Feast your eyes on this! The best new brunches in Dubai for summer
What’s On loves brunch in Dubai and we do our best to try every cheap brunch in Dubai and expensive brunch in Dubai, so here is a list of new brunches in Dubai.
BA
When: Saturday, Noon to 3pm, post-brunch party 3pm to 6pm
Price: Dhs225 with soft drinks; Dhs395 with house beverages; Dhs550 for cabana on the beach and a bottle of bubbly.
Food: Chinese dumplings (fried and steamed), soups, cold starters, BBQ dishes and dishes from the wok.
Atmosphere: One for the young folk, the DJ plays a nice set of beach tunes and the vibe is a little clubby. Wear your best sunglasses.
Best bit: The inclusive access to the Fairmont’s fab pool and beach.
Worst bit: The service is a bit chaotic, with several dishes brought out at once, then nothing for 20 minutes.
Rating: 7/10
Contact details: Fairmont The Palm, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4573338. Taxi: Fairmont The Palm. dineatba.com
TOKO
When: Friday, Noon to 4pm
Price: Dhs265 with soft drinks; Dhs385 with house beverages and sake; Dhs525 with bubbly.
Food: Contemporary Japanese sharing concept called izakaya. A substantial maki and nigiri platter for the table, plus four courses – including a grill option – are chosen per person.
Atmosphere: Toko has been the hot restaurant in town since it opened in February, and there remains a real buzz about the place.
Best bit: An interesting explanation of sake is offered at this brunch.
Worst bit: The interior of the restaurant still feels like an afterthought compared to the stunning terrace. Those eating inside might feel they’re missing out.
Rating: 7/10
Contact details: Vida Downtown Hotel, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai. Tel: (04) 4428383. Taxi: Vida Downtown Hotel. toko-dubai.com
CAFE BELGE
When: Saturday, 12.30 to 4.30
Price: Dhs265 with soft drinks (Prohibition); Dhs365 with Belgian beers, wine & sparkling (Jazz Hands).
Food: Seafood by the bucket-load, including lobster, welk, moule and plenty more. Steak keeps carnivores happy, too, while the truffle scrambled egg steals the show among the side orders.
Atmosphere: This is a high-end brunch at a very reasonable price, so expect a complete cross-section. It’s a special occasion kind of place as much as it is a good fun Saturday session.
Best bit: A side order of entertainment in the form of three enthusiastic 1920s flapper dancers hopping, skipping and jumping between tables.
Worst bit: There were no menus provided prior to the rush of food; cue lots of awkward pointing when it came to asking for more of a certain dish.
Rating: 8/10
Contact details: The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, daily 12pm to 2.30pm, 6.30pm-11pm (bar 6pm to 2am). Tel: (04) 372 2323. Metro: Financial Centre
MELIA
When: Friday, 12.30pm to 4pm, party on the terrace till 5pm
Price: Dhs149 with soft drinks; Dhs249 with house beverages.
Food: A buffet with live cooking stations featuring the hotel’s main restaurants. The food is international: sushi, Spanish and Indian cuisine from Signature By Sanjeev Kapoor.
Atmosphere: Live music and singing warms you up for the party that awaits on the roof terrace later.
Best bit: Free pool access to Estrellas, the rooftop lounge with a glorious view of Downtown, where you can enjoy your food in picnic form.
Worst bit: The restaurant decor is quite bland and there is a sense everyone is just waiting to get upstairs.
Rating: 7/10
Contact details: Melia Hotel, Kuwait Street, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3868111. Taxi: Port Rashid. melia.com
LA PORTE DES INDES
When: Friday, 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Price: Dhs295 with soft drinks; Dhs395 with house beverages; Dhs495 with bubbly.
Food: Eight taster portions of French-influenced Indian food kick things off, before six main courses arrive.
Atmosphere: This wants to be a cocktail bar as much as it does a restaurant, with great care taken over the drinks menu.
