50 of the UAE's best restaurants in 2024
The UAE’s best meals out, plated and rated…
From shoe-string street food to fine dining decadence, Uzbek stews to Kansai wagyu – the UAE’s composite menu offering is nothing short of a gastronomic leviathan. But what are the best individual examples of this culinary phenomenon?
These are 50 of the best restaurants in the UAE (in alphabetical order)…
21 Grams (Dubai)
Representing the rare majesty of the Balkans, the name 21grams comes from the theorised weight of the human soul (based on the results of a controversial experiment). It’s also a nod to the fact that if you trace the 21º line of latitude on a map, you’ll eventually find the Balkan heartlands. This female-led restaurant rose to Dubai fame initially for its breakfast spreads, but there’s far more depth to the menu than their admittedly graceful pastries. Elsewhere you’ll find all the authentic fire and flavour, stews, ragouts, meats and pies that make up true Eastern Europe soul food.
3Fils (Dubai)
An, at first glance, unassuming eatery along the waters of Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, 3Fils was one of the first homegrown Dubai restaurants to really capture the awe of respected international good food guides. It began life as a chef Akmal Anuar project – and continues to serve an incredible range of innovative, modern Asian dishes with ovation-courting sidesteps (see: triple cooked chips, charcoal, and mean leaf ).
99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant (Abu Dhabi, Dubai)
A Japanese fine dining establishment with roots in the culinary crucible of Madrid. The Abu Dhabi outpost is located inside the Four Seasons Hotel on Al Maryah Island, Dubai’s is housed in the Address Downtown. The menu is a masterwork. The restaurants are some of the few in the region that deliberately dare to do things differently, and they manage to pull it all off with immaculate flair.
Al Ustad Special Kabab (Dubai)
If you’re not willing to take our word for it (odd choice of reading material but you do you), the fact this local legend has been around (just) longer than What’s On (since 1978); and that it counts royals and international A-listers (many of whom are plastered pictorially across the venue) amongst its devoted patrons; should help to persuade you of its worthiness for carrying ‘Special’ as its middle name. It represents incredible value, delivers outstanding meaty feasts, it’s consistent and a saj-wrapped, nostalgia-steeped, delicious dose of local history.
Aquario (Ajman)
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Inside sumptuous coastal retreat, The Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah, Aquario routinely makes candle-lit culinary waves at its beachside location. On the table, a bounty of sustainably-sourced Mediterranean fare is fired and finessed for discerning diners. There’s a strong selection of crudo and caviar, seafood, meat, Italian mains, and sartorially dressed sweets.
Arabian Tea House (Dubai, Sharjah)
There are now multiple locations of Arabian Tea House across the UAE, in Egypt and even one with the unlikely foreign assignment of Montenegro. But nothing beats the Al Fahidi OG – a cinematic microcosm of times goneby, with a picturesque tree-shaded courtyard, flowing drapery and turquoise wooden benches. The kitchen is also responsible for enchanting tales and heritage trails – through its nourishing catalogue of Emirati and wider Middle Eastern delicacies.
Antonia (Abu Dhabi)
We’re all probably going to have to agree to disagree on where to find the best UAE pizza. But Antonia has my vote (as does their no pineapple rule). Sitting pretty on the ‘it’s giving Riviera’ Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Antonia is an uncontrived licensed Roman restaurant, with the chief menu proposition of pizza al taglio (pizzas ‘by the slice’). It’s all very simple, leaving the menu to take centre stage. This spot is all about pizza – and their 72-hour fermented Italianprovenance sourdough base is a masterpiece. It’s light and airy, puffed up
Avli by tashas (Dubai)
Located in DIFC, this Greek epic proposes an odyssey of authentic Athenian tastes and textures that reflect the Hellenic capital’s unique charms and elegant allure. Founded by locally-revered restauranteur Natasha Sideris, the restaurant honours her philosophy of beautiful food, stunningly appointed environments, and warm hospitality.
Bait Maryam (Dubai)
Bait Maryam’s chef-owner Salam Dakkak often says that she wants people to treat her restaurant like a family home (which is where the Bib Gourmand eatery derives its name). The irony is of course, if families had this sort of cooking at home, they’d never eat out. It’s a JLT masterclass of Middle Eastern cuisine with ancient recipes faithfully retold and remastered for the soul-food-seeking palate. Keep your eyes peeled and your saliva slick for the imminent opening of her first fine-dining restaurant, Sufret Maryam, soon.
