Best Restaurants in Dubai
10 curated venues
Dubai's restaurant scene covers every register, from hotel fine dining with skyline terraces to compact pizzerias working a tight menu at the counter. The spread across the top-rated venues here reads like a map of the city: Doors at Dubai Mall runs a Levantine-and-grill menu from a fountain-facing terrace in Downtown, Ronin brings theatrical contemporary Japanese to JBR, Varq holds the Indian fine-dining end from inside Taj Exotica, and Elaia sits over the Dubai Marina basin at Pier 7 with a Greek and Mediterranean menu built for long dinners.
The range of formats is wider than it first appears. Naughty Pizza in Business Bay keeps the Neapolitan format honest with a genuine wood-fired oven, Vegan Burger at The Dubai Mall treats the plant-based brief as a serious kitchen rather than a side category, and Sallet Al Sayad in Al Karama works the traditional Arabic seafood-market format that lets you choose the catch at the door. At the upper end, Vera Versilia and Ronin push into proper occasion pricing; OCCO Restaurant and Society Room at Raffles sit at the considered mid-to-upper casual range where dinner and a shisha session hold up well together.
Weekend bookings matter, particularly for terrace seats around Downtown and the Marina. Hotel restaurants typically carry a full bar programme, while standalone restaurants outside the hotel grid run alcohol-free with mocktail and fresh-juice lists built as proper beverage programmes rather than afterthoughts. Prices step from the mid-casual bracket through to the upper end of fine dining, and the value tends to hold up best on the sharing and set-menu formats these kitchens naturally encourage.
Top Picks
1
Doors Dubai Mall
5.0·2935 reviews·$$$$
Doors at Dubai Mall is an upscale Middle Eastern restaurant positioned on the fountain-facing waterfront of the mall, with a terrace that looks directly onto the dancing jets and the Burj Khalifa above. The design is bold rather than restrained - ornate metalwork, layered textiles, and warm amber lighting - which reads as a considered modern take on Levantine hospitality rather than a traditional mezze room. The atmosphere is generous and conversational, and the service is entirely alcohol-free. The kitchen covers a broad arc from Levantine classics to contemporary grill-led mains, with the quality landing most reliably at the upper end. The lamb asado is the signature - slow-cooked, richly herbed, carved at the table - the wagyu and ribeye steaks are precise from the grill, and the shish kebab and mixed grill cover the informal end of the menu. Starters range from a thoughtful mezze selection to a surprisingly successful avocado pizza that has become a regular second-order; desserts close strongly with a house crispy phyllo that is worth saving room for. Service is consistently one of the strongest in the Downtown district. The floor team is attentive, well-briefed on the menu, and practised at pacing tables to align dinners with the fountain shows on the half-hour. Occasion dinners are handled with quiet care - birthdays, anniversaries, and Ramadan iftar service all carry small, considered touches - and non-drinkers are looked after particularly well, with a mocktail list that reads as a proper beverage programme rather than an afterthought. Pricing sits in the upper-casual bracket for the area, with the premium cuts stepping higher; weekends are busy and a fountain-facing terrace table is worth booking well in advance rather than walking in. For a Downtown dinner that celebrates the location without overplaying it, Doors is one of the easiest recommendations in the Mall.
