After a long, hot summer, we’re declaring the official start of brunch season in Dubai…

Whether you’re looking to get the most for your money, entertain visitors, celebrate your birthday or enjoy a relaxed nibble, we have the perfect brunch for you (and they’re not all on Fridays).

Gents, send your elasticated trousers to the dry cleaners. Ladies, buy yourself a new outfit. Everybody, prepare to get your brunch on.

ROMANTIC: LOVELY BRUNCHES FOR COUPLES

Marina Social

The recently updated Friday brunch at Marina Social might come with some of the best views in Dubai, but it’s the food that really excites us. The Share And Social three-course menu is a great way to try out some of the restaurant’s best dishes, including hand chopped beef tartare and BBQ chicken leg with sweet corn broad beans fricassee, all served with delicious cocktails.

InterContinental Dubai Marina, Beach Road, Dubai, Fri noon to 3pm, Dhs315 with soft drinks, Dhs495 with house drinks, Dhs595 with champagne, Dhs695 with premium champagne. Tel: (04) 4466664. Metro: JLT. marinasocialdubai.com

Copper Dog

It might not be a candle-lit dinner, but we reckon the new sharing brunch platter for two at Copper Dog is just as good. There are six platters to choose from including veggie (with grilled vegetables, avo and goats’ cheese toast, and veggie sliders), meat (with BBQ lamb, steak and fries), and surf ’n’ turf (sliders, skinny fries, goujons, squid and buffalo chicken). Don’t want to share? Copper Dog also has a breakfast brunch on Fridays and a roast brunch on Saturdays, both for Dhs275.

DoubleTree By Hilton, JBR, Dubai, Fri and Sat 12:30pm to 4pm, Dhs250. Tel: (04) 5595355. Taxi: DoubleTree. copperdog.ae

Folly By Nick & Scott

One of the chicest brunch options, Folly’s Friday offering will feature an ever-changing seasonal five-course menu, served alongside signature drinks. Expect dishes such as smoked salmon, sesame and radish and stracciatella cheese with pesto, accompanied by a refreshing gin- and green tea-infused garden punch.

Madinat Jumeirah, Beach Road, Dubai, Fri 12.30pm to 3.30pm, Dhs300 with soft drinks, Dhs495 with house drinks, Dhs550 with champagne. Tel: (04) 4308535. Taxi: Madinat Jumeirah. folly.ae

BIRTHDAY BOY/GIRL: PARTY BRUNCHES

Lucky Voice

Warble your way through some questionable crowd karaoke between delicious bar food bites such as tacos, pizzas, burgers and brownies at Lucky Voice inside Grand Millennium Hotel. It’s an ideal party brunch (it’s on offer on a Friday day and a Wednesday night) for groups of friends looking for a fun night out (though we wager some of the crowd might feel less excitable at work the next morning when going for the Wednesday option).

Grand Millennium Hotel, Barsha Heights, Dubai, Wed 8pm to 11pm, Dhs150 with soft drinks, Dhs250 with house drinks, Dhs295 with sparkling wine. Tel: (800) 58259. Taxi: Grand Millennium Hotel, Barsha Heights. luckyvoice.ae

Vida Downtown

Prepare for a jolly good afternoon as the ‘best of the Brits’ take over the popular Urban Picnic Brunch. There’s a quintessential picnic menu serving finger sandwiches, fish ’n’ chips and hearty roasts. Plus, sticky toffee pudding and lemon drizzle cake for dessert.

Vida Downtown, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 5pm, Dhs295 with soft drinks, Dhs345 with house drinks. Tel: (04) 4286888. Taxi: Vida Downtown. vida-hotels.com

Accents

Described as a “brunch with a beat”, the Webrunch Friday fiesta from the lovePARTIES team places as much emphasis on the tunes as the food. Expect an eclectic mix of R&B, Motown and hip hop classics alongside seafood, roasts and marina views.

InterContinental Dubai Marina, Beach Road, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 4pm, Dhs299 with soft drinks, Dhs350 with house drinks, Dhs399 with champagne. Tel: (04) 4466777. Metro: JLT. webrunchdxb.com

Miss Lily’s

The Jamaican haunt’s new Blazin’ Brunch offers more flexibility than most, with a full a la carte menu on offer. Packages at Miss Lily’s include one starter, main, side and dessert, with dishes running the gamut from jerk chicken roti and fish tacos to oxtail stew and sea bass with Scotch bonnet chillies.

Sheraton Grand Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Fri noon to 5pm, Dhs250 with soft drinks, Dhs390 with cocktails. Tel: (04) 3544074. Metro: World Trade Centre. misslilysdxb.com

Qwerty

Media One’s Friday party is called BRNCH because it’s a little shorter than the norm, wrapping up at 3pm. There are retro video games to play, and a genius pub quiz run by Dubai 92’s Jono to tackle on your phone. Food wise, there’s a weekly changing menu but you can expect sushi and fried food to star.

Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 3pm, Dhs199 with drinks, (Dhs99 for ‘TOP UP’ after 3pm). Tel: (04) 4271000. Taxi: Dubai Media City. mediaonehotel.com

Lock, Stock & Barrel

Prepare for three rounds of food delivered to your table including satay, sliders and cheesecake. Still hungry? Just go round again. And again. And again.

Grand Millennium Hotel, Barsha Heights, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 4pm, Dhs299. Tel: (04) 5149195. Taxi: Lock, Stock & Barrel. lsbdubai.com

Rixos Premium Dubai

The newest hotel in JBR has launched its first brunch inside all-day dining restaurant Turquoise, and by the sounds of it, music plays a vital role. There’s a live band, and apparently the waiters sing as well. Food ranges from modern Ottoman to Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and everything in between.

