6 things to do in Zayed Sports City
Located in the International Tennis Centre, this brand new restaurant is a cross between an American sports bar and an Irish pub. The gastropub will be fully licensed and include a terrace with viewing screens to catch the big game. The concept should open this month.
Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, timings TBC. Tel: (02) 4034235. Taxi: Tennis Centre at ZSC.
While the location is a real head scratcher (the venue overlooks the bowling lanes), this pan-Asian restaurant is definitely worth a visit. There are Malay, Chinese, Singaporean and Indonesian items on the menu. While service can sometimes be slow, especially for larger groups, the prices are unbeatable. Try the seafood clay pot or the Nasi Goreng.
Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, daily 11am to 10.45pm. Tel: (02) 4472405. Taxi: Bowling Centre at ZSC.
Located near the entrance of the Bowling Centre, this kiosk mostly caters to the people playing pool in the adjacent area or, pardon the pun, just shooting the breeze. There’s not much on the menu aside from frozen yoghurt and a choice of toppings or chilled drinks and coffees. Check out their non-dairy smoothies if you’re lactose intolerant.
Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, daily 9am to midnight. Tel: (02) 6426166. Taxi: Bowling Centre at ZSC.
Best known for their spinning classes, this group exercise space is not a traditional gym. There are no treadmills or weight machines. Instead there are special ‘rooms’ dedicated to specific training exercises – think cycling, yoga, Pilates and zumba. There is even a kids’ room that is popular with mum-meetup groups. If you visit for a cycle session expect loud music and a party atmosphere.
Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, only open during exercise classes, so check the monthly timetable. Tel: (056) 3310310. Taxi: Tennis Centre at ZSC.
There’s nothing better than a cheesy piece of pizza after a day of ice-skating. Located in the ice rink, this chain restaurant is best suited to hungry families looking for a quick refuel after a few turns on the ice. Just beware: the staff seems permanently confused, especially when customers try to order.
Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Wed 8am to 11pm, Thur and Fri 8am to midnight. Tel: (02) 4418641. Taxi: Ice Rink at ZSC.
Located in the Tennis Stadium, this gym helped bring about the primal fitness craze in the capital by using strange outdoor workouts that had guests flipping massive tires and doing bear crawls on the floor. If you’re after more traditional classes, check out the alternating weights workouts of the day using kettle bells and dumbbells or the boxing and circuit classes.
Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Wed 6am to 9.30pm, Fri 8.30am to 12.30pm, Sat 2pm to 6pm. Tel: (02) 4034233. Taxi: Tennis Centre at ZSC.