NEW RESTAURANTS TO TRY IN ABU DHABI
TOTO
MAMSHA AL SAADIYAT
Mamsha’s newest eatery, Toto, is the culinary love child of Christiano Ronaldo and Rafael Nadal. If excellent Italian food, fantastic interior design giving more than a nod to Cinema Paradiso, and a soundtrack straight out of the Golden Age of Italian cinema is your thing, Toto will become a firm favourite.
We love the excellent seafood options, the hot-from-the-oven pizzas and the great desserts, but even more, we love the open kitchens where you can watch the chefs at work, adding to an already excellent vibe.
LOCALINO
AL REEM TOWER, CANAL SIDE, RAHA BEACH
Localino is probably the success story of recent Raha Beach openings, already garnering a slew of reviews from the Best Bites Facebook community. Serving a great selection of Roman inspired pizzas, pastas and of course divine suppli, they’ve already got some very loyal customers. We love The Queen (pictured) with a great buffalo mozzarella on a tomato base with a little chili to spice it up but it’s The One that brought reviewer Kevane to his culinary knees!
Hats off to the skilled and passionate team, Localino is a must-try.
Open: 12PM - 10PM, closