What's On newcomer of the year: Why did Barrafina choose Dubai first?

Why Barrafina waited 18 years to leave London – and chose Dubai first

For nearly two decades, one of London’s most loved Spanish tapas bars refused to open anywhere else. When Barrafina finally left the capital, it skipped every other city in the world and came straight to Dubai. The team behind it explains why – and reveals the deceptively simple dish you have to order first.

Eighteen years is a long time to say no. Since opening in Soho in 2007, Barrafina has grown into a London institution – a Michelin-starred temple to Spanish tapas where the queue is part of the ritual and the counter is the whole point. Offers to expand internationally will not have been in short supply. The answer, until now, was always the same.

So why Dubai – and why now?

“For us, Barrafina is a very special restaurant and we always felt that if it was ever going to leave London, it had to be done thoughtfully and with the right people around the table,” says founders Sam and Eddie Hart. “Dubai felt like a natural fit. It’s become one of the great restaurant cities in the world. People here travel, they’re curious, and they genuinely appreciate quality and authenticity.”

That’s a telling compliment from a restaurant group that could have planted its flag in New York, Paris or Hong Kong first. Instead, Dubai’s dining scene – increasingly a magnet for the world’s most protective restaurant brands – got the debut.

“More than anything, we felt there was an opportunity to build something that could become part of people’s lives,” they add. “We’ve always believed the best restaurants aren’t places you go once. They’re places you return to again and again.”

Why the counter is non-negotiable

If you’ve eaten at Barrafina in London, you know the drill: no dining room full of tables, just a marble counter where you watch chefs work inches away and conversation flows between staff and strangers alike. Bringing that to Dubai – a city that tends to like its restaurants big, plush and seated – was never up for debate.

“Because the counter is Barrafina,” they say simply. “It’s where the energy comes from. It’s where conversations happen. It’s where the chefs and guests connect. There’s something very honest about it.

“We could have made it bigger or grander, but that never felt right to us. We wanted to protect what makes Barrafina special. Ultimately, great restaurants are about people, and the counter brings people together in a way very few dining rooms can.”

The same discipline applied to the food. There was no talk of a “Dubai-ified” Barrafina, no localised reinvention. “We never wanted to reinterpret Barrafina. The food, the spirit, the warmth, the counter experience – all of that had to remain true to what has made the restaurant so loved over the years. It was never about changing Barrafina. It was about bringing Barrafina to Dubai in the most authentic way possible.”

Also read: Barrafina review

What Dubai diners taught Barrafina

If the team arrived with any assumptions about Dubai’s dining crowd, they didn’t survive contact. “Probably just how knowledgeable and passionate people are about restaurants,” they say, when asked what surprised them most. “Guests here really care. They notice details. They travel. They understand hospitality.”

The greater reward has been watching the restaurant slip into people’s weekly rhythm. “What has been most rewarding is seeing people make Barrafina part of their routine. Seeing familiar faces every week and watching guests bring their friends and family. Ultimately, that’s what every restaurateur hopes for.”

That connection with the city was underlined earlier this year when Barrafina Dubai picked up Newcomer of the Year at the What’s On Dubai Awards – recognition the team is careful not to over-read. “We’re incredibly grateful, but awards don’t really change how we think,” they say. “We’ve always believed that if you focus on the fundamentals and take care of people, good things tend to follow. We’re not in a rush. We’re playing the long game.”

And what does the win mean to the people behind it? “Restaurants are ultimately team sports. These awards belong to everyone – the chefs, the service team, the porters, the dishwashers, everyone who comes in every day and cares deeply about what they do. And we’re incredibly grateful to Dubai. This city has embraced us from day one.”

The one dish to order at Barrafina Dubai

For first-timers, the team’s answer is unanimous – and it isn’t the flashiest thing on the menu. “It has to be the tortilla,” they say. “People are sometimes surprised because it’s such a simple dish, but that’s exactly why it’s so special. There’s nowhere to hide. Just a few ingredients and a lot of care.

“In many ways, it sums up Barrafina perfectly. No gimmicks. No unnecessary complexity. Just great ingredients, treated with respect and cooked properly. Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to do well.”

Eighteen years of patience, and the signature dish is eggs, potato and onion. Somehow, that tells you everything.

Where: Barrafina, DIFC, Dubai