Casa Mikoko (Umm Al Quawain)
You don’t hear a lot about Umm Al Quwain, it’s the emirate that keeps itself to itself – quietly brooding in the corner with that aloof, cool-in-high-school smoulder. And it has reason to, sitting on such stunning leisure gems as Kite Beach. It’s here you’ll find Casa Mikoko, a barefoot-if-you-fancy diner with a seafood-packed menu that’s as nonchalant as its African-inspired surrounds.
Chez Wam (Dubai)
I know we’re not supposed to pick favourites here, but this Dubai-menu-touting, rooftop stunner fronted by the mercurial genius of chef Hadrien Villedieu, would breeze into the top five without a single glance back. Dancing across the atlas of global cuisine, the food that lands at your table is like a dog-eared postcard from a treasured past holiday. It’s bold, completely uninterested in your preconceptions, and delivers across an infinitely dense stack of layers. Add to that an eclectic, bangerpacked playlist, gorgeous ‘back-to-mine-for-theafters’ interiors and a unique cocktail collection, and you have a rare specimen indeed friends.
Couqley (Dubai)
This grand dame of the Dubai dining scene will never go out of fashion. There’s barely a day that goes by where I don’t think about their butterflied tenderloin steak frites robed in the audaciously lascivious signature sauce. And it’s clear we’re not alone, the dining area rarely features anything less than a vibrant hum of contented date-nighters, swirling Bordeaux and fizzing with polished rizz.
Dampa Seafood Grill (Dubai, Abu Dhabi)
What’s all the fuss about? Why does Dampa enjoy such a cult-level of impassioned devotion? It’s a masterful delivery of an uncontrived idea. The signature dining experience at Dampa, comes via the medium of buckets or ‘dumps’ of seafood. Giant baskets of freshly grilled shrimp, crab, mussels, clams and sweetcorn cobs, which are heaved theatrically onto your table. You’ll then need to dissect the huge chitinous mountain, peeling off perfectly cooked morsels of sea-meat. The flavours sing in operatic verse, of spice, and smokiness and just a semiquaver of sweetness.
Dinner by Heston (Dubai)
It was only ever going to be a matter of time before the culinary world’s version of Albert Einstein, put his edible stamp on the Dubai dining scene. And Heston Blumenthal has opted for the trusted formula of his two-Michelin Star, London classic – Dinner by Heston for a UAE reboot at Atlantis The Royal. We’re treated to the same reverie for the history of food, all the convention-challenging cuisine of the original, and the unadulterated wonder and whimsy that comes from the Blumenthal brand of genius, delivered by his regional representative – and talented chef in his own right, Tom Allen.
Drift (Fujairah)
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Likely not the best-known restaurant on our list – but we wanted to ensure we show each of the seven Emirates some love, and when in Fujairah – it has to be Drift. The blue hues of sea views abound, and that theme carries on through to the menu, with an Atlantian trove of fresh seafood available to the dining public. A stately jewel in InterContinental Fujairah Resort’s crown.
Erth (Abu Dhabi)
Found in the cultural epicentre of Abu Dhabi, Al Hosn – this ode to Emirati cuisine deserves to be taken very seriously. Not only is it an ambassador for an underappreciated culinary flame – it’s a proud innovator, taking beloved local delicacies to a new level of refinement with internationally inspired nuances. The chic interiors are arguably the restaurant’s main course, but if you dine out too heavily on those – you’ll miss the Margooga ravioli.
Estiatorio Milos (Dubai)
Chef Costas Spiliadis takes the helm at Atlantis The Royal’s Milos, presenting his lauded take on high-end Hellenic food, wine, and hospitality. Forgoing the traditional taverna feel that can be seen in many of the Greek restaurants here, the main dining salon is a magnificently large space, with a double height ceiling, a standout show kitchen, and rows of tables that lead out to the terrace. Every dish from the freshly caught fish and Greek wild oysters to the ceviches and tzatziki are presented in their purest form, with ingredients promising the freshest flavours.
Fusion Ceviche (Dubai)
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What’s On’s Homegrown Restaurant of the Year 2023, Fusion Ceviche is an authentic Peruvian eatery in JLT. It’s a tropical cyclone of electric Latin flavours, with special attention paid – as the name hints – to citrus-cured fish dishes. The beautiful mind behind this restaurant is Penelope Diaz, a self-taught Peruvian chef whose journey to Dubai restauranteur began with a circle of trust supper club out of her apartment. A destiny that was always meant to be made manifest.
Gaia (Dubai)
Gaia is the brainchild of the charismatic, Midas-touch chef, Izu Ani. It’s a gorgeous Greek Mediterranean restaurant found in the hyper-competitive culinary crucible of DIFC, where being anything less than consistently exceptional means being promptly chewed up and spat into the napkin of what-could-have-beens. Gaia has thrived though, courting rave reviews and packed-out tables since it opened in 2018. All of which contributed to an inevitable intercontinental expansion, and London’s Mayfair now has its own seats at the Gaia table.
High Joint (Dubai)
‘How dare you put a burger restaurant in the 45 best restaurants list?’ Is the sort of thing I’d expect to hear from someone who’s never eaten at High Joint before. This homegrown chain emerged from humble hole-in-the-wall Al Manara origins to become a superpower in Dubai’s casual dining sphere. The menu incorporates secret techniques and tweaks inspired by a global search for the perfect burger and frequently features fever dream specials. But their staple smash – the High Burger is one bun you don’t want to shun.
Iki Sushi (Dubai)
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This under-the-radar omakase experience emerged from Lowe’s (who can take this as a nod for their own inclusion) private dining room and, short of asphyxia-induced hallucinations, is the closest you’ll get to experiencing Osaka in Dubai. It’s a place for people “who know their sushi”, a boutique set-up with scant seating that drives an intimate mode of dining. The decorative elements are a Kurosawa film still – dark wood, Japanese steel and a kitchen area cloaked by a downlit white drape, emblazoned with the inked ‘Iki’ character. A shrine of sufficient sanctity to host the revered art of authentic sushi making.
Il Borro (Dubai)
Il Padrino, The Godfather of Italian restaurants in Dubai. Led by chef and culinary admiral, Stefano Giovannetti – Il Borro takes a daily voyage through the broil and passion of Tuscan delica-seas whether you’re on board or not. But you really should be. Exceptional service; a big menu of expertly rendered Italian cuisine (try the world-class pappa al pomodoro); fine dining interiors that positively bait you into hand-gesturing wildly; all staged in Jumeirah Al Naseem’s turtle lagoon.
José by Pizarro (Abu Dhabi)
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers’ casa of continental cuisine, José by Pizarro is a bijoux, 46-seat tapas bar and restaurant. It’s a concept from, as the name provides the most explicit sort of spoiler for, international cheffing icon José Pizarro — tapas tzar and poster boy for the globalisation of Iberian gastronomy. Does it serve the best paella in the UAE? Quite possibly. But the reign of this Spanish restaurant isn’t just on the mains, it offers top-tier entrees too (see croquetas, anchovies).
Jun’s (Dubai)
We’d argue homegrown, multi-award-winning restaurant, Jun’s is very much an authentic representation of Dubai. Not because it serves Emirati cuisine, it doesn’t in any traditional sense, but because its holistic offering is such an amalgam of international influences and styles, it captures the essence of this, our cosmopolitan city that so thrives on diversity. The man behind the menu is Chef Kelvin Cheung, a proud ambassador of third-culture cooking who infuses his dishes with personality, skillfully intertwining nostalgia, innovation, and stories from his childhood, to create culinary masterpieces.
Kinoya (Dubai)
If you’re looking for homegrown Dubai culinary success stories, you should probably start and stop here. In the seven short years between 2017 and now, chef Neha Mishra has taken her enterprise from an underground supper club (A Story of Food); to a bricks-and-mortar Dubai restaurant (Kinoya) in 2021; and onto international expansion with a 20-seater eatery in the world’s most iconic food hall, Harrods of London. It’s not luck that’s got chef Neha there, it’s an almost otherworldly talent in layering taste experiences, it’s a tireless commitment to innovation and an unmatched drive for perfection.
Lila Wood-Fired Taqueria (Dubai)
This family-run Jumeirah jewel from chef Shaw Lash (Lila) and her husband (Tarek) has cut right to the heart of what people really want. Tacos. Their version of what I firmly believe is the solution to most, if not all, of life’s problems, benefits from documentary-level authenticity. The menu majors in these DIY tortillas filled with flashes of fire, spice, citrus and rice, but extends well beyond it. It’s an operation that prioritises sustainable production and locally sourced ingredients wherever possible
La Petite Maison (LPM – Abu Dhabi, Dubai)
In truth, this entry stands for both the Abu Dhabi and Dubai venues – but a double inclusion just feels gluttonous. Al Maryah Island’s little piece of Parisian paradise is a handsome property – the interiors are every bit the upmarket Haussmann Bistro, with white tablecloths and art deco detailing on the walls. Outside the scarlet petal awning on the terrace flaps noncommittally in the breeze. How French. The menu offers diners a chic promenade along the boulevards of European cuisine and so audaciously authentic we wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to discover it holds a full French passport.
The MAINE Oyster Bar & Grill (Dubai)
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Everyone remembers their first time at The Maine. Those emblematic monochrome tiles and glitzy chandeliers, the precision-mixed cocktails, seductive seafood ensembles, and Parisian brasserie-tier steak – it just vibrates with Maine character energy. It’s seven-years-old now, but still feels impossibly fresh, welcoming in a loyal crowd every night of the week.
Marmellata (Abu Dhabi)
This low-fi Mina Zayed eatery was brought to life by father-son duo, Raj and Sebastian Dagstani. The achingly cool, endearingly cosy restaurant hosts guests at just eight tables indoors alongside several more on the outdoor patio. That level of intimacy is manifest on their menu too, which has evolved to an apex line of just five pizzas and a selection of focaccia. Marmellata really shines in the topping department, many of their gourmet scatters have been given a local touch with mushrooms plucked from a UAE desert farm and figs from Liwa.
Mimi Kakushi (Dubai)
There are a lot of reasons why it’s easy to fall in love with Mimi Kakushi, beyond its very obvious physical beauty – there’s the menu of outstanding Japanese cuisine; the exemplary service; the jazz-enriched soul; the industry-leading, top-tier brunch; the intelligently composed and expertly crafted cocktails; and the wagyu and foie gras gyozas, which like the restaurant it’s served in, are a pure example of delicately wrapped decadence.
Moonrise (Dubai)
Staged in Eden House, Satwa – Moonrise is a bit of a wild one. There’s no a la carte. There’s only one table with space for 12 diners but if we were ranking this list in order of where serves ‘the best food in the UAE’… I think you’d have to place Moonrise near, if not at, the top. Chef Solemann Haddad is a genius, the grand wizard of thoughtful sauce-ry. His 12-course love letter to growing up in Dubai is nothing short of an opus. And his 90s Alfredo might be the most brilliant piece of food creativity in Dubai.
Mythos Urban Greek Eatery (Dubai)
Dubai’s Mythos compendium is now several titans of Greek cuisine strong, with the original location still looming large in JLT and a newer outpost of the empire bossing City Walk’s C2. I’m focusing here on the 2.0, a controversial move but it’s a work of true aesthetic harmony and the rewards for investigating its menu are Homeric in their poetry. Mythos perfectly demonstrates why there seems to be a disproportionate number of Greek restaurants on this list – simple, quality food, that’s prepared to high and consistent levels, using authentic methods and ingredients.
Reif Kushiyaki (Dubai)
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You can’t have a conversation about what’s cooking in the communal cauldron of Dubai’s culinary scene without including chef Reif Othman. He’s a frontiersman of so many food trends, an Asian food innovator with impeccable consistency and the point man on an ever-evolving portfolio of restaurant excellence. His greatest food hits are too numberable to mention – but you can find many of them (wagyu katsu sando, Reif temaki, black cod ramen, and rock shrimp tempura for a few examples) on the current menu of Reif Kushiyaki, at Dar Wasl Mall.
Odeon (Dubai)
Underrated and unashamedly Gallic to the core, Odeon is a Jumeirah Beach Road villa-turned- French food haven with a fresh food market/fromagerie/ patisserie downstairs and refined restaurant upstairs. Owned by a dynamic husband-and-wife team who manage the kitchen and FOH respectively, its traditional French cuisine, served with zesty verve and palpable joie de vivre.
Orfali Bros. Bistro Restaurant (Dubai)
The super Orfali brothers really are some of Dubai’s best respected homegrown restaurant heroes. And for good reason, take a look at the award-winning, Michelin Guiderecognised menu of their Wasl 51 Mall restaurant. It shows off creativity, craft and range applied to both Middle Eastern cuisine, and international dishes. The locally inspired fare is so good in fact that it’s almost a crime to order the burger. Even if it’s very possibly the best one in Dubai.
Ossiano (Dubai)
Put an aquarium in a restaurant and you’d think that might end up being the biggest talking point. Not at this one. Carved into the belly of Atlantis – one of Dubai’s hardest-working, and most excitingly inventive chefs – Grégoire Berger has been given carte blanche to take you on a thalasso-themed 10,000 league joyride through the expeditions and adventures of his past. There is not a single dish on his tasting menu that doesn’t seem as though it’s been snatched from a distant future. It is holistically, individually and aesthetically – a work of the purest art.
Pierchic (Dubai)
Pierchic is the sheer peak of Dubai venues with a view, a fine dining pearl spun out on a 100-metre-or-so wooden pier attached to the stately, Jumeirah Al Qasr. And it stands there with 360º vistas of the Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah coastline and the vanishing horizon. It’s all paired with entries from Chef Beatrice Segoni’s dalla nonna back catalogue, covetous carbs, fish dishes, and, ovviamente… tiramisu.
Rare (Dubai)
Steakhouses really seem to be Dubai’s unofficial flavour mascot for 2024, but you won’t find many that are as well done, as Rare. Occupying a spicy stretch of real estate within City Walk’s new culinary nexus point, C2. And whilst it may look the part of a traditional steak ‘n’ grill – art deco frills and wood panelling – the menu dares to be particularly rare. You’ll find aubergine dip, Paris mash and chicken jus, wasabi cream for your striploin, charcoal cabbage, exotic salads and creative crudo. There’s even a full ‘plant forward’ vegan section – how’s that for steakhouse scarcity?
Ravi Restaurant (Dubai)
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Justly admired as a Dubai institution, Satwa’s Ravi Restaurant has been serving generous portions of top quality, incredible value Pakistani and Indian food for close to half a century. Best enjoyed from a Karachi tapas angle – with sharing portions of authentic chicken tikka, kebabs, lamb chops, biryani, daal, and mutton kadai. Freshly baked naan and roti should be subbed in for cutlery. They say variety is the spice of life, but spice in its many Ravi varieties, is also life.
Row on 45 (Dubai)
The crowning jewel in star chef Jason Atherton’s tripod of culinary experiences at Grosvenor House is Row on 45. On every level: setting, atmosphere, service, cuisine, wine pairing – it excels. The 17-course modular, multisetting menu is nothing short of a sensorial safari. A broadly European menu enhanced by masterful Asian side steps, along the way guests are invited to ruminate on evoked palate snapshots from chef Jason’s exotic kitchen expeditions, absorb the theatre of precision detail presentation executed by a team co-chaired by chef Dan Birk, and the operatic choreography of service par excellence.
San Wan Hand Pulled Noodles (Dubai)
JLT has a standalone canon when it comes to the UAE’s culinary cosmos. Within it, a heaving swarm of stars pull diners into their orbit through happy experiment and word-of-mouth gravitas. There’s a healthy choice of excellent Asian restaurants there, so for their light to shine brightly enough to stand out amongst the background glow, you need something special. That’s San Wan. Small menu. Fastidious attention to detail. The most incredible bowl of biang biang you’ll find in the Middle East.
Sonara Camp Al Wadi (Ras Al Khaimah)
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For evenings with a blizzard of bedouin glamour, Sonara Camp should be your guide. Between a carpet of glittering grains and a moon-speckled sky – an evening of luxurious desert dining unfolds, complete with a climactic fire show. It’s an experience that is truly more than the sum of its parts, but it’s the banqueting that steals the spotlight, a Middle Eastern feast that goes so much harder than any desert safari needs to.
StreetXO (Dubai)
The “World’s Best Chef” (The Best Chef Awards 2023), Dabiz Muñoz’s first Dubai restaurant is a special one. SteetXO is a One Za’abeel-based theatre of gilded street food, here – humble urban flavours are put through the Muñoz finishing school, and leave as high society palate patricians. Fans of fusion food will enjoy the culinary clash of east and west seen frequently across the menu (in the Spanish carabinero laksa for example, the tom yum infused paella, and tortiyaki de betanzos). And the presentation benefits from the beautiful chaos of Muñoz’s trademark style.
Sucre (Dubai)
What’s new Buenos Aires? Argentinian stunner Sucre is part of DIFC Gate Village’s all-star line-up, and while its own flames of fame might not burn as brightly as some of its better-known neighbours, in terms of quality of concept and consistency of excellence – Sucre is as stellar as they come. Two essential dishes that require your immediate degustation attention – the squid ink paella and the dulce de leche fondant.
SUSHISAMBA (Dubai)
Not just a budget bougie business lunch – SUSHISAMBA creates a symphony from the orchestral threads of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine, in a menu masterminded by chef Moon. Beyond the assembly of precision Pacific grills and crudo thrills, the views afforded by the venue’s lofty perch on the 51st floor of The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm is another reason SUSHISAMBA endures as a foodie favourite.
TakaHisa (Dubai)
An omakase experience that comes with a famously luxurious price tag, but when you have masters (sushi and beef) of Japanese cuisine sabering through cuts of A5 grade BMS 12 wagyu, you cannot in all sound sanity expect streeteat prices. Their commitment to quality extends to the surf element too, with TakaHisa’s seafood flying into the country (presumably first class) from the renowned Toyosu fish market. This is pure Dubai bucket list dining.
Talea by Antonio Guida (Abu Dhabi)
Found in the regal splendour of Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Talea is an Italian job that’s primed to blow the doors off your expectations and straight into the Tiber. You have of course a selection of pasta, pizza and risotti that will theatrically sate your carbohydrate cravings – but if you look beyond the usual suspects and Tuscan sunsets, you’ll find some of the best and most interesting European food anywhere in the UAE.
Tasca by José Avillez (Dubai)
Ahhh Tasca. It’s difficult to remain unbiased about places you fall in love with so helplessly, and completely. But Tascan evangelism will make sense to all those who have experienced the restaurant. It’s currently neck and neck with Ronaldo for the most valuable Portuguese export to the Middle East – the tuna cones, the beef cones – the arroz de carabeinero, those travel brochure sundowner views. It is, in my opinion, the greatest date night spot in Dubai bar none.
The Guild (Dubai)
One of ICD Brookfield’s more recent gastronomic showpieces, The Guild operates as a series of themed dining experiences. Each of these exquisitely split personalities comes with its own distinct style, charm and mission objective. The Nurseries and The Potting Shed provide sophisticated surrounds for casual grazing and the clink-clink of aperitif drinks. For more refined white tablecloth dining, you’re directed to The Salon or The Rockpool – where the aesthetic thunder still rumbles just as loudly and the plates of European culinary greats quake with elegant interpretation. Their weekly roast is amongst the best in the city too.
Tresind Studio (Dubai)
Two Michelin-star fine dining Indian restaurant Tresind Studio is a testament to Dubai’s homegrown culinary scene. The restaurant, a former What’s On Restaurant of the Year recipient, has long been considered the best, most organic retelling of the burgeoning flavours laced within Indian cuisine. A reward for its intimate dining experience, charming homegrown clout, a humble head chef with genius ambition, and an ever-evolving menu that elevates modern Indian cuisine into the stratosphere.
Zuma (Abu Dhabi, Dubai)
Some names carry a certain weight of expectation with them. Having your reputation precede you, invites a thief to the banquet of surprise and locks you into a life of unslippable standards. Japanese restaurant Zuma fits this profile with aplomb – part of a global network of gushedover, gentle fusion, gastronomic outlets, you don’t visit expecting mediocre. You visit expecting ‘wow’. It scores highly on quality, on variety, on consistency, range and every other culinary credential you’d care to consider.
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