A new Asian street food spot, a casual Italian and the return of a DIFC lounge…

From unique dining experiences, to wallet-friendly dinner deals perfect for pairs, we seem to have it all when it comes to new restaurants.

But as the foodie scene gets bigger and bigger, we’re seeing both old and new concepts bringing a fresh approach to dining in Dubai.

So here are three restaurants on our radar to check out this weekend (here are the three fresh places we pointed out last week).

THE BRAND NEW

Via Vita: The unlicensed Italian in JLT

This casual Mediterranean-Italian fusion eatery has just opened in JLT’s Cluster V. The unlicensed spot comes with turquoise and slate interiors, an olive tree and even a Vespa to greet you. The menu offers an array of options and includes a bruschetta bar, deli counter red and white pizzas, and salads. There’s also a business lunch deal for Dhs49 and all options are available on delivery and in venue.

Cluster V, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, daily 11am to 11pm. Tel: (800)-8428482. More info on website

Miss Tess: An Asian street food spot

There’s a new Asian street food restaurant opening this weekend in Business Bay’s Taj Hotel, advertising modern street food in an eclectic social space that aims to transport guests to market streets in Asia. Taking culinary inspiration from Korean, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese cuisines, Miss Tess will lead the service in what’s described as a ‘theatrical’ dining experience. Highlights include authentic Korean BBQ, fresh sushi prepared by culinary ninjas, a variety of fresh and spicy Thai soups, noodle dishes and street food favourites prepared at interactive cooking stations.

3rd Floor, Taj Dubai, daily 6pm to late. Tel: (04) 438 3121. More info on website

THE RE-OPENING

7 Elephants: The social trading lounge that’s back in business

Although this very chic lounge opened back in April, it’s been closed for the summer and has now re-opened this week. Serving seven types of international cuisine, seven signature cocktails (anyone else seeing a pattern?) it’s an open-air space with great Burj Khalifa views. Described as a social trading lounge, there’s a clever stock market approach to pricing. As drinks go up in demand, so do their price, and vice versa. So keep an eye on the app to bag a bargain beverage. The food is designed to be shared, with dishes from seven corners of the globe, and there’s an option to order a platter from each country for social snacking. There’s a new business lunch to come too, as well as sleek sunset drinking deals and a ladies’ night later in the season.

Level C, Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC. daily 12pm to 2am. More info on website

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