Best bit: The quantity of food and diversity in both flavour and spice.
Worst bit: It’s a vast space that can appear empty and cold if it isn’t busy.
Rating: 6/10
Contact details: The Address Dubai Mall, Downtown, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4388610. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. laportedesindes.ae
EL SUR
When: Saturday, 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Price: Dhs390 with soft drinks; Dhs490 with sparkling wine; Dhs650 with champagne
Food: Authentic Spanish tapas. The sharing concept keeps things social, while the paella is, as you would expect, top drawer.
Atmosphere: A flamenco soundtrack and gorgeous plant-covered terrace transports you to the Mediterranean coast.
Best bit: The cold meat platter, complete with lots of pickled sides, is fantastic.
Worst bit: No cheese at a tapas brunch? Disappointing.
Rating: 8/10
Contact details: Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3997700. Taxi: Westin, Dubai Marina. Taxi: The Westin. elsurdubai.com
POSITANO
When: Sunday, 6pm to midnight
Price: Dhs180 with soft drinks; Dhs290 with house beverages
Food: Italian, specifically from the Amalfi Coast.
Atmosphere: Stylish white brick interiors within the world’s tallest hotel. The chirpy manager Claudio will give you a warm welcome.
Best bit: Fresh pasta cooked to order. Don’t miss the pyramid-shaped cappellacci with pumpkin, and the tortellini with braised veal and porcini mushrooms.
Worst bit: Desserts are pleasing to the eye – macaroons displayed like fruit in trees – but a little bland to taste.
Rating: 7/10
Contact details: JW Marriott Marquis, Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4143000. Taxi: JW Marriott Marquis. jwmarriottmarquis dubailife.com
NA3NA3
When: Friday, 12.30pm to 4pm
Price: Dhs295 with soft drinks; Dhs380 with house beverages.
Food: All sorts of international dishes such as beef stroganoff, seafood lasagna, chicken tagine, sushi, Arabic mezze, fried chicken and waffles, fresh juices and lots of cheese.
Atmosphere: Quiet and casual, not a brunch where you need to dress up.
Best bit: You can brunch till your heart – and stomach – is content but the emphasis on healthy, organic food means you won’t go overboard and feel bloated.
Worst bit: Where’s the buzz? There isn’t much sense of a special afternoon feast.
Rating: 6/10
Contact details: The Address Dubai Mall, Downtown, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4388610. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. theaddress.com
THE IVY
When: Saturday, 11am to 9pm
Price: Dhs199 with soft drinks; Dhs399 with house beverages; Dhs599 with champagne and fine wine.
Food: A round-the-clock mixture of classics from The Ivy menu, from eggs Florentine to fish and chips to artisanal cheese.
Atmosphere: A civilised one. You can arrive for a three-hour sitting any time between 11am and 9pm.
Best bit: Less overwhelming than a buffet, there are still enough choices on the menu – and enough courses – to ensure you’re in for a decadent day out.
Worst bit: There are pros and cons to the flexible timings. The Ivy may be elegant, but this lacks the sense of occasion that comes with a classic Friday brunch.
Rating: 8/10
Contact details: The Ivy, The Boulevard, Emirates Towers, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3198767. Metro: Emirates Towers. theivy.ae
GIRDERS GARDEN
When: Friday, Noon to 4pm
Price: Dhs199 with house beverages
Food: Try an English breakfast, roast dinner, salad bar or Indian food. A row of big buffet trays lets you grab a plate and dig in.
Atmosphere: Chilled out beer garden with a fun, down-to-earth crowd.
Best bit: The breezy rooftop lends a laidback atmosphere so you don’t have to make too much of an effort – just go with the flow.
Worst bit: The presentation of the food looks a bit like a school canteen.
Rating: 7/10
Contact details: JA Ocean View Hotel, JBR, Dubai. Tel: (04) 8145590. Metro: Jumeirah Lakes Towers. jaresortshotels.com
