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Food

Modern Japanese restaurant storefront with teal tile walls and a visible kitchen counter inside
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Mall of the Emirates Restaurants: Where to Eat by Meal and Budget

At Mall of the Emirates, I’d go straight to Antonia for an Italian meal or Konjiki Hototogisu when I want ramen. XU is my Cantonese set-lunch choice; Besh is the Turkish hotel-lunch alternative. Those are four different meals, not four interchangeable places to sit down. For an early coffee, the mall lists PAUL on the…

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Overhead view of assorted colorful Middle Eastern dishes and drinks arranged on a wooden table
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Yas Mall Restaurants: Where to Eat on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

My Yas Mall restaurant shortlist starts with Al Fanar for Emirati food, Mezzaluna for Italian and Rasoi Ghar for vegetarian thali. When nobody agrees on a cuisine, I’d choose Yas Food Hall and end the debate. Decide what lunch needs to do: a proper sit-down meal, breakfast before an outing or a quick stop between…

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Luxury boutique entrance with Bâoli Dubai and Prada signs, modern cream architecture, and lush landscaping
Restaurants

Bâoli Dubai: J1 Beach Dining, Pool & Sunday Brunch Guide

Bâoli makes sense to me when a beach or pool day is meant to turn into dinner without another taxi ride. It is at J1 Beach, Jumeirah 1, with the restaurant, pool and beach, Sunset Lounge and late-night Moon Room giving you several ways to build the outing. That range is the attraction. It is…

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Assorted Asian dishes on a wooden table with two diners reaching in with chopsticks and utensils
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Best Chinese Restaurants in Dubai: 10 Picks by Meal and Budget

My Chinese restaurant shortlist in Dubai is unapologetically specific: Hakkasan for a Michelin-starred Cantonese dinner, Hutong for a DIFC set lunch, Mott 32 when the pre-ordered duck is the occasion, and Shoo Loong Kan for a Dubai Mall hot-pot meal. For dumplings, I’d open Din Tai Fung’s branch menu. For Indo-Chinese dishes in Karama, Gypsy…

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Elegant modern restaurant with set round tables, patterned chairs, and a marble bar under sculptural pendant lights
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Novikov Abu Dhabi: Menu Prices, Business Lunch & Booking Guide

Novikov Abu Dhabi is my Al Maryah Island shortlist for a mixed group that wants pasta, pizza, fish and meat without splitting into different restaurants. The menu leans Italian-Mediterranean and also has a raw/Asian-flavours section. At The Galleria, I’d choose the weekday set lunch for a contained order, or à la carte when particular dishes…

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Gourmet seafood salad topped with colorful bell pepper ribbons on a blue-and-gold ornate plate
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Vanitas at Palazzo Versace Dubai: Italian Fine Dining on the Creek

For an Italian date-night shortlist, I’d put Vanitas at Palazzo Versace Dubai on it for the Creek-side hotel setting. Make an evening of it. This is the booking I’d compare when the room and the occasion matter, rather than when the brief is a quick meal or a DJ-led night out. Location and setting Vanitas…

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Bowl of dark broth ramen topped with sliced meat, soft-boiled egg, and shredded scallions on a wooden table
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Where to Find the Best Ramen in Dubai

For ramen in Dubai, I want the bowl to make the decision. Kinoya’s shio paitan and spicy miso are my first menu comparison; Wokyo makes the vegan-versus-meat choice explicit, and Daikan needs a branch-specific order. For an unlimited offer, MaKiRa is a different calculation. Choose the broth, size and outlet first. A restaurant being Japanese…

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