this bistro-styled café offers good food in a nice atmosphere and is walking distance from the Corniche. For an indulgent start to the day try the Pear To The Throne, a vanilla poached pear that is served with brioche toast and Greek yoghurt.

Le Royal Méridien, Khalifa Street, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, daily 7am to 11am. Tel: (02) 6742020. Taxi: Le Royal Méridien Hotel. wheatabudhabi.com

03. Jones The Grocer

This Australian chain is a no-brainer and serves up one of the best breakfasts in Abu Dhabi. In addition to the always tasty eggs Benedict, try the paleo-approved coconut flour pancakes or the moreish avocado toast topped with poached eggs and homemade pesto.

Al Mamoura Building B, Al Muroor, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Thur 8am to 11.30am, Fri and Sat 8am to 3pm. Tel: (02) 4438762. Taxi: Al Mamoura Building, corner of Muroor and 15 Street. jonesthegrocer.com

04.The Living Room Café

Kids can cause carnage in the custom-designed Dr Seuss play area while parents can enjoy a good home-cooked style breakfast at this hidden gem. Be sure to order a flat white while you’re there – it’s delicious.

Khalidiyah Village, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Thur 7.30am to 11pm, Fri and Sat 8am to 11pm. Tel: (02) 6396654. Taxi: Khalidiyah Compound, near 28th Street and Khalidiyah Mall. thelivingroomcafeabudhabi.com

New spots to try 

05. Natural Kitchen

While this health-conscious outlet is not particularly dine-in friendly due to its small size, they’ve recently opened an outdoor seating space. The food here is surprisingly good and portion sizes run large. Try the Super Start wrap made with turkey bacon, eggs, spinach and chia seeds.

Marina Square, Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Thur 7am to noon, Fri and Sat 8am to noon. Tel: (02) 6665995. Taxi: Marina Square, Building 7. naturalkitchen.ae

06. The Coffee Club

Got guests in town? Head to this café located in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to grab a bite to eat before taking a free, guided tour at this iconic place of worship. They’ve got some new breakfast items on the menu too, including the Brekki hot pot that sees spiced baked eggs topped with rocket, feta, chorizo and mushroom, or French toast with maple glazed peaches. Tours of the mosque are held at 10am and 11am Saturday to Thursdays, but check online for the latest updates.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Khor Al Maqta, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Thur 8.30am to 10pm, Fri 12.30pm to 10pm. Tel: (056) 4041485. Taxi: North Gate parking, Sheikh Zayed Mosque. facebook.com/thecoffeeclubme

07. Gossip Desserts

While most people come here for the sweeties on offer, this stylish café does do savouries too. From the humble smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel to the posh three egg scramble drizzled with white truffle oil, there’s a good variety on offer.

The Galleria, Abu Dhabi Global Market, Al Maryah Island, Sat to Wed 7.30am to 2pm, Thur and Fri 7.30am to 4pm. Tel: (02) 6777520. Taxi: Galleria, Al Maryah Island. gossipdesserts.com

Eat your way around the world 

08. Japan

Breakfast is taken very seriously in the land of the rising sun. And you can try multiple courses and beautiful bento-box presentations at Mikado Café. If you’d like to try out a traditional Japanese morning spread this café will see you tuck into a bowl of koshihikari rice, tofu, Japanese vegetable pickles, tamagoyaki (a sweet omelette), miso soup and either grilled salmon or Japanese willow leaf fish.

Al Hana Centre, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, 8am to 11am, Dhs50. Tel: (02) 6677557. Taxi: Al Hana Center, near Brioche Café.

09. Afghanistan

Similar to shakshouka, the eggs at Nolu’s are also cooked in tomatoes and onions. The organic eggs come with your choice of toast and either roast potatoes or a fruit cup. And for Dhs20 more, you can add beef steak cubes to the dish.

Al Bandar, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Thur 9am to noon, Fri to Sat 9am to 2pm, Dhs62. Tel: (02) 5579500. Taxi: Al Bandar. facebook.com/noluscafe

10. Emirati

Featuring the most flavourful Emirati food we’ve come across in Abu Dhabi, Yadoo’s House is an ideal place to sample local cuisine. Grab a seat in the majlis area and order the house platter, which gives you a choice of two items from a list including eggs and tomato, balalet (sweet vermicelli noodles), bagela (beans) or dango (chickpeas). Your meal also comes with khameer bread, cheese and honey as well as a cup of karak tea. Breakfast is served all day.

Al Nasr Tower 2, Embassies District, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to 11pm, Dhs69. Tel: (02) 4411311. Taxi: Behind Shakespeare and Co on Muroor Street. yadooshouse.com

11. South Asian

For ten dirhams you can eat dessert for breakfast at Masala. The South Asian dish of halwa puri consists of a helping of a spicy chana (chickpea curry), deep fried flat bread called puris and halwa, a soft semolina-based sweet dish. This tiny outlet only serves the specialty on Fridays and Saturdays from 9am until noon, so get there early because this calorie-heavy meal sells out fast.

Zayed First Street, Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, Fri and Sat 9am until noon, Dhs10. Tel: (02) 6337748. Taxi: Opposite Union National Bank.

Three buffet breakfasts to try 

12. Rosewater

It’s all about quality over quantity at this sea-fronted all-day-dining restaurant. While the spread is varied – Arabic, European and Asian cuisines are all featured – it’s not overwhelming and food is of a good standard. Try the egg station or check out their bagel bar.

Jumeirah At Etihad Towers, West Corniche, Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi, daily 6.30am to 11am, Dhs160. Tel: (02) 8115666. Taxi: Etihad Towers.
jumeirah.com

13. Café D’Alsace

This child-friendly breakfast spot features an international spread that changes week to week. That said, you can expect omelettes, pastries and cereals to make an appearance. There’s also a spot of face-painting and supervised games available to keep kids entertained too.

Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Fri and Sat 8am to 11.15am, Dhs85, Dhs45 children aged six to 12 years. Tel: (050) 8115414. Taxi: Yas Marina. cafedalsace.ae

14. Giornotte

A popular spot in the city for brunching (and a What’s On Award winner), the Ritz’s international buffet doesn’t disappoint when it’s strictly breakfast you’re after. In addition to an Arabian corner, there are all the usual suspects you’d expect including a rather epic pastry station.

The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, Khor Al Maqta’a, Abu Dhabi, daily 6.30am to 10.30am, Dhs131, Dhs37 children aged four to 12 years. Tel: (02) 8188888. Taxi: Ritz-Carlton. ritzcarlton.com

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