17 of the best British restaurants in Dubai
Fish n’ chips, fry ups and roast dinners with all the trimmings…
When it comes to trying to recreate traditional British dishes, many fail, many get it wrong, and many should never have tried to begin with. But in Dubai, we’re lucky to have a fair few that truly succeed in cooking up the best British ‘grub’ in the city.
Here are 17 of the best British restaurants in Dubai…
Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Atlantis The Palm
Gordon Ramsay’s first Dubai project, Bread Street Kitchen is always bustling with atmosphere. There’s plenty of tables inside and terraced seating outdoors as well. The decor is full Britannia – with queen motifs at the entrance ready for your photo op. The food is as good as you would expect from a Ramsay restaurant, the beef wellington in particular is a big hit.
Bread Street Kitchen, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, daily 12.30pm to 4pm, 6pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 426 2626. atlantisthepalm.com
Copper Dog, Doubletree by Hilton JBR
No expense has been spared in recreating the famous Scottish highlands pub in Dubai: everything, including the floorboards, was brought over from Scotland. You really do feel like you’re stepping into a little highland pub, with dark wooden floors, warm lighting and a cosy yet lively bar. The high-end but hearty pub grub matches with the décor too.
Copper Dog, Doubletree by Hilton JBR, Dubai Marina, 5pm to 2am Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 2am Friday and Saturday. Tel: (04) 559 5355. Facebook.com/CopperDogDubai
Great British Restaurant, Dukes Dubai
Great British Restaurant, or GBR, is an all-day dining restaurant in a British brasserie-style setting. The focus is on quality ingredients, giving guests a wide array of dishes to choose from, with live cooking stations and buffet. We would recommend a traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings followed by the dark chocolate fondant, there’s also a great champagne and oyster bar.
GBR, Dukes Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, 12.30pm to 10.45pm, daily. Tel: (04) 455 1101. dukesdubai.com
Pots, Pans & Boards, The Beach, JBR
Pots, Pans & Boards is the first Dubai venture by Tom Aikens, who was only 26 – the youngest chef in the UK – when his restaurant received two Michelin stars. The unlicensed spot has large communal tables, quirky décor and hearty food. The dishes are basically pub grub meets fancy French restaurant – with a dash of Middle Eastern flair.
Pots, Pans & Boards, The Beach, JBR, 7am to midnight Sat to Wed, 8am to 1am Thur and Fri. Tel: (04) 456 1959. potspansandboards.ae
The Croft, Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites
There’s a cosy feel to this British restaurant, with an open kitchen and blackboards illustrated with specials. The Croft’s outdoor terrace overlooks Dubai Marina and provides a great space for alfresco dining. There’s a weekly Saturday roast and even a British kebab and curry night.
The Croft, Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites, Dubai Marina, 5pm to midnight, Mon to Sat. Tel: (04) 319 4794. marriottharbourdubaidining.com
Geales, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
For some of the best fish n’ chips in town and a lively atmosphere, make sure you check out Geales. It also serves up a family-friendly Saturday brunch each week with a four-course brunch menu served to the table alongside four hours of free-flowing selected drinks, plus fun activities for the little ones.
Geales, Le Royal Meridien, Dubai Marina, 7pm to 11.30pm Sat to Thurs, 1pm to 11.30pm Fri. Tel: (04) 316 5550. geales-dubai.com
Rhodes W1, Grosvenor House Dubai
British celebrity chef, Gary Rhodes, continues to serve up the goods at his upscale restaurant in Grosvenor House Dubai. The food is fantastic, especially the lamb cutlets with spiced aubergine. The view across Dubai Marina are just as pretty as the restaurant itself.
Rhodes W1, Grosvenor House Tower A, 7pm to 11.30pm, Mon to Sat. Tel: (04) 317 6000. rw1-dubai.com
The Eloquent Elephant, Taj Dubai
This friendly neighbourhood gastro pub is a cosy ground-floor venue with an outdoor terrace. The quiz night is very popular, but they also have live music events, musical bingo and sports match screenings. Dishes include homemade gnocchi, fish n’ chips, slow-cooked beef cheeks and Angus short ribs.
