What’s On has details of Dubai’s first chocolate festival taking place at Eataly until June 16. Plus, info on other food festivals in Dubai.

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Think that chocolate is only for birthday cakes or Bridget Jones movie nights? Think again. Eataly, in Dubai Mall, is celebrating everything chocolaty with Dubai’s first two-week festival dedicated to the sweet stuff.

Running until June 16, Eataly’s Chocolate Festival – or rather, Festival Del Cioccolato – means the high-end Italian restaurant is offering a special chocolate-themed menu and no ingredient is off limits.

Indulge your sweet tooth with dishes such as homemade chocolate spaghetti alla chittara, green beans, shrimps in a light seafood tomato broth (Dhs45) or a chocolate dough pizza, topped with gorgonzola, mascarpone cheese and pears (Dhs55).

Chocolate Spagetti

In the market, visitors can get their sweet fix with a whole selection (box) of the finest chocolate products and brands, including Venchi, the 130-year old quality chocolate company.

Also during the festival, Eataly is launching the Domori chocolate range. Its founder Gianluca Franzoni was the first chocolatier in the world to use exclusively fine cocoa and the first to create a 100 per cent cocoa bar.

Not sure what a 100 per cent cocoa bar tastes like? Fortunately, visitors can try the quality chocolate for themselves during tasting sessions for both Venchi and Domori, taking place on June 4 to 6 from 1pm to 8pm.

Passionate foodies will also be happy to hear that earlier this week the Dubai Food Festival confirmed that it will be returning in 2016, from February 25 to March 12. Highlights at last year’s festivities included the Beach Canteen at Kite Beach, which included big names like ClawBBQ, Moti Roti and Chez Sushi as well as entertainment from local bands.

Food trucks also popped up across the city spicing up people’s lunch breaks with their freshly prepared international dishes.

 June 1 to 16
Eataly, Dubai Mall, Sun to Wed 9 am to 11.30pm, Thur to Sat 9am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3308899. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. eataly.ae