Abu Dhabi restaurants
Abu Dhabi is a foodie’s paradise with top quality restaurants offering authentic cuisine in spectacular settings
Words by Amanda Tomlinson
Finz
SEAFOOD
Finz
Perched over the water in a wooden hut, this romantic seafood restaurant has a boardwalk terrace that’s perfect for outdoor dining.
Whether taking in the views of the glistening Gulf waters or observing the growing Abu Dhabi skyline, by day or night Finz is one of Abu Dhabi’s favourite restaurants.
The menu features all manner of seafood dishes, but perhaps one of the most recommended is the salt-crusted sea bass for two, which comes with lobster and tarragon sauce, seasonal vegetables, baby potatoes and rice. The mixed seafood grill platter is also popular.
The seafood is sourced from all over the world. The sea bass is from Norway, the Dover sole from European waters, the sako tuna comes from the Philippines, the oysters are from France, the salmon from Norway and the catch of the day is from the local fish market.
The wine list is extensive, while the service is friendly and attentive. There are few better ways to enjoy a seafood meal than overlooking the water, with a gentle breeze of mild sea air.
Where: Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi
When: Daily 12.30 to 3.30pm and 7 to 11.30pm
Contact: 02 6979000
ALSO TRY
Nautilus
Yas Viceroy
02 6560600
Admire luxury yachts in Yas Marina while feasting on fresh seafood in this ultra- modern restaurant.
Turquoiz
St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
02 4036577
Relaxed beachfront restaurant and lounge serving a good selection of fresh seafood.
Chamas
STEAKHOUSES
Chamas
There are two things you’ll need to get through dinner at Chamas: A large appetite and a craving for meat. That’s not to say that vegetarians won’t be catered for here – there is an extensive salad bar – but really, it’s more for the avid carnivores.
Chamas, which means flames in Portuguese, is Abu Dhabi’s only churrascaria, or Brazilian-style steakhouse, and the pasadors (meat waiters) roam the restaurant with a variety of flame-grilled meat on long skewers eagerly carving slices onto the diners’ plates.
After choosing their first course from the salad buffet, guests will find a coaster-sized disk at each place setting when they return to their table. One side of the disk is red while
the other side is green. This is to let the pasadors know when to bring more meat. Red means ‘not now thanks’, while green means ‘bring it on’.
With a warm atmosphere, energetic staff and as much meat as diners can stomach, guests are certain to remember their meal at Chamas.
Where: InterContinental Abu Dhabi
When: Dinner and Friday lunch
Contact: 800 423463
ALSO TRY
Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill
Fairmont Bab Al Bahr
02 6543000
Popular steakhouse
overseen by the three-star Michelin chef.
55th and 5th The Grill
St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
02 4036577
Signature restaurant with a terrace overlooking the Arabian Gulf.
Hakkasan
ASIAN
Hakkasan
One of the first restaurants of high-end international fame to open in the capital, Hakkasan is an ultra-trendy Chinese restaurant from a Michelin-star stable.
The restaurant’s design and décor are as much a work of art as the dishes. Dark wood, high ceilings, creative lighting and private dining spaces adequately reflect the modern Chinese cuisine while still capturing the Middle Eastern location.
Start the evening at the 20-metre-long bar and enjoy a signature cocktail before moving through to the restaurant, which is divided into two sections with private dining areas. Those near the kitchen can watch the chefs through the aquarium-like blue glass.
The menu is impressive with many Hakkasan specialities. Try the jasmine tea-smoked wagyu beef ribs as a starter and charcoal-grilled silver cod with Champagne and Chinese honey for main.
Where: Emirates Palace
When: Daily 6pm to midnight
Contact: 02 6907999
ALSO TRY
Cho Gao
Crowne Plaza
Abu Dhabi
02 6166122
Trendy restaurant in the centre of Abu Dhabi serving a range of Asian cuisine.
Talay
Le Meridien Abu Dhabi
02 6446666
Best Thai restaurant in town. Reserve a table on the terrace overlooking the water.
Mezlai
REGIONAL
Mezlai
The UAE’s first five-star Emirati restaurant, Mezlai at Emirates Palace is a must for those who want to taste more than just the local culture during their visit. While Lebanese cuisine is common throughout Abu Dhabi, Emirati cuisine has been hard to find, until now.
Mezlai’s chef, Ali Salim Ebdowa, says Emirati food differs from Lebanese food in the way it is cooked and the spices that are used.
Chef Ebdowa recommends visitors try his signature dish lamb medfoun. “You don’t see this dish every day,” says chef Ebdowa. “Families would normally make it during Eid. It’s a once-a-year dish.” The roasted lamb shoulder with chick peas in tomato sauce is served with a sauce of dates, honey, vinegar, yeast, local spices and garlic.
Mezlai is not out of place in the opulent Emirates Palace hotel. With high ceilings and large windows, it is bathed by light during the day yet cosy in the evenings.
Arabian hospitality is at the core of the experience and diners are treated to Arabic coffee and dates in the majlis on arrival.
Where: Emirates Palace
When: 1 to 11pm
Contact: 02 6909000
ALSO TRY
Marakesh
Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi
02 6262700
Moroccan restaurant with theme nights and entertainment by a belly dancer and band.
Mawal
Hilton Abu Dhabi
02 6811900
Lively Lebanese restaurant with a belly dancer and singer to entertain late into
the night.
Spaccanapoli
ITALIAN
Spaccanapoli
This central Abu Dhabi restaurant serves simple traditional food that an Italian family would prepare at home. According to restaurant manager Luca Busato, when the team was putting together the initial menu, “we had to think of what our mums would cook at home”.
Spaccanapoli’s warm, themed interior has a relaxed atmosphere making it perfect for families.
But the real treat is in the eating and this is something Spaccanapoli does on a grand scale. The large wood-fired pizza oven can produce one-metre-long pizzas.
All recipes are prepared using traditional methods and with an Italian chef and restaurant manager, diners know they are in for the real deal.
Where: Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi
When: Noon to 4pm and 7 to 11pm
Contact: 02 6166122
ALSO TRY
Prego’s
Beach Rotana
02 6979000
Casual Italian eatery serving authentic cuisine, with a terrace overlooking the water.
The Beach House
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
02 6738301
Offers Mediterranean dishes and great views of Saadiyat Beach. Venture upstairs for sundowners.
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