The 10 best new restaurants to try in Dubai right now

From relaxed and refined seaside dining to renowned imports from New York, these are the Dubai restaurant reservations to make ASAP

Dubai does lots of things well. Guinness World Records, glorious year-round sunshine, continually enhancing quality of life for its residents… and restaurants. Dubai’s burgeoning dining scene continues to level up with brilliant eateries – from homegrown smash-hits to imports by legendary brands. And if you’re looking for new restaurants in Dubai this December, here we bring you the 10 reservations you need to make.

Cocina Tres

From the creators of Honeycomb Hi-Fi comes Cocina Tres, the cool love letter to Mexico’s vibrant culinary coast, now welcoming guests. Conveniently located next to Honeycomb, it’s a fusion of bold flavours, rustic design and Latin hospitality. Inspired by Mexico City’s legendary architect, Luis Barragán, the interiors are bold and striking, with rustic wood beams, textured walls, and geometric columns that shapeshift from day to night. Indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly fuse, and whether you’re perched up at the bar, dining in a cosy booth, or grabbing a bite at the ceviche bar, every element has been carefully curated. Signature dishes include the Baja fish taco, inspired by the flavours of Baja California’s coast; and the pescado zarandeado, a local whole fish grilled Nayarit-style over wood fire and brushed with a rich red adobo. 

Where: Pullman Downtown, Business Bay
Why go: For some of the best tacos in town
Book: @cocina_tres

Lion in the Sun

Bringing a new dimension of flavour to Mandarin Oriental Downtown is Lion in the Sun. From Majestas, the hospitality disruptors behind the award-winning Billionaire, Lion in the Sun is a brand new concept that offers sophisticated dining in a warm and refined setting. A celebration of open-fire cooking, the menu is the brainchild of chef Batuhan Piatti, and features gourmet flavours and elegant dishes designed to be shared. Whether you’re dining on the alfresco terrace – where striking skyline views backdrop dinners on the 61st floor, or in the beautifully intimate restaurant with semi-open kitchen, you can expect the same well-executed menu and slick service.

Where: Mandarin Oriental Downtown
Why go: For dinner with a view on the terrace
Book: @lioninthesundubai

Maison Mer

Bringing a new dimension of Provencal dining style to the already impressive culinary and leisure line-up at Nikki Beach is Maison Mer. Bottling up the spirit of the South of France and sprinkling it all over Pearl Jumeira, this gorgeous new restaurant is both style and substance. Adorned in fresh, neutral shades, the restaurant spills from a warm indoor dining area onto a beautiful terrace that faces out towards the Arabian Gulf. The Riviera-inspired menu, spanning from Nice to Marseille, is an ode to shared family meals that bring people together in the south of France, celebrating regional ingredients like anchovies, goat’s cheese, garlic and figs.

Where: Nikki Beach Club, Pearl Jumeira
Why go: For a long, leisurely weekend lunch
Book: @maisonmerdubai

Tattu

Hailing from Manchester, Tattu opted for the ‘go big or go home’ mantra with its first international opening, debuting a three-floor concept at the crown of the world’s tallest hotel. Topping out Ciel Dubai Marina is the 81st floor Tattu Sky Lounge, where stretching views as far as the eye can see are best enjoyed from a window-side table while sipping a fruity, vodka-based skull candy, served in a skull glass with theatrical dry ice. The brand is also behind a sky pool, found on the hotel’s 76th floor and dotted with a handful of loungers, and the signature Tattu restaurant. The latter is a dramatic and striking dining room, where dark hues and jewel tones are laced with sweeping lights, dragon sculptures and bold artworks that command attention. The menu traverses Asian cultures, and features everything from flavourful dim sum and sushi to small plates of roasted scallops and short rib bao and larger dishes like Wagyu ribeye and Shanghai black cod.

