Ultimate guide: Where to iftar in Abu Dhabi this Ramadan

Just the very best ways to break your fast in the capital…

During Ramadan, iftar is the meal served at sunset to break the long day of fasting (the word literally means ‘break fast’). You’ll find a rich variety of iftar opportunities scattered across the city over the Holy Month, each with their own unique culinary offerings and ambience. To help you make sense and navigate this collection, we’ve put together a list of some of the best options for 2022.

And even if you’re not fasting, iftars are a great entry point for learning and sharing in how others experience this very special time of year. Ramadan Kareem Abu Dhabi…

Where to find the best iftars in Abu Dhabi

Assymetri

Experience a traditional iftar spread at Yas Island Hotel’s Assymetri restaurant with local and international delicacies.
Yas Island Hotels, Rark Inn by Radisson Blu, from sunset, Dhs149, Dhs69 for children 6 to 12 years. Tel: (0)2 656 2000. @radissonbluyas

Bab Al Qasr Hotel

Bab Al Qasr Hotel transforms its garden into a beautiful Arabian space that features an open-air majlis with intimate dining spaces within. Enhancing the dining experience, guests enjoy traditional Middle Eastern specialities, cuisines from around the world and local traditional delicacies served a la carte, with chefs demonstrating their skills at the cooking stations.
Bab Al Qasr Hotel, from sunset. Tel: (056) 992 2078. restaurants@babalqasr.com

Barouk

Traditional Lebanese favourites are served throughout the evening from sunset. Packages start from Dhs120.
Yas Island Hotels, Crowne Plaza Hotel, from sunset, Dhs120. Tel: (0)2 656 3000. @crowneplazayasisland

Café Milano

Enjoy family-friendly dishes from the iftar set menu, including Italian mezze, quinoa salad with roasted vegetables, semolina-fried calamari, and a mix of fresh grilled meats and fish.
Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, from sunset, Dhs310. Tel: (0)2 3332500. fourseasons.com

Café Palmier

Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi hosts a special Layali El Hilmiya pop-up at Café Palmier this Ramadan with cooking stations, food trucks and more. Children under six dine free from Monday to Thursday with every paying adult. There’s also a special deal on shisha from Saturday to Tuesday 8pm to 10pm for Dhs70.
Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, from sunset, Dhs195, Dhs99 for children aged six to 12 years. Tel: (800) 101 101. @leroyalmeridienabudhabi

Choices

Experience iftar at Yas Island Rotana featuring Ramadan specialities and various grilled meats at Choices restaurant.
Yas Island Hotels, Yas Island Rotana, from sunset, Dhs159. Tel: (0)2 656 4000. @yasislandrotana

Cove Beach Abu Dhabi

Two.0 is all set to welcome its guests with iftar, featuring an Arabic and international buffet that includes mezze, salads and sushi, a barbecue station, Ramadan juices, water and Moroccan tea.
Cove Beach Abu Dhabi, Reem Island, 10am to 3am, Dhs179. Tel: (056) 398 7895. @covebeachabudhabi

Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Downtown

Iftar takes place at the family-friendly setting of The Garden Restaurant with traditional mezze, Arabic and international dishes, and a variety of Arabic sweets and desserts.
Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Downtown, sunset to 9.30pm, Dhs169. Tel: (0)2 616 6666.

Crust

A curated selection of Arabic mezze, signature Ramadan ouzi, and a selection of sweets such as baklava and umm Ali from the iftar buffet.
Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, from sunset to 9pm, Dhs260. Tel: (0)2 3332500. fourseasons.com

Fairmont Bab Al Bahr

Fairmont Bab Al Bahr is once again launching its Al Andalus Iftar – a generous iftar buffet in CuiScene restaurant. Expect mezze, Arabic bread and manakish, shawarma rolled in saj bread, and seafood, ouzi and barbecue items. Also, look out for the Emirati food stations preparing thareed, harees and machboos. A wide selection of Arabic and international sweets, including, a kunafa station and Ice cream, will be your fast-breaking finale.
Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, sunset to 9pm, Dhs235. Tel: (0)2 654 3238. fairmont.com/babalbahr

Fairways

Experience a traditional iftar at Fairways with its beautiful views of the golf course and an oriental buffet offering hot and cold mezze, salads, meat and seafood dishes and all the Middle Eastern desserts, traditional juices and Arabic coffee.
Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa, sunset to 10pm, Dhs195 (Mon to Thur), Dhs225 (Fri to Sun), Dhs95 for children aged six to 12 years. Tel: (0)2 616 9999. westinabudhabi.com

The Foundry

Break your fast with traditional Middle Eastern delicacies and Ramadan juices at The Foundry’s iftar buffet.

Southern Sun Abu Dhabi, from sunset, from Dhs99. Tel: (0)2 8184888. abudhabi.dine@tsogosun.com

Garage

Middle Eastern cuisine gets the W Hotels treatment for iftar with unique dishes such as crumbled cheese and zaatar manoushe, garlic labneh and prawn tart, New York style kunafa cheesecake, and more.
W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, from sunset to 9pm, Dhs198. Tel: (0)2 656 0000. @wabudhabi

Grills@Chill’O

The hotel’s signature Mediterranean restaurant and lounge hosts a grand buffet that features ouzi, chicken rotisserie, mansaf and lamb couscous.
Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, 7pm to 9pmm Dhs225. Half price for children aged seven to 12 years. Tel: (0)2 813 7777. @sofitelabudhabicorniche

Hakkasan Abu Dhabi

To celebrate Ramadan, Hakkasan offers an exclusive iftar menu of expertly crafted Cantonese dishes, beginning with a selection of dim sum, including the Wagyu beef truffle puff and Chilean seabass dumpling. This is followed by a roast duck lettuce wrap and crispy beef dish, wok fry sesame walnut chicken and XO tiger prawn with pineapple.
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, from sunset, Dhs288. Tel: (0)2 690 7739. @hakkasanabudhabi

Ingredients

Anantara Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi Hotel hosts iftar at Ingredients restaurant featuring a range of cuisine, cooking stations and Ramadan favourites. Meanwhile, suhoor is hosted at the Ramadan tent on the pool deck.

