The Dubai restaurant openings to have on your radar this October

Foodie calendars at the ready… 

From breakfast at Tiffany’s in Dubai Mall to an iconic Italian restaurant on Palm Jumeirah, there are plenty of exciting openings in the city this month. It’s no surprise that Dubai was recently named one of the world’s top cities for foodies. And, if these latest openings share one thing in common, it’s that they should be added to your to-dine lists immediately.

Here are 11 places to book a table this October: 

The Citronelle Club

Looking for a new spot for your next date night or girls’ get together? Then get ready to make your reservations at The Citronelle Club. Now open at SO/Uptown, the stylish new address in Uptown Dubai, at the edge of JLT, The Citronelle Club invites guests to enjoy a fusion of modern Asian dishes, presented with a refined French twist. A unique culinary journey is paired with sleek interiors, complete with a stylish bar and open kitchens where diners can watch the culinary team at work.

The Citronelle Club, SO/ Uptown Dubai, Uptown Tower, JLT, daily 6pm to 12am. Tel: (0)50 421 0753. @thecitronelleclub

Signor Sassi

London’s iconic Knightsbridge restaurant, Signor Sassi is set to open at the St Regis Gardens, the new dining destination on the rooftop of Nakheel Mall. If you want to be one of the first to check it out, you can now book for dinner only from September 25. From October onwards, the celebrated Italian restaurant will welcome guests for all-day dining. Signor Sassi is as famed in London for its hearty portions of classic Italian cuisine as it is for its VIP clientele. On the menu, you’ll find delicate antipasti, traditional pasta, succulent meat dishes, and beautifully presented seafood.

Signor Sassi Dubai, St Regis Gardens, Palm Jumeirah, Daily 6pm to 11pm.  signorsassidubai.com

Eugène Eugène

If you have an appetite for delicious French food in a chic yet relaxed setting, look no further… Hidden away on a rooftop in the Mall of the Emirates, Eugène Eugène is a stunning oasis and greenhouse-inspired French brasserie. By day, Eugène Eugène is the perfect space for an elegant lunch and coffee catch-up, and by night, the glass hideaway transforms into a captivating, candle-lit dining room ideal for late-night cocktails. Culinary highlights from head chef Yanis Sgad include the Taleggio cheese pizzetta (Dhs55), the roasted whole baby chicken (Dhs125) with a non-negotiable side of pomme puree (Dhs34), and for dessert, the red fruit pavlova (Dhs50).

Row on 45

Row on 45, a new fine dining concept by renowned chef Jason Atherton, opened its doors on September 21 on the 45th floor of Grosvenor House. Each night, 22 diners will be taken on a journey through a 17-course haute cuisine menu in an elegant restaurant setting inspired by chef Atherton’s London home. The evening unfolds in the champagne lounge before guests are guided through to the main dining theatre with a state-of-the-art open kitchen. For the finale, guests will be taken to the intimate Chef’s Library where they will be presented with desserts and fine beverages.

Row on 45, Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina. Wednesday to Saturday, 7pm to 1am. Tel: (0)4 402 2222. rowon45dubai.com

Armani/Caffé

Armani/Caffè is now open in Dubai Mall, located on the ground floor of Fashion Avenue. The casual Italian dining concept is the perfect stop-off between shops, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Guests can choose from a selection of light lunch classics, featuring a classic vitello tonnato, antipasti selection, and fragrant lobster and seafood bisque. Main courses include lemon-scented risotto with Sicilian prawns, veal Milanese, and wagyu striploin.

Armani Caffé, Fashion Avenue, Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai. Daily. Tel:(0)4 362 7888. thedubaimall.com

Franky in Florence

The Park is a new concept brought to you by Tom Arnel, the man behind some of our favourite Aussie-inspired cafes and eateries. The EatX concept stretches over three floors, with each floor housing a different concept to create a new foodie hotspot in JLT. Still to come is Franky in Florence, an open-sky Italian on the building’s rooftop, where guests can enjoy an aperitivo spritz and a plate of antipasti or wood fired pizza.

Frankie in Florence, The Park, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, opening October 2023. eatx.com

Tiffany’s Blue Box Café

Get ready for Breakfast at Tiffany’s: the Blue Box Café is opening in Dubai. The famed spot is opening its doors at The Dubai Mall at the Grand Atrium entrance next to the Tiffany and Co. store. Behind this dazzling new cafe, the renowned jewellery brand teams up with Rikas Hospitality Group, the creators of concepts including Twiggy, La Cantine and Mimi Kakushi. Like its renowned sister cafes around the world, Dubai’s Blue Box Café will be decked out from head to toe in the iconic baby Tiffany blue hue, complete with a chandelier-like centerpiece of Tiffany boxes and marble-clad accent walls. With space to seat 38 guests, it’s set to be an exclusive and show-stopping destination for a trio of culinary experience.

Blue Box Café, Tiffany & Co. Dubai Mall, Dubai, opening October 2023. @blueboxcafedubai

Leña

Top Andalusian chef Dani García is set to open his first restaurant in Dubai very soon. The man behind some of Spain’s top restaurants, including BiBo, Lobito de Mar and Dani Brasserie, will bring his sleek steakhouse Leña to The Palm in 2023. If you’re not familiar with the brand, let us introduce you. Leña was born in Marbella in the summer of 2020, replacing chef Dani García’s eponymous fine dining restaurant, which the chef announced would close just 21 days after it was awarded its third Michelin star. A year after opening Leña Marbella, an opening in Madrid followed, the same year that the Marbella restaurant was recognised with the highest accolade of the restaurant category at the 2021 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. So, we can expect some pretty wow-worthy interiors when the brand opens in Dubai.

Leña, St. Regis Gardens, at The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm – Palm Jumeirah, opening October 2023. groupodanigarcia.com

42 Midtown

The leafy Greens neighbourhood is getting a brand new restaurant, and this one is inspired by the bright lights of New York City. Opening soon as part of the culinary array at Zabeel House The Greens, 42 Midtown is self-described as a sophisticated restobar that ‘combines the spirit of New York with the charm of Dubai.’ A smart and sophisticated aesthetic is reminiscent of a cool NYC neighbourhood hangout, with dark woods, monochrome prints and verdant plants dotted throughout the dining room. From the first renders, it looks as though this social dining space will also house a long bar, where guests can perch up for after-work drinks or pre-dinner aperitivo’s.

42 Midtown Dubai, Zabeel House The Greens by Jumeirah, The Greens, opening soon. @42midtowndubai

The 305

The 305 Dubai is a Miami-meets-Palm Springs beach club opening soon on Palm West Beach. Nestled between palm trees, the intriguingly cool beach club is an ode to the Magic City. Guests will be able to top up their tan on the beach, cool down in the pool, and graze on a South Florida-inspired all-day menu.

The 305 Dubai, The Club, Palm West Beach, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Opening October. @305dubai

Limonata

Sister restaurant to vibrant Amalfi-inspired Italian Lucia’s in Downtown, Limonata is a new addition to the dining scene at Club Vista Mare. While its sister restaurant is a late-night party spot, Limonata will have a more family-friendly feel, with a pet-friendly beach, indoor dining area, and an alfresco terrace.

Limonata, Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah, opening October. @limonatadubai

Images: Social/Provided