Dubai Dine Out

Guide to the best hotels and restaurants in Dubai

In the most famous city of the Arab Emirates the choice of restaurants and hotels is nothing short of incredible. On the occasion of my last trip I had the chance to try a few; here is my personal guide:

Hotels & Restaurants

Certainly one of the best business hotels on Sheikh Zayed road is the five-star Shangri-La, impeccable service, rooms starting from 45 sqm, do try the club rooms with access to the exclusive "Horizon club"; for its imposing lobby alone the hotel deserves a visit; every afternoon you can enjoy a tea accompanied by pastries in a relaxed setting at the Lobby lounge. The hotel houses a very famous Vietnamese restaurant, Hoi An, with French influences, open for dinner (booking strongly recommended).

Certainly one of the recently built hotels that deserves a visit is "The Address Dubai", a stone's throw from the world's tallest tower, the Burj Dubai; this design hotel houses several restaurants, including Fazaris with a superb terrace overlooking the Burj Dubai; this restaurant offers a cuisine that is a mix of Japanese, Arab and Mediterranean. For a totally relaxing drink, again with a breathtaking view, the hotel houses the famous Calabar bar; from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm it is aperitivo time.

For a truly Italian-style pizza try the wine bar restaurant "Certo" at the Radisson hotel Media city; besides excellent wood-fired pizzas there are excellent first courses and a wine cellar with over 500 labels; do try the Friday brunch.

One of Dubai's icons in the very famous Jumeirah area is the luxurious Royal Mirage hotel, much loved by Italian guests for its peacefulness, for the beautiful beach far from the construction zones and for its wonderful gardens. The hotel houses numerous excellent restaurants: for a memorable evening try the "Celebrities" restaurant, a romantic setting and international cuisine; booking is essential.

Another fixed stop in Dubai is the Marina yacht club; here you'll find a bar restaurant with a breathtaking terrace, "L'Aquara"; the cuisine is fine dining and there is the option of a set-price menu starting from AED 300.00.

If you love shopping, don't miss one of the largest and most luxurious malls in Dubai at Wafi; here, if you love fish-based cuisine, you'll find "Mahi Mahi", a restaurant specialising in fish.

If instead you love meat, absolutely not to be missed is "The Rivington Grill" near the luxurious "The Palace" hotel in the Downtown Burj Dubai area; here the cuisine is truly tasty for both meat and fish; business lunch menus starting from AED 80.00.

Cheese lovers? At the brand-new The Westin Dubai hotel you'll find a bar restaurant that organises wine and cheese tastings, "Oeno Wine bar"; in the same hotel you'll find an excellent steak house, "Hunters room & grill", serving Australian, Argentine and Brazilian meat, or if you prefer Asian cuisine, try the "The spice emporium" restaurant.

Are you vegetarian? No problem, Dubai has what's right for you; the "Magnolia" restaurant, located in the famous Al Qasr hotel in the Jumeirah beach area, offers superb vegetarian cuisine and an incredible list of waters from all over the world... wine is not missing either!

Are you a golf or brunch lover??? At the Four Seasons golf club, in a truly relaxing setting, you can enjoy a truly top-mark brunch (starting from AED 365.00) at the very famous Blades restaurant.

Are you a fan of organic food? Don't worry, at the Organic foods & cafe you'll find organic food and the chance to have lunch at really low prices.

Sushi lovers? The famous "Japengo" chain offers many locations in Dubai, on Jumeirah road, at Wafi, at IBN Battuta, at Mercato..etc

Looking for a place to have a salad or a crepe in a nice setting without the formality of a restaurant? Look for Shakespeare and Co in Dubai, several locations, at Souk al Bahar, The Village, Al Manzil hotel, Safa center.... and many others.

Some tips on business hotels in the Sheikh Zayed road area:

The brand-new "The Place" aparthotel, very modern, a few metres from the Dubai World Trade Centre, rooms starting from 90 sqm and the longest pool on Sheikh Zayed road;

Four Points hotel on Sheikh Zayed, a few steps from "The Place" hotel, has a nice pool and a gym with a view, a Moroccan restaurant, a lounge bar with Mediterranean cuisine and a wine & beer bar;

Also nearby is the Tower Rotana hotel, which will present in October 2009 its brand-new, truly super-design rooms; inside it the multi-award-winning "Teatro" restaurant, fine dining, booking required.

Fancy a pleasant stroll on Jumeirah beach? Don't miss the brand-new "Jumeirah The Walk", a street full of venues and shops a few steps from the sea.

And finally an oasis of peace? Try the ultra-luxurious and very private "Desert Palm Resort", away from the chaos of Dubai; this oasis of peace, complete with polo matches on Fridays, a spa centre to die for and truly magnificent settings.

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