Restaurants in Dubai

Al Muntaha (meaning 'The Ultimate' or 'The Top' in Arabic) has arguably the best location in Dubai, suspended 200m (656ft) above the Arabian Gulf at the top of the Burj Al Arab hotel. Service is immaculate and the slanted glass windows give the restaurant the feel of a great ocean liner heading out to sea.

Bombay Brasserie is the Taj Hotels signature restaurant, finding a balance between classic and contemporary. On offer is high quality Indian quinine and a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience. If you’re unsure what to order, try the excellent tasting menu to truly experience the variety of flavours and ingredients.

One of the trendiest eating spots in Dubai, Okku serves up excellent Japanese food in boudoir-style surroundings enlivened with tanks full of brightly-coloured neon jellyfish. Although in theory classical Japanese, the menu is more of a fusion affair with sake cocktails and foie gras sushi among the most popular choices.

Located on a wooden pier with views of the expansive Arabian Gulf, Pierchic is a seafood restaurant popular with Dubai’s cool crowd. A mix of Arabic and European dishes, mains include the likes of poached Atlantic lobster with snow peas, enoki mushrooms and passion fruit dressing, or Arabian chilled seafood platter laced with Iranian caviar.

Tucked away inside Mall of the Emirates, Apres overlooks the shopping centre’s ski run and has an alpine theme that extends to the menu as well as the décor. Relaxed and fairly casual, the service is top notch and the drinks relatively cheap. Food is classic Austrian schnitzels and fondue topped up with really good burgers.

With venues scattered across the city, the emphasis at this popular restaurant is on Rajasthani cooking backed up by themed décor and artefacts shipped in from the region. The open kitchen is a nice touch, as are the family booths upstairs. No alcohol is served but the freshly-made lassis more than make up for it.

Set inside a marble courtyard beneath WAFI Mall, Khan Murjan is a good place to go if you fancy a taste of the local cuisine. Expect plenty of mezze topped up with generous helpings of Arabic coffee and mint tea. Another Emirati favourite, shisha water pipes, are also available in a variety of flavours.

It’s not the prettiest of restaurants but Al Mallah serves up a seriously good selection of classic Lebanese dishes, among them one of the tastiest interpretations of shanklish (spicy cheese) in the Gulf. Along with food, it also does shisha including a ‘special’ version featuring half a pineapple in place of the usual filter.

While it may never win any culinary awards, Cactus Jacks seldom disappoints a hungry stomach. Mexican themed, the décor includes Aztec fabrics and bright designs, as well as multicolour tiled pillars. The menu is a mix of classic Mexican as well as greasier, if heartier, Tex Mex dishes.

A Dubai institution, Shahi Mughal (once Ravi) might not look like much but the superior quality Pakistani food more than makes up for any aesthetic disappointment. The butter chicken has long been a particular favourite with expats, but whatever level of spice you can take, the ever-friendly staff are there to present it in the restaurant’s famous plastic bowls.