Dubai has become a popular celeb hangout because of its fantastic social scene, including beach clubs, hotels, and restaurants. Here are some of the restaurants, bars, and cafés where I’ve eaten during trips to Dubai.
If you’re looking for more places to eat in Dubai, then check out Square Meal UAE for some of the best restaurants in the United Arab Emirates.
Tong Thai
We visited Tong Thai at the Marriott on our first night out in Dubai for Monday evening brunch. Monday evening brunch is an all-you-can-eat affair (YAY!), and you can choose from an alcohol or a soft drinks package. We were greeted with coconut water with vodka, although the waitress did think Emma and I were underage – woop!
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of coconut water, so I quickly pushed this aside for their cocktails which were the usual mojitos and margaritas but infused with Thai flavours like lemongrass. They were delicious and totally moreish. We had at least a couple each.
There are several food stations to visit where food is cooked and served fresh, and you can choose what is included in your dish. There were also loads of little Thai salads in pots that you could pick up. Highlights for me included the nibbles and the tom yum soup which was spicy and packed full of king prawns. They also had a huge table packed full of desserts – most of them miniature! My faves were the macarons which were available in pretty much every flavour.
Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
Oh, my goodness. Menchie’s is a self-serve frozen yogurt place. You fill up your cup with different flavours and toppings, and then they weigh it and charge you based on how much you have. I chose Nutella, cake mix, and strawberry, plus lots of nuts, strawberries, and blueberries. The cake mix flavour was a particular favourite. And it’s SO MUCH healthier than ice cream!
French Bakery
We ate lunch at French Bakery while we were having a chilled day wandering around. I indulged in a smoked salmon bagel with a little side salad and chips. We also had fruity mocktails, which were super refreshing.
Social House, Dubai Mall
We had lunch here on the day we went up to the top of the Burj Khalifa. Social House is on the outside of the Dubai Mall, near to the fountains and it has a killer view of the Burj, the fountains and the zip line so you can watch people flying over the fountains as you eat. We shared a sushi and sashimi platter. It was yummy and really filling.
Fume, Pier 7
Pier 7 is a building at the Dubai marina with seven restaurants, one for each of its seven floors. While dining, you can watch the yachts in the harbour below. Fume is really reasonably priced. I had a pulled beef brisket bun with vinegar slaw which tasted delicious.
The Cheesecake Factory
If you love cheesecake (who doesn’t?), you should definitely head to The Cheesecake Factory, as they do every kind of cheesecake imaginable. The portions are HUGE, so make sure you save some room for the actual cheesecake! We had three starters between us: nachos, chicken strips, and quesadillas, and we didn’t even manage to finish these. I chose the red velvet cheesecake, and it was super sweet. I didn’t manage to eat it all.
Top Tip: Make sure you remember where you put your leftover cheesecake for when you get in after your night out!
Of course, there’s more to Dubai than fantastic food. Check out some of my suggestions for things to do in Dubai.
