If you haven’t ticked these top restaurants off your foodie bucket lists yet, now is the time… 

In case you haven’t stepped outside lately, Dubai summer is in full swing. And that means, the welcomed return of Dubai Summer Surprises. Across the city, you’ll find plenty of entertainment, unmissable shopping deals, discounts, and for the first time, Dubai Summer Restaurant Week.

Summer Restaurant Week is taking place from August 18 to August 27. During this time, much like Dubai Restaurant Week, diners can eat out at their favourite restaurants with tasty set menus for a fraction of the normal price.

For its first edition, there are over 50 restaurants taking part so get ready to fill your foodie calendars back-to-back for a whole week. For the full list of restaurants visit: visitdubai.com

Here are 15 top restaurants serving pocket-friendly set menus this Dubai Summer Restaurant Week:

Lila Taqueria

lila taqueria

Set menu: Dhs150 three-course dinner

Homegrown, female-run gem, Lila Taqueria is an authentic, casual Mexican eatery in Jumeirah. It’s a simple, welcoming space of terracotta and greenery, with bare wooden tables and an honest open kitchen where you can watch the corn tortillas being made in-house by hand using Mexican heirloom corn. The menu boasts a panoply of flavours and textures from tuna tostadas to chicken tacos and the lamb ‘al pastor’ gringa. This Summer Restaurant Week, guests can enjoy a three-course dinner for just Dhs150.

Lila Taqueria, 786 Jumeirah St, Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah 3, Dubai. Sun, Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, 12pm to 10pm. Fri-Sat, 12pm to 11pm. Closed on Mon. Weekend breakfast from 10am to 1pm. lilataqueria.com

11Woodfire

11 woodfire

Set menu: Dhs250 three-course dinner

This Jumeirah villa-turned-steakhouse, awarded one Michelin star, is a meat lover’s dream with a huge open kitchen and grill, modern industrial interiors, and a laid-back atmosphere. Singaporean chef-owner Akmal Anuar offers a global variety of vegetables, seafood, and meats grilled to perfection over oak, hickory, or hay. During Summer Restaurant Week, you can get a three-course dinner for Dhs250.

11 Woodfire, Jumeirah 1, Mon 6pm to 12am, Tue to Fri 12pm to 12am, Sat and Sun 10am to 12am. @11woodfire

21Grams

Set menu: Dhs95 two course lunch, Dhs150 three-course dinner

This female-run, family-style bistro serves up Balkan soul food to its guests. Diners can enjoy a cuisine that brings together the amalgamation of flavours that reside in the Balkan Peninsula. Head down here during Summer Restaurant Week where guests will be able to get two-courses for Dhs95 or a three-course dinner for Dhs150. Don’t leave without trying their signature phyllo pastry, a burek, which can be enjoyed with either a cheese or minced beef filling.

Meyaan Mall, Al Thanya Street, Umm Suqeim 2, Mon to Thur 9am to 6pm, Fri to Sun 9am to 10pm, Tel: (0)50 841 5021, 21grams.me

Boca

Boca

Set menu: Dhs95 two course lunch, Dhs250 three-course dinner

DIFC’s sustainable restaurant, Boca, serves up fabulous Mediterranean food with 80 per cent of its ingredients sourced locally. This Dubai restaurant week, guests can tuck into their limited-edition two-course lunch menu for Dhs95 or a three-course dinner menu for Dhs250.

BOCA, Gate Village 6, DIFC Dubai. Tel: (0)4 323 1833. @bocadubai

Mohalla

mohalla

Set menu: Dhs150 three-course dinner

Homegrown Indian restaurant Mohalla is located in Dubai Design District. Mohalla, which translates into ‘my neighbourhood’ or ‘my community’, was born out of a love for food, family and bringing different cultures together. Enjoy a limited edition three-course dinner menu for Summer Restaurant Week for just Dhs150.

Mohalla, Dubai Design District, Building 5, Dubai. Daily 1pm to 10.30pm. @mohallarestaurant

Teible

Teible

Set menu: Dhs95 two-course lunch

Seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant Teible at Jameel Arts Centre is one of the few businesses in Dubai leading a change in sustainability efforts. Instead of opting for imported produce, Teible now sources 95 per cent of its ingredients from within the UAE, which means reducing the restaurant’s carbon footprint dramatically. Their seasonal menu is constantly changing, providing guests with new culinary experiences that pay homage to the earth’s freshest ingredients and flavours. Try their two-course lunch menu during Summer Restaurant Week for just Dhs95.

Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront. Tel: (0)4 243 6683. @teible_

Carnival by Tresind

Carnival by Trèsind

Set menu: Dhs95 two-course lunch, Dhs250 three-course dinner

The brainchild of the renowned Trèsind restaurant, Carnival is a celebration of modern Indian cuisine. Certified by the Michelin 2023 guide, it serves up dishes like kaala khatta burrata, kohlrabi taco, saag florentine and carnival chaat. Tick this off your culinary bucket lists during Summer Restaurant Week to get a two-course lunch for Dhs95 or a three-course dinner for Dhs250.

The Buildings by Daman, DIFC, Dubai. Daily 12pm to 11.30pm. @carnivalbytresind

BB Social Dining

bb social

Set menu: Dhs95 two-course lunch, Dhs150 three-course dinner

DIFC’s buzzing Asian-inspired restaurant, BB Social Dining, is known for its delectable sharing-style menu of baos, bowls, BBQ, and bites. The BB Social Dining ethos is at least partly about putting fine dining into a well-crafted casual dining package. This Summer Restaurant Week, guests can tuck into a two-course lunch for Dhs95 or a three-course dinner for Dhs150. They have a kids’ menu for just Dhs35, too.

Gate Village 8, DIFC, Dubai. Tel: (04) 407 4444. @bbdifc

The Nine

Set menu: Dhs95 two-course lunch, Dhs150 three-course dinner

Popular British neighbourhood restaurant The Nine, located in the Sofitel The Obelisk Hotel, is known for its heart Sunday roasts and British food favourites. Satisfy your comfort food cravings this Summer Restaurant Week with their two-course lunch set menu for Dhs95 or three-course dinner for Dhs150. Take the kids along and they can indulge on a menu for just Dhs35.

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, Sun 12.30pm to 4pm. Tel: (0)4 281 4111. @theninedubai

La Petite Ani

Set menu: Dhs95 two-course lunch, Dhs150 three-course dinner

From one of Dubai’s most treasured chefs, Chef Izu Ani, La Petite Ani is the sister restaurant to Dubai Mall’s La Maison Ani. Celebrating French cuisine, La Petite Ani recently opened its doors inside Gate Avenue DIFC. The homegrown restaurant serves relaxed French-Mediterranean cuisine from breakfast through to dinner, and this Summer Restaurant Week you can enjoy their chic two-course lunch for Dhs95 or three-course dinner for Dhs150.

La Petite Ani, Gate Avenue DIFC, Dubai. @lapetiteanibychefizu

Fi’lia

fi'lia

Set menu: Dhs150 three-course dinner

70 floors up, Fi’lia is SLS Dubai’s stunning Italian restaurant, complete with a Burj-facing terrace. The contemporary-meets-casual decor features rattan furniture and copper hardware to create a welcoming feminine space. Expect fresh ingredients from the firewood oven and grill and handmade bread and pasta. For Dhs150, guests can indulge in three-courses of Italian fare this Summer Restaurant Week.

Fi’lia, SLS Dubai, Business Bay, daily, 12pm to 3.30pm and 6.30pm to midnight. Tel: (0)4 607 0770. @filiadubai

Lowe

Lowe

Set menu: Dhs95 two course lunch, Dhs150 three-course dinner

The stylish restaurant is part of the wave of radical Dubai restaurants helping the industry make major steps towards being greener while still producing incredible food. Dubai’s first recipient of a Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy, Lowe has a firm focus on reducing waste, sourcing local, and giving back to its community, and even has its own vegetable garden in their backyard. Enjoy their creative concoctions as part of Summer Restaurant Week for just Dhs95 (lunch) and Dhs150 (dinner).

Koa Canvas, Wadi Al Safa 3. Tel: (0)4 320 1890. @lowedxb

Folly

Set menu: Dhs250 for three-course dinner

On the romantic waterways of the Madinat Jumeirah, this Bib Gourmand Michelin restaurant is known for its masterful menu of modern European dishes. The restaurant is arranged around several floors of indoor and outdoor space, with a rustic-luxe feel that’s warm and inviting. The limited-edition summer restaurant features options like octopus with baby potato, corn fed chicken wings and beef striploin.

Folly, Madinat Jumeirah. Tel: (0)4 430 8535. folly.ae

Alici

alici bluewaters island best restaurants

Set menu: Dhs250 for three-course dinner

On the waterfront of Bluewaters Island, Alici brings an elegant taste of Southern Italy to the shores of Dubai with its stunning interiors and masterful menu of Italian seafood. The split-level restaurant features a chic bar and a beautiful crudo bar, as well as restaurant seating both on the ground floor and upstairs, the latter of which offers some lovely views of JBR. The Summer Restaurant Week menu, priced at Dhs250 for three courses, includes options like the gambero rosso, homemade tagliolini, seared amberjack fillet and lemon mousse.

Alici, Bluewaters, off JBR. Tel: (0)4 275 2577. alici.com

Couqley

Set menu: Dhs250 for three-course dinner

Available at both the cosy bistro in JLT and the chic brasserie in Downtown, Couqley’s refined menu of French classics gets a summer upgrade for this year’s restaurant week. The set menu includes house favorites like the earthy poelée de champignons, Couqley’s signature steak frites, and the timeless pain perdu. It’s priced at Dhs250 for three-courses, and is available for dinner only.

Couqley, Pullman Dubai Downtown and Movenpick JLT. Tel: (0)4 514 9339. couqley.ae

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