The Dubai restaurant openings to look forward to this January
New year, new reservations to make…
Dubai’s dining scene just keeps heating up, and if you’re wondering where to make reservations this January, we’ve got you covered. From a decadent new dinner and a show, to a cool mini golf bar, these are the big openings to get excited for this month.
Here are 7 Dubai restaurant openings to look forward to this January.
Gatsby Dubai
Known and loved in Barcelona for its incredible dinner shows inspired by the Great Gatsby, Gatsby is finally set to open on Palm Jumeirah this January. Welcoming reservations from Thursday January 2, Gatsby Dubai invites guests to enjoy a sultry dinner show experience, followed by dancing into the early hours in a club-like environment. So, dust off your feathers and get ready to don your sequins, as this is sure to be a fabulous roaring twenties party you won’t want to miss…
Gatsby, West Side, Nakheel Mall Rooftop, opening January 2. @gatsby_dxb
Relais de L’Entrecôte
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It’s become somewhat of an institution in Paris, with people regularly queueing around the block to get a taste of its single-dish menu, the humble steak frites, and now Relais de L’Entrecôte is set to open in Dubai. Debuting in early January at The Opus in Business Bay, replacing Basko, Relais de L’Entrecôte will bring the quintessential French brasserie experience to Downtown Dubai. Reinterpreting the family-run institution from Paris, the restaurant will be given a Dubai touch, while still oozing the charm and warmth of the cosy original in Paris. Think dark woods, bistro chairs, and retro posters and uniforms.
Relais de L’Entrecôte, The Opus, Business Bay, opening soon. @relaisdelentrecotedubai
Frou Frou
For a touch of chic Parisian brasserie Frou Frou will open its first international outpost at The Lana Promenade this month, following on from the recent opening of Dragonfly, also at The Lana Promenade. Guests can expect classic French-inspired dishes, including foie gras, black caviar, and a seafood display, as well as artisanal cheeses from a dedicated sommelier, pastries, and a multi-sensory cocktail menu. The contemporary space will boast two dining areas, an open kitchen, outdoor terrace, and wine room. Sounds magnifique.
Froufrou, The Lana Promenade, The Lana – Dorchester Collection, Business Bay, opening December. @frou.frou.dubai
Hanu
From hospitality heavyweights Sunset Hospitality, the team behind Signor Sassi, Sushisamba, Baoli and L’Amo Bistro Del Mare comes Hanu, a homegrown restaurant completing the foodie line-up at St Regis Gardens. It’s set to be a family-friendly restaurant that serves contemporary Korean flavours with star Chef Kyung Soo Moon, Sunset’s culinary director, at the helm. The decor is a fusion of the traditional and the modern, with dark woods, intricate Korean artowkrs and carved beam ceilings. The main dining room is an intimate space for just under 60, and there’s a private dining room for 10 and a beautiful lounge centred around a striking Korean pine tree, which will serve as a lovely spot for pre- or post-dinner drinks. There will also be alfresco dining available on the outdoor terrace, serenely surrounded by verdant plants. Foodies can look forward to a daring and dynamic menu of dishes like Korean beef tartare and oversized Kimbap handrolls. But the star of the show will be ‘Meat me at the grill’ where guests can be their own grill masters as each table features a bespoke charcoal grill that waiters will use to prepare five cuts of meat infront of them, paired with six condiments.
Hanu, St Regis Gardens, Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah, opening January. @hanu_dubai
Gerbou
One of the most exciting new restaurants to open in Dubai in 2025 will be Gerbou, debuting in January in Nad Al Sheba. A sustainable, homegrown restaurant that celebrates Emirati cuisine and culture, Gerbou, which means welcome to my humble abode in Arabic, will see Atelier House Hospitality join forces with Tashkeel, a beloved beacon of arts and culture in the UAE. Housed in a renovated building from 1987, the aesthetic has been inspired by the colours and textures synonymous with Arab culture, and is set to be ‘a welcoming, soulful, experimental and an uplifting location and designed space.’ Dreamy.
Gerbou, Nad Al Sheba, opening January 2025. @gerbou
Swingers
First announced last summer, London’s popular crazy golf venue, Swingers, is opening on Bluewaters Island soon. Each Swingers venue is made to look and feel like an English country club, bringing nature indoors with plants and trees and windmill-themed golf courses. In Dubai, the super-sized 22,000 square foot venue will be set over two floors, and feature three fun-filled crazy golf courses. Each one will have a classic English theme: there will be a hot air balloon course, a waterwheel course and a clock tower course. So, get ready to challenge your mates over a bit of competitive fun. And new and exclusive to the Dubai venue will be a first-of-its-kind speakeasy, where you’ll be able to enjoy drinks in a private bar and a luxe crazy golf course, perfect for adding a VIP touch to a get-together with friends or private event.
Swingers Dubai, Bluewaters Island, opening January. @swingers_uae
Folly Brasserie
Foodies were devastated when Folly and it’s Madinat Jumeirah counterpart Publique closed their doors in 2024, but Gates Hospitality founder Naim Maddad promised a new chapter in the restaurant’s story. And we’re pleased to report Folly will re-emerge in 2025 – this time as Folly Brasserie, in a new location at Address Montgomerie. Although much more than that isn’t known yet, we can’t wait to see it take shape in January.
Folly Brasserie, Address Montgomerie, Emirates Hills, opening January 2025. @follydubai