2
Ronin
5.0·455 reviews·$$$$
Ronin is a theatrical contemporary Japanese restaurant that makes its first impression immediate: an entrance gong struck on arrival, a ceiling of one hundred red lanterns overhead, and a terrace that picks up a notable skyline view once the sun drops. The interior reads intentionally dramatic - deep lacquer red, black timber, brass detail, low-lit banquette seating - and the atmosphere carries a measured sense of theatre without tipping into performance. The kitchen works modern Japanese cooking with real confidence across sushi, tempura, and robata sections. The rock shrimp tempura with wasabi sauce is the most-ordered opener and arrives properly crisp, and the shrimp popcorn and gyoza selection round out shareable starters at genuine quality. From the raw bar, the tuna tataki in ponzu, tuna and scallop sashimi, and tuna mille-feuille are standout plates, and the salmon and tuna belly sushi are built with care. Close with the Japanese donuts, a house signature that has quietly earned its following, and pair from a considered sake list served on ice in characterful vessels. Service is polished and attentive without being intrusive. The floor team guides first-time guests through the menu with genuine knowledge, treats occasion dinners with a restrained flourish, and paces courses for long dinners without hurrying. The sake sommelier carries real expertise and is worth consulting for pairings beyond the default recommendations. Ronin is priced at the upper end of contemporary Japanese dining in Dubai, with value holding up well on omakase-style ordering and the sharing format that the menu naturally encourages. For a date-night Japanese dinner that combines serious cooking with a genuinely theatrical setting, Ronin is among the more memorable bookings at this level. Reservations are worth making for the terrace and for weekend evenings.
3
Varq
5.0·1107 reviews·$$$$
Varq is the Indian fine-dining restaurant at Taj Exotica Resort, a contemporary interpretation of the Taj group's refined regional cooking tradition and one of the more elegantly styled Indian rooms on Palm Jumeirah. The interior carries the brand's hallmark attention to detail - polished brass, patterned textiles, jewel-toned banquettes, soft overhead lighting - and the atmosphere is unhurried and conversational, pitched for a properly paced dinner rather than a quick turnaround. The kitchen works a considered regional Indian menu that favours technique over volume. Mains are the confident centre, covering North Indian tandoor, coastal dishes, and slow-cooked curries with genuine attention to spice structure; the vegetarian programme is as thoroughly built as the meat side, a hallmark of a serious Indian kitchen. A tasting option walks first-time guests through the regional range, and wine pairings are thoughtfully selected for Indian spice. Close with a considered dessert programme that layers traditional mithai with modern plated finishes. Service is the reason Taj regulars stay regulars. The floor team is long-tenured, carries real menu knowledge, and paces tables patiently rather than rushing through courses; special requests - dietary adjustments for guests feeling unwell, personalised modifications for spice tolerance, discreet birthday celebrations - are handled with the genuine warmth the Taj name implies. Recommendations arrive as guidance rather than script. Varq is priced at the upper-tier hotel-restaurant bracket, consistent with the Taj positioning and the refinement of the cooking. It suits a considered date, a family celebration, or a long resort-stay dinner rather than a walk-in. Reservations are worth making for weekends and for high-season periods. For an elevated Indian dinner on Palm Jumeirah with the Taj group's standard of care, Varq is one of the more dependable bookings in the category.
4
Vera Versilia
5.0·677 reviews·$$$$
Vera Versilia is a polished Italian restaurant that takes its design cues from the Italian Versilia coast, a sunlit, elegantly composed room with an adjoining poolside terrace that gives the restaurant its distinctive daytime character. The interior reads fresh and Mediterranean - pale stone, rattan accents, linen tablecloths, soft pendant lighting - and the outdoor seating doubles as a business-lunch favourite for its relaxed, pool-adjacent atmosphere and deliberate separation from harsher poolside-club registers. The kitchen works a refined Italian coastal menu with clear discipline. Seafood is the strongest section, with the seafood pasta a particular signature - properly al dente, cleanly sauced, finished with genuine generosity - and a rotating selection of crudi, grilled fish, and pan-seared mains covering the wider coastal canon. Antipasti include a careful burrata, respectful carpaccio plates, and a set of shared small plates that bridge daytime lunches and longer evening dinners. Close with the tiramisu, a proper lighter-creamed version, or the lemon sorbet served in the fruit for a distinctly Italian refresh. Wine pairs from a list that favours Tuscan and coastal Italian regions with meaningful depth. Service is polished and warmly attentive without crossing into performative. The floor team carries real menu knowledge and a practised sense of pacing for business lunches, date dinners, and relaxed weekend bookings. Occasion bookings are handled with discreet elegance, and small complimentary touches for anniversaries and birthdays are part of the rhythm rather than a flourish. Vera Versilia is priced at the upper casual to mid-premium bracket, with daytime business-lunch value particularly strong and evening dining comfortably justifying the position. For a considered Italian lunch with a poolside setting or a relaxed, confident dinner in a beautifully designed room, Vera Versilia is one of the more dependable bookings in the category. Reservations are worth making for weekend evenings.
5
Elaia Dubai
5.0·437 reviews·$$$
Elaia sits at Pier 7 on the Dubai Marina basin, a Greek and Mediterranean-inflected restaurant with a panoramic terrace that looks directly over the marina canals and across to the towers of the skyline. The interior runs relaxed-Mediterranean - whitewashed walls, olive-wood accents, soft blue detailing, warm pendant lighting - and the outdoor seating is the clear draw, picking up evening breeze from the water through the cooler months. The atmosphere reads genuine and conversational, pitched for families, groups, and date bookings equally comfortably. The kitchen works a considered Greek menu with Italian crossover influences. Mezze arrive generously and properly made: tzatziki, taramasalata, grilled halloumi, and saganaki all carry authentic technique, and a selection of Greek salads avoids the fatigued hotel rendering common to the category. From the mains, seafood is a particular strength, with grilled octopus, whole fish, and a careful selection of pasta-and-seafood crossover plates anchoring the table. Vegetarians are well-served, and gluten-sensitive requests are handled with genuine care rather than token substitutions. Close with the house cheesecake - a genuinely well-built version with proper balance - or a baklava-inflected Greek dessert. Service is the restaurant's consistent quiet strength. The floor team is warm, long-tenured, and practised at reading tables for pacing and recommendations; occasion dinners are handled with a restrained flourish of complimentary dessert plates and small personal touches that feel sincere rather than performative. Elaia is priced in the upper-casual bracket with genuine value given the quality of the cooking and the Pier 7 marina-view setting. For a relaxed Greek-Mediterranean dinner with a proper water view and a kitchen that takes the cuisine seriously, Elaia is one of the more dependable bookings at the address. Reservations are worth making for weekends and sunset seatings.
6
Sallet Al Sayad Seafood Restaurant
5.0·1091 reviews·$$$
Sallet Al Sayad is a traditional Arabic seafood restaurant in Al Karama that leans into the straightforward seafood-market format common to the neighbourhood: a wet counter of the day's catch, simple preparation from a compact grill and pan kitchen, and generous portions brought to the table without flourish. The interior is bright and unpretentious - tiled walls, formica tabletops, a display fridge of fresh fish at the entrance - and the atmosphere runs calm and conversational, with locals and regulars filling the room at lunch and dinner in steady numbers. The kitchen's strongest work is on the grill. Charcoal-grilled prawns are the most repeatedly recommended plate and arrive with a proper char and a splash of lemon that does the rest of the work; whole grilled fish, from hamour to sheri, are a close second recommendation depending on the day's catch. Beyond the grill, a range of Arabic-style preparations - fish sayadieh, cream lobster, kofta-style seafood combinations - broaden the menu well. Salads and Arabic small plates arrive generously and precede the mains, and the fresh-juice programme is a proper end-to-end accompaniment rather than an afterthought. Service is warm, straightforward, and genuinely practised at guiding first-time visitors through the counter-selection process. The floor team is long-tenured and friendly rather than polished, recognises returning guests, and paces orders briskly so that the mains arrive while the salads are still being enjoyed. The restaurant is entirely alcohol-free, and parking is available at the building. Sallet Al Sayad is priced honestly, with the final bill tied to selections from the counter and sitting well within the mid-range bracket relative to comparable seafood rooms in the city. For a genuinely authentic Arabic seafood dinner in Al Karama without the overhead of a hotel setting, the restaurant offers one of the most dependable value propositions in its category. Reservations are worth making for weekend evenings, when the dining room fills reliably.
7
Naughty Pizza Dubai
5.0·1144 reviews·$$$
Naughty Pizza is a compact Italian pizzeria in the Business Bay stretch that punches above its footprint, serving properly made Neapolitan-style pizzas to a loyal neighbourhood crowd. The room reads warm trattoria - exposed brick, timber beams, Edison-bulb lighting, open-kitchen counter - and a small outdoor terrace with a fire pit and blankets opens for the cooler months, a considered touch that gives the room an extra register for long evenings. The kitchen's focus is the dough, and it earns the attention. The crust is light, well-aerated, and leopard-spotted in the Neapolitan tradition, with toppings sourced carefully rather than piled on. The Diavola, with the proper kick of spiced salami, is the most ordered, and the classical margherita and quattro formaggi hold their own against any of the city's bigger-name pizza rooms. Beyond the pizza, the potato-and-mozzarella croquettes are a precise fried opener, the Linguine al Pomodoro demonstrates real respect for the simplest Italian dish, and the burrata and charcuterie plates work well for a shared small-plate start. Close with a tiramisu that is genuinely among the best plates in the room - light-creamed, properly coffee-soaked, finished with restraint. Service is warm, efficient, and visibly proud of the cooking. The floor team is practised at feeding returning guests and first-time visitors with the same recommendations, and valet parking at the building is a practical convenience on the Business Bay side. The atmosphere carries a conversational buzz rather than a statement register, suited to a relaxed date, a mid-week family dinner, or a long catch-up. Pricing is honest mid-range, with value holding up particularly well given the quality of the dough and the ingredient sourcing. Reservations are worth making for weekend evenings, when the small indoor room and the terrace fill quickly. For a proper Neapolitan pizza dinner in Business Bay with a kitchen that takes the Italian form seriously, Naughty Pizza is a dependable pick.
8
OCCO Restaurant
5.0·860 reviews·$$$
OCCO Restaurant is a stylish restaurant-and-lounge that balances a modern dining room with a serious shisha programme, positioned comfortably between a conventional restaurant and a proper late-evening lounge. The interior runs contemporary and considered - dark timber, textured walls, warm pendant lighting, deep lounge seating - and the outdoor terrace is the preferred seat through the cooler months, where much of the shisha service flows. The atmosphere is conversational and composed, pitched for a long, unhurried evening. The kitchen works a broad international menu with Levantine and Mediterranean leanings. Mezze arrive properly layered, the grilled mains cover tawook, kofta, and a selection of steaks and seafood, and pasta and pizza options give the menu the reach expected of a lounge format. Portion sizes are generous and the plating carries genuine care rather than hotel-shortcut presentation. Close with a house dessert selection led by kunafa and chocolate-based plates. Shisha is the property's real reputation. The lemon-mint build is the most recommended signature and arrives smooth, properly balanced, and long-lasting; the wider flavour list runs deep, and the shisha attendants treat the work with the care of a speciality programme rather than as an add-on. The drinks list runs non-alcoholic, with well-constructed mocktails, Turkish coffee, and a considered fresh-juice programme. Service is warm and welcoming across the day. The floor team handles groups, couples, and late-night bookings with the same composure, and the pacing of shisha refreshes and drinks top-ups stays tight even when the terrace is full. OCCO is priced in the mid-to-upper casual bracket, with value holding up particularly well on the combined dinner-and-shisha session rather than on a single-course dinner. For a relaxed Levantine dinner with a genuinely excellent shisha programme, OCCO is one of the more dependable bookings in the neighbourhood. Reservations are worth making for weekend evenings.