Where: Ciel Dubai Marina
Why go: For drinks in the sky lounge at sunset, and dinner in the restaurant after
Book: @tattudubai

Tezukuri

What do you get when two powerhouse female hospitality leaders come together? An effortlessly cool temaki restaurant and adjacent listening bar. Which is exactly what Tezukuri is, newly opened in Downtown’s Dubai Opera district. From Panchali Mahendra, CEO of Atelier House Hospitality (11 Woodfire, Gerbou); and Neha Mishra, the star chef behind Kinoya, Tezukuri oozes modern Japanese minimalism, with counter dining, dark woods and spaces cleverly designed to immerse guests in the whole experience. The menu, unsurprisingly, features a diverse selection of temaki, freshly prepared to preserve flavour and texture – with guests able to sample both familiar and indulgent options. But alongside temaki, you’ll also find a range of small plates and dishes that highlight seasonal produce.

Where: Opera Grand, Downtown
Why go: To dine at the hands of one of Dubai’s top talents
Book: @tezukuridubai

Carbone

One of the biggest restaurant openings of the year saw Carbone debut at Atlantis The Royal in October. With a celebrity guestlist, DJ set from Naomi Campbell and mini plates of spicy rigatoni on tap, it launched in suitable style for one of New York’s most revered culinary addresses. Those lucky enough to snag a reservation now can look forward to dining inside a sultry and intimate restaurant, adorned in shades of midnight blue and ruby red, sharing their way through generous plates of chef Mario Carbone’s staple Italian-American cuisine. There’s also a lovely terrace where guests can enjoy impressive views of the Sky Blaze fountain. But we won’t lie, the best vibes here are found inside. Head to the bar for a pre-dinner drink, then stay late and carry on the party upstairs at Ling Ling.

Where: Atlantis The Royal
Why go: For the spicy rigatoni
Book: @carbonedxb

MEI

From the team behind SHI and Moli comes MEI, an opulent new Chinese restaurant by the water at Jumeirah Mina Al Salam. The interiors are ornate and striking, a chandelier of glass birds providing a stunning centrepiece to the dining room. Outside is just as picturesque, with the Madinat waterways and Burj Al Arab backdropping the alfresco terrace tables. The menu isn’t exclusively Chinese – with dips into Korean and Japanese influences, but the star dishes are all reinterpretations of the classic Chinese cuisine. Be sure to order the Peking duck, which chef cuts tableside and serves with steaming hot pancakes.

Where: Jumeirah Mina Al Salam
Why go: For the Peking duck carved table side, and the picturesque Burj Al Arab views
Book: @mei.dxb

Woohoo

Combining Dubai’s dual passions for futuristic tech and culinary innovation, Woohoo is the world’s first AI-led restaurant. The dining room is arranged around a central bar and the walls illuminate with high-spec projections that make you feel like you’re dining on another planet. Everything is served with a sci-fi edge, from the craft cocktails to the internationally-influenced menu – the brainchild of AI Chef Aiman, who uses decades of culinary research, molecular food science, and thousands of global recipes.

Where: Kempinski the Boulevard, Downtown
Why go: Because this is dining in another dimension
Book: @woohoo.dubai

Felicita

Say ciao to Felicita, a playful new restaurant now welcoming diners for lively brunches and high-octane evening meals at Address Sky View. It’s decked out in bold primary hues across an indoor restaurant and a pretty terrace with a grand bar and a looming Burj Khalifa backdrop. Typical Italian dishes are hearty and designed to share, like creamy burrata drizzled with pesto, spaghetti alle Vongole served nicely al dente and an espresso-soaked tiramisu. But this restaurant is as much about the vibe as it is the food, with a roster of live entertainment through the week from musicians and dancers, with guests given tambourines as a fun and interactive touch.

Where: Address Sky View
Why go: For a great night out
Book: @felicitadubai

Kraken

After departing one Michelin Star Ossiano, acclaimed chef Gregoire Berger is back, this time with an independent, unlicensed concept. Kraken takes over a villa in Al Wasl, presenting chef Berger’s innovative and progressive celebration of the sea’s bounty. The best seats are undoubtedly found at the counter, where the kitchen unfolds like a theatre, each act more impressive than the next. Dishes are rooted in regional ingredients, and some 70% are sourced from local fishermen and farmers. Graze on a plate of seaweed fries while you peruse the menu, with dishes such as salted kingfish, spiny rock lobster and jumbo prawns coming straight from the kitchen when they’re ready.

Where: Al Wasl
Why go: For a meal that’s as much about storytelling as it is dining
Book: @krakendubai