Tasty new additions to the capital’s cuisine scene…

Abu Dhabi’s ever-evolving culinary landscape has had some big new additions over the past month or so. These are just some of our favourite new spaces to stuff our faces, that have dropped in the capital recently.

31 Bar & Lounge

Is a sophisticated new rooftop hang spot at Grand Millennium Al Wahda offering 360º panoramic views of our mesmeric city. Enjoy lounge bites, a huge menu of craft mixology and shisha whilst relaxing in luxury, high above the frantic ballet of lights below. Their Sunday sushi deal nets you a sushi platter with two glasses of grape for just Dhs170.

Grand Millennium Al Wahda Hotel, floor 31, Hazza Bin Zayed Street Al Wahda Complex, 5pm to 2am. Tel: (02) 495 3916, @31barandlounge

Antonia Pizza Al Taglio

Antonia is bringing Pizza Al Taglio to the yard — a Roman variety of our favourite flatbread that literally means ‘pizza by the slice’, it traditionally comes in squares and makes for some epic street eats. The ‘by-the-slice’ concept also means you can mix and match your topping choices, allowing you to blend classic pizza experiences such as diavola,  burrata, and tartufo e funghi (truffle and mushroom). This pizzeria will be using a base blend born of organic Italian flour and 50-year-old sourdough, this is the good stuff). Antonia will also be serving up hearty portions of authentic pasta, cold pizzas, calamari, fresh salad options, suppli (a gorgeous species of gooey risotto croquette), sweet pizzas (with Nutella of course), and rumour has it that… it’s also licensed.

Soul Beach, Building 9 Mamsha al Saadiyat, open daily from midday to 11pm. antoniarestaurant.com

Bambu

The brand new jungle-inspired bar has packed a lot of wild into its food and beverage offering, and in this jungle, this mighty jungle — there’s a 4am close, so unlike the lion (aweem away) — they’re not sleeping at night. The menu is an arty blend of Pan Asian and Latin cuisine classics, and their Friday ‘tropical brunch’ has two seatings, one at 1pm to 4pm and another at 6pm to 9pm, served with blended tiki mixes and house beverages for just Dhs250.

17th Floor Cristal Hotel, Adjacent to Madinat Zayed Shopping Center, midday to 4am. Tel: (058) 550 3700, @bambu_auh

Black Tap

You know what you’re getting with Black Tap. This New York burger chain’s craft bun and shake game is already legendary in the UAE, and currently five joints strong. Captains of burger audacity, their collection includes signature stacks, face-sized sandwiches, innovative taste combos, banging deep-fried pickles, siracha mac’n’cheese and a line of FreakShakes — that bring all the boys, and girls (vibrating from sugar rush), to the yard. The UAE’s latest branch has just opened at Mamsha Al Saadiyat and offers some handsome outdoor seating, in addition to chicken, beef, veggie-friendly fooder and a whole lot of jive between two buns.

Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, daily midday to midnight. Tel: (02) 446 5128, @blacktapad

Hoods Resto and Bar

You’ll find this brand new soiree spot at Villaggio Hotel & Resort. The interiors have that sort of jazz club swag to them and the venue’s menu features international classics as well as lighter chic bar bites. There are daily deals and a Friday brunch with a house beverage package for just Dhs210.

Villaggio Hotel & Resort, Al Nahyan, open daily midday to 3am. Tel: (02) 555 6511, @hoodsrestaurant

Local

Local isn’t just your casual neighbourhood coffee shop. It offers fresh fades and fresh kicks along with its freshly ground coffee. It’s a community. This super-trendy chop shop wears its street style all over the walls – find skate paraphernalia, limited-edition urban fashion pieces and arty little nick-nacks dotted all over the place. Haircuts start at around Dhs110 for a basic back and sides, and beard trims begin at Dhs60. Like the speciality coffee (from Dsh15) that is served in-house, the products used in the styling are all top-quality brands.

Mamsha Al Saadiyat 8am to 11pm. Tel: (02) 5553339. @_localuae_

Raclette Brasserie and Cafe

The interiors of this beachfront brasserie are a Gallic spun fusion of beachy bohemia, sophisticated art deco details and botanical abundance. Together they paint an easy sort of Montmartre charm, appropriate really as it lies on the island peripherie of Louvre Abu Dhabi. Racette is a licensed venue, with a chic central bar, a perfect spot for those post-beach, shore-view sundowners.

Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island. @racletteuae, book tables on tablecheck.com

Silk and Spice

Technically a relaunch, this classy Thai restaurant has recently (re)opened its doors at Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche and is making good on its reputation for putting the ‘yum’ in tom yum goong. The menu is bursting with fragrant bouquets of south east Asian authenticity, and signature dishes that include Thai green curry, phad Thai, green papaya salad, and mango sago. Taste the fire, tast the spice, taste the silk.

Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, daily midday to 3.30pm, and 7pm to midnight (closed Sun). Tel: (02) 813 7777, sofitelabudhabicorniche.com

The Green

The Green is a ‘pop-up pub garden’ on the grounds of Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, offering live entertainment seven nights a week. During the week, between Sunday and Thursday, the timings are 4pm to 1am, whilst on Fridays and Saturdays you get an extended 11am to 1am stint. On Fridays, experience Music Fest with live music from David Howard, Kevin Carey & Friends. Saturday at The Green come fully Dominic Toretto approved, being as they are, for the family. The 11am to 3pm FamJam session includes access to giant bouncy castles, interactive kids’ games and a serenade from The International Playboys’ lead singer, Nicola Warwick.

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Shakhbout Bin Sultan St, Sun to Thu 4pm to 1am, Fri and Sat 11am to 1am. Tel: (056) 112 2072, @thegreenabudhabi

Relaunches

It’s not just the new stuff. We’ve also seen a couple of classics return to the capital’s cuisine scene over the past few weeks, for example…

La Brioche

The Khalifa City branch of La Brioche had been closed for a three-month renovation, but we’re now happy to confirm — they’re back. In addition to great coffee (and brioche, naturally), the French-themed cafe is something of a gourmet patisserie offering the most fragrant buttery-baked carbs.

16th St, Khalifa CitySector 12, 8am to 11pm. Tel: (02) 556 7076, @labriocheuae

Marriott Downtown

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The food and beverage outlets are back open to the public after a serving sebatical, and they’re celebrating the long-awaited relaunch with some tasty little deals. There’s a special Pinktober afternoon tea (Dhs120 for two people) at Central Grounds (Sun to Thu 1pm to 5pm), alongside the return of the venue’s popular lazy weekend breakfast, featuring a perpetual conveyor belt A-List brekkie items. Velcoity sports bar is also back on the scene, striding up to the crease in the middle of a cricketing bonanza (IPL followed by the T20 World Cup) — they have 3pm to 10pm happy hour sessions on cricket World Cup days with selected beverages at just Dhs24, in addition to a cheeky over of combo deals

Downtown Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 304 7777, marriottdowntownabudhabilife.com

Images: Provided/Getty/Instagram