Eloquent Elephant, Taj Dubai, Downtown Dubai, 3pm to 1am Sun to Weds, noon to 2am Thur and Fri, noon to 1am Sat. Tel: (04) 438 3100. tajhotels.com
The Scene by Simon Rimmer, Pier 7
For a real taste of home for the city’s Brits, it doesn’t come much truer than The Scene by Simon Rimmer. Having won the What’s On favourite British restaurant many times, it’s the one to beat when it comes to a proper fry up and a real roast dinner (and the Marina views are a nice Dubai touch too).
The Scene, 4th Floor, Pier 7, Dubai Marina, daily 8am to 2am. Tel: (04) 222 2328. thescenedubai.com
The Lion by Nick & Scott
Nick & Scott are regarded as two of the best home grown chefs in the UAE. With a successful venture in Madinat already under their belt, the duo took over The Lion in H Hotel to bring a taste of their memories from living in the UK to Dubai. From the menu, you can expect breaded veal escalope with fried egg, lamb biryani and fish finger toasted sandwiches.
The Lion by Nick & Scott, H Hotel, Downtown Dubai, 8am to 3am Sun to Thur, 11am to 3am Fri and Sat. Tel (04) 359 2366. theliondubai.ae
Reform Social House & Grill
There is always something happening a this lively gastropub in the Lakes, with weekly events from fitness classes, to puppy pilates, to outdoor markets, to pub quizzes and more. The 15,000 square foot space is often brimming with people enjoying a roast dinner or British style curry.
Reform Social & Grill, The Lakes, Dubai, 8am to midnight, daily. Tel: (04) 454 2638. reformsocialgrill.ae
The Rose & Crown
There’s no chance of missing the entrance of this British pub – it’s marked by a big red telephone box. Inside, the playlist will make you feel right in the thick of London, as will the dart board, pool table and sports on the big screens. Food-wise, The Rose And Crown is not a place to count calories: the portions are huge and the menu is undoubtably British.
The Atrium, Al Habtoor City, daily 11am to 2am. Tel: (04) 4370022. roseandcrowndubai.com
Dhow & Anchor, Jumeriah Beach Hotel
Dhow and Anchor is a contemporary gastro pub in Jumeirah Beach Hotel. At D&A, as it’s fondly known, guests can enjoy a daily ‘Roast of the Day’ which changes between lamb, beef and chicken. It’s a generous plate that comes with roasted root vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and a portion of mash and gravy to share.
Dhow and Anchor, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, noon to 2am Sun to Thurs, 9am to 2am Fri and Sat. Tel: (04) 432 3232. jumeirah.com
Hell’s Kitchen, Caesars Palace Dubai
Gordon Ramsay’s second Dubai venture, named after his hit TV series, Hell’s Kitchen, is made to feel like you’re in an actual episode of the show. Serving up home comforts such as pan seared scallops, lobster risotto, beef Wellington, and sticky toffee pudding, the menu is a feast of feel-good food.
Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, daily 7am to 10.30am, noon to 3.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 556 6466 caesars.com/dubai
The Queen’s Grill, QE2
Known as one of the world’s most popular fine-dining restaurants back in its heyday, it’s been restored to look just like it did in the seventies, from the furniture to the fit-out. It serves up traditional six-course tasting menus each evening of traditional British fare to exceptionally high standards. It’s well priced too, at Dhs375 for the regular menu or Dhs275 for vegetarian.
The Queen’s Grill, The QE2 Dubai, Port Rashid, daily 7pm to 11.30pm, Dhs375. Tel: (04) 526 8888. Qe2.com
The Underground, Habtoor Grand
This retro London tube themed pub offers traditional English decor and a variety of entertainment from quiz nights, all the latest sporting action and weekly live bands. The menu is the epitome of ‘pub grub’ featuring classics such as toad in the hole, gammon & pineapple, loaded potato skins and steak & ale pie.
The Underground Pub, Habtoor Grand, Dubai Marina, noon to 3am Sat to Thurs, 1pm to 3am Fridays. Tel: (04) 408 4221. facebook.com/theundergroundhgr
Barrel 12
Hidden away on The Palm, heavy wooden doors open up to reveal a smart sports bar and restaurant. It’s an upmarket ‘local’, somewhere you’re as happy ordering a burger and a pint as you are a cocktail and plate of wild mushroom arancini. Every Sunday, they have a gent’s night where the lads get a burger & fries, three bottles of beer, free sports games to play, live sports.
Barrel 12, Palm Views East, Palm Jumeirah, noon to midnight, daily. Tel: (04) 5524000. barrel12.ae
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