Rixos Premium Dubai, JBR, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 4pm, Dhs270 with soft drinks, Dhs370 with house drinks. Tel: (04) 4227420. Tram: JBR. premiumdubai.rixos.com

FOODIE FAVES: THAT PUT FOOD FIRST

Nine7One

If you’re bored of the usual live-cooking stations, the new Karnival brunch at The Oberoi Dubai’s Nine7One restaurant could be a refreshing alternative. The more unusual the better – that seems to be its motto, with inventive dishes such as fried ravioli corndogs, coconut crusted prawns and fried brie cheese.

The Oberoi Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 4pm, Dhs299 with soft drinks, Dhs399 with house drinks, Dhs599 with Moet & Chandon, Dhs650 with Veuve Clicquot, Dhs799 with Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial. Tel: (04) 4441407. Taxi: Business Bay. oberoihotels.com

Fairmont The Palm

It’s worth going to the new VIP brunch experience at Fairmont’s The Chef’s Palette, just so you can say that you’re a VIP bruncher. As a VIP, you start your brunch at the resort’s Flow Kitchen, then move to a private dining room for an interactive brunch. You’ll have your own dedicated bartender and personal chef serving up dishes such as pan-seared foie gras, fresh oysters and wagyu short ribs. 

Fairmont The Palm, Dubai, Fri noon to 4pm, Dhs595. Tel: (04) 4573388. Taxi: Fairmont The Palm. fairmont.com

Address Boulevard

It’s one of the most talked-about new brunches in town. Address Boulevard’s Riviera Chic Brunch brings a bit of southern France to Dubai’s brunch offerings. It’s also more elegant than most, where Mediterranean-inspired dishes are served to your table family-style. The clincher? If you choose the Dhs525 package, you can spend the afternoon at the hotel pool.

Address Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, Fri noon to 4pm, Dhs325 with soft drinks, Dhs425 with house drinks, Dhs525 with champagne. Tel: (04) 8883444. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. theaddress.com

Rüya

Top Dubai chef? Check. Excellent location? Check. Magnificent food? Check. When it comes to brunch, Rüya certainly ticks all the right boxes. A more refined affair than some, Rüya’s brunch is a great way to sample chef Colin Clague’s most celebrated dishes including his two-cheese pide.

Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Fri noon to 4pm, Dhs295 with soft drinks, Dhs495 with house drinks, Dhs595 with champagne. Tel: (04) 3999123. Metro: Damac. ruyadubai.com

Zuma

From September 29, top Japanese spot Zuma is re-launching its brunch. There’s a range of new signature dishes to try including sushi, sashimi and select dishes prepared fresh, all served to your table, á la carte style. 

Gate Village 6, DIFC, Dubai, Fri 12.30pm to 4pm, Dhs450 with soft drinks, Dhs595 with sparkling wine, Dhs655 with champagne. Tel: (04) 4255660. Taxi: DIFC. zumarestaurant.com

THE CHILLED: Long, lazy lunches

Jekyll & Hyde

DIFC’s newest gastro pub has unveiled its Great British Brunch Off, and its sharing plates of mini classics are making us feel a little nostalgic – think stuffed Yorkshire puddings and paper cones of proper fish ’n’ chips. We’re intrigued by the promise of ‘True Brit’ themed cocktails.

Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, Fri 2pm to 5pm, Dhs295. Tel: (04) 3435518. Taxi: Al Fattan. jekyllandhydedubai.com

Molecule

New arrival Molecule has launched its ‘B3 in D3’ brunch (think bread, boiled eggs and a bloody Mary) and, mercifully, it’s on a Saturday. With everything you need to recover from the excesses of Friday’s bad behaviour, the menu promises a brunch as it was originally intended.

Building 6, Dubai Design District, Dubai, Sat noon to 5pm, Dhs200 with soft drinks, Dhs250 with house drinks, Dhs350 with champagne. Tel: (04) 2454700. Taxi: D3. molecule.restaurant

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm

Nothing says laidback quite like a secret garden theme. The new relaxed brunch here features two additions to the live cooking set up, too – rotisserie and raclette stations.

The Waldorf Astoria, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Fri 1pm to 4pm, Dhs390 with soft drinks, Dhs490 with house drinks, Dhs590 with sparkling drinks. Tel: (04) 8182222. Taxi: The Palm Jumeirah. waldorfastoria3.hilton.com

The Red Lion

Hearty pub grub on Saturdays in The Red Lion, including fish ’n’ chips, beef wellington, roast chicken and all the trimmings, and a huge portion of barbecue ribs. 

Metropolitan Hotel, Al Thanya Street, Dubai, Sat 12.30pm to 3.30pm, Dhs159 with soft drinks, Dhs269 with house drinks. Tel: (04) 3430000. Taxi: Metropolitan Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road. metropolitanhoteldubai.com

PLUS… The late brunch at Waka

Starting October, Waka will introduce a full-on Fiesta Latina brunch every Friday from noon. For now, though, you can try Waka’s Late Brunch option, with an evening set menu of Latina American flavours and cocktails to match.   

The Oberoi, Al A’amal Street, Business Bay, Dubai, Fri 8.30pm to 11.30pm, Dhs200 with soft drinks, Dhs350 with house drinks, Dhs400 with champagne. Tel: (04) 4441455. Metro: Business Bay. waka.ae

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