9
Society Room
5.0·371 reviews·$$$
Society Room at Raffles Dubai is a stylish restaurant and lounge tucked into the Wafi-side hotel, a refined space that balances an elegant indoor dining room with an outdoor terrace built for long Dubai evenings. The interior is warmly composed - plush banquette seating, brass detailing, layered pendant lighting, a polished central bar - and the outdoor seating picks up desert breeze through the cooler months with a softly lit garden-facing outlook. The atmosphere runs calmly sophisticated, pitched for couples, small groups, and ladies-night bookings in equal measure. The kitchen works a considered international menu with Italian and Mediterranean leanings. Pizza is a reliable shareable plate with a crisp-base character, pasta is handled properly rather than as an afterthought, and a selection of appetisers and small plates runs long enough for a sustained grazing session. The kitchen accommodates vegetarian and dietary preferences with genuine care. Close with a plated dessert that the pastry kitchen treats with matching attention, and pair from a cocktail programme that is the bar's real strength: carefully balanced classics, creative signatures, and a considered mocktail list. Shisha is a proper feature of the terrace, with an extensive flavour list and an unobtrusive refresh rhythm that suits the venue's lounge format. Service is warm and visibly well-trained; the floor team reads tables with the composure the Raffles name implies, handles themed ladies-night evenings smoothly, and paces occasion bookings without crowding. Society Room is priced in the upper-casual to premium bracket, with genuine value particularly strong on ladies' night and early-evening bookings. For a stylish dinner, cocktail evening, or shisha session in the Raffles Dubai complex, it remains one of the more considered lounge bookings at this address. Reservations are worth making for weekend evenings.
10
Vegan Burger - The Dubai Mall
5.0·447 reviews·$$$
Vegan Burger at The Dubai Mall is a focused plant-based restaurant that takes the burger format seriously - a quick-service space that punches above its genre through genuine attention to ingredient and technique. The interior is bright and contemporary - pale timber, open-kitchen counter, a small seated area with sunset views out across the mall's outer reaches - and the format runs efficient and welcoming without the earnestness that can weigh down vegan-specific dining. The kitchen's clearest strength is the burger. The Truffle Mushroom Burger is the most ordered signature and arrives genuinely juicy, seasoned properly, built on a soft bun that holds together to the last bite; the classic plant-based patties are equally confident and stand up easily to meat-based comparisons. Sides are taken with real care - sweet potato fries arrive crisp without oil fatigue, truffle fries carry proper aromatic hit - and salads (including a Caesar variation) and a small selection of wraps and plated specials round out the lunch and dinner menu. A considered mocktail list with fresh mojitos and juice blends completes the offering. Service is quick, genuinely friendly, and unusually patient for a casual format. The floor team handles first-time vegan diners and casual drop-ins with equal warmth, and pacing stays tight even when the mall floor is at its busiest. The restaurant is entirely alcohol-free, which suits its casual register. Vegan Burger is priced honestly in the mid-range casual bracket, with genuine value given the quality of the ingredient sourcing. For a serious plant-based lunch or dinner at the Dubai Mall that rewards both vegan diners and curious non-vegans equally, it is one of the more confident bookings in its category. No reservations are typically needed, though the seating area fills reliably during peak mall hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best restaurant in Dubai?
Doors Dubai Mall holds the highest volume of five-star reviews on this list, driven by its fountain-facing terrace, table-carved lamb asado, and an alcohol-free Levantine service that handles occasion dinners with quiet care. For a Downtown dinner that celebrates the view without overplaying it, it is one of the most reliable bookings in the city.
How much do restaurants cost in Dubai?
Prices span the mid-casual to fine-dining range. OCCO Restaurant, Naughty Pizza, Sallet Al Sayad, Society Room, Elaia, and Vegan Burger sit in the upper-casual $$$ bracket, while Ronin, Doors Dubai Mall, Varq, and Vera Versilia push into the $$$$ fine-dining range where tasting and sharing formats deliver the best value.
Which Dubai restaurants have the best views?
Doors Dubai Mall faces the fountains and Burj Khalifa directly from its Downtown terrace, Ronin's JBR terrace picks up the skyline once the sun drops, and Elaia sits over the Dubai Marina basin at Pier 7 with a panoramic terrace. For sunset dinners, these three are the most reliable terrace bookings on the list.