Review: Is La Cantine Beach Dubai's best new beach club?

This family-friendly daycation is doing things differently… 

With the string of recent openings, you might not think Dubai needs another beach club. But I’m here to make a case that La Cantine Beach is exactly what Dubai needed.

While most newly opened beach clubs favour an adults-only entry policy, boho-luxe aesthetic, and an entertainment programme of thumping beats and rotating dancers, La Cantine Beach – sandwiched between Banyan Tree and Delano on Bluewaters – has gone for the entirely opposite approach.

The split-level beach club has tapped in to Dubai’s wellness side, and features a baby blue pickleball court near the entrance, then down on the beach, a volleyball net and wooden workout deck stacked with weights give this Dubai beach club a sporty edge. There’s a duo of swimming pools to enjoy: a family-friendly one is immediately identifiable thanks to a teal car re-imagined into an ice-cream and sweets cart, where the friendly team assist little ones with treats throughout the afternoon. The second pool is for adults only, and sits pretty in front of the French-Mediterranean restaurant. Both are lined with plush loungers in blue and white, landscaped with verdant plants and swaying palms to make you feel like your worlds away from Dubai.

Then down on the beach, a shaded beach bar services the array of loungers that gaze out to the open seas. The golden beach here is easily one of the city’s finest, the exposure to the ocean meaning the waves are untamed and dramatic, their white surf rhythmically crashing onto the beach, much to the delight of those stood paddling in the shallows.

Even though it’s a large space, the attention to detail is evident everywhere, and vintage posters, painted surf boards and deck chairs dotted around give La Cantine Beach Instagrammable touches that are welcome and subtle. Even the uniforms – hostesses dressed in smart tennis whites – add to the sporty and chic aesthetic.

In keeping with the vibe, chilled house beats play at a soft but audible level, adding to the atmosphere but not overpowering the ambience. You won’t find sparklers and shot shows here, instead, guests can look forward to a programme that will feature ice baths and workouts, where afterwards you can fuel up with the extensive array of fresh juices, smoothies and protein shakes on offer.

La Cantine Beach gets that balance of healthy and indulgent just right, with the Sports Club menu serving up healthy dishes and juices; while the La Cantine Beach menus for food and drink adopt the more traditional beach club approach. The drinks menu offers jugs of sangria, fruity and refreshing cocktails, and bottles of rose priced from Dhs450, which is pretty standard for a luxury Dubai beach club. On the food front, there’s some overlap between the restaurant menu and the pool and beach menu, but there’s also some more poolside-friendly dishes designed for grazing on from your lounger.

We order a greek salad (Dhs78), and it’s a generous bowl of tomatoes, cucumbers and onion topped with a slab of feta that we crumble into the salad. A rich and flavourful burrata (Dhs86) is also tasty and a generous size, given a fruity twist with the addition of some red grapes. The fried calamari (Dhs60) has the perfect amount of crispy crunch, and we dunk each piece into the spicy mayo, which surprises us with the spice level, but it’s not unwelcome. If you’re going to try anything, let it be the prettily plated king crab (Dhs245) where cubes of avocado are layered with pieces of king crab and laced with lemon compote – it’s zesty and refreshing and hits all the right notes.

With a 15-month-old in tow, we’re frequently dipping in and out of the pool, and the team make excellent work of judging when to bring dishes, when to top up water, and when to bring over a creamy vanilla ice cream (Dhs22). And while families are able to enjoy La Cantine Beach, so are those without children, and as we pass the adults-only pool and the restaurant, we see that they’re also packed with a well-heeled crowd enjoying a day in the sun.

Verdict: This unique beach club is bringing something new to the city, and it’s got something for everyone

La Cantine Beach, Delano Dubai, Bluewaters, daily 10am to sunset pool, 10am to 12am restaurant, pool rates Dhs200 weekdays, Dhs250 weekends, non-redeemable. Tel: (0)4 556 6622. @lacantinebeachdubai