Anantara Eastern Mangroves, from sunset to 10.30pm, Dhs245. Tel: (0)2 656 1000. @anantaraeasternmangroves

Jing Asia

Break your fast with family and friends and enjoy the best of Asian flavours in a lavish and authentic Far Eastern set up.

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Yas Plaza Hotels, 6.30pm to 11.30pm, Dhs149. Tel: (0)2 656 3000. @jingasiayasisland

Li Beirut

A master of regional cuisine, Chef Jouni Ibrahim takes diners on a culinary voyage through some of Lebanon’s most cherished creations with carefully curated iftar set menus.
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, sunset to 9pm, Dhs285. Tel: (0)2 811 5666. etihadtowers.FBReservations@conradhotels.com  

Market at Edition

Top chef Tom Aikens collaborates with popular local chef Mohamad Orfali for a traditional iftar with a contemporary touch at The Abu Dhabi Edition. Dishes include Tom’s signature mezze (muhammara, marinated chickpeas and pumpkin hummus), and a slow roasted pomegranate and cinnamon lamb shoulder.

The Abu Dhabi Edition, sunset to 9.30pm, Dhs198. Tel: (0)2 208 0000. @abudhabiedition

Naaham

The award-winning poolside venue Nahaam hosts a lavish buffet featuring selections of mezze and a traditional lamb ouzi, plus cooking stations including a selection of meats and seafood. Diners can pair their dishes with freshly baked breads from the popular Saj station followed by shisha on the terrace.
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, sunset to 9pm, Dhs210. Tel: (0)2 811 5666. etihadtowers.FBReservations@conradhotels.com  

Namak

Award-winning Indian restaurant Namak offers a special set menu for iftar from Dhs139.

Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, from sunset to 8.30pm. Tel: (0)2 698 8137. reservation.table@dusit.com

Novotel Abu Dhabi Al Bustan

Pepper Restaurant hosts iftar this year with a range of Arabic specialities for Dhs139. You can follow up iftar with shisha at Waves Bar & Outdoor Lounge for Dhs69.

Novotel Abu Dhabi Al Bustan, from sunset, Dhs139. Tel: (0)2 5016444. @novotel_abudhabi_albustan

Pearl Rotana Capital Centre

From April 2 to May 2, Saffron Restaurant serves iftar with an extensive buffet of international and Middle Eastern delicacies, with shawarma, lamb ouzi and desserts.

Pearl Rotana Capital Centre, sunset to 10pm, Dhs180. Half price for children aged six to 11 years. Tel: (0)2 307 5553. @pearlrotana

Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island

At Turquoise, the hotel’s signature restaurant offering authentic Turkish cuisine, is all set to host a special iftar experience for just Dhs199 per person for walk-in guests.
Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island, sunset to 8.30pm, Dhs199, half price for children. Tel: (0)2 492 2222. @RixosPremiumSaadiyat

Sidekicks

This will be the WB Hotel’s very first Ramadan and as part of their Holy Month promotions — their all day diner Sidekicks will be presenting a modern international and Levantine buffet. Food highlights include lamb harees, chicken maqluba, vine leaves, batata harra, lamb ouzi and Arabian mixed grills. And lastly, because this is a Warner Bros. Hotel, you can expect to break your fast with some very special characters.
The WB Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, from sunset to 10pm, Dhs165 (with 50 per cent off for kids aged six to 12). Tel: (02) 692 7742, @thewbabudhabi

Silk and Spice

Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche’s award-winning Thai restaurant serves a family-style menu for Dhs195, with options such as vegetable green curry, Jasmine rice, pad Thai and stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts. Enjoy iftar with a unique Thai touch, daily from 7pm to 11pm, except Mondays.
Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, 7pm to 11pm (excl Mondays), Dhs195. Tel: (0)2 813 7777. @sofitelabudhabicorniche

Stratos

It’s sky-high iftar dining at Stratos, the capital’s only revolving restaurant, with food served from the Josper.

Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, from sunset, Dhs275. Tel: (800) 101 101. @stratosabudhabi

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi

Iftar at the Terrace on the Corniche, featuring multi-cuisine from across the globe with live barbecue stations, homemade ouzi, and more.
The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, sunset to 11pm, Dhs235, half price for children aged six to 12 years. Tel: (0)2 694 4553. restaurants.abudhabi@stregis.com

Urban Kitchen

The Grand Iftar at Dusit Thani promises an extensive choice of Arabic specialities, mixed grill, hot and cold mezze, lamb ouzi, and umm ali and kunafa. After iftar, head to Orchid Lounge terrace and choose from a wide selection of shisha flavours.
Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, from sunset to 10.30pm, Dhs159, Dhs79 for children six to 12 years. Tel: (0)2 698 8137. reservation.table@dusit.com

Images: Provided/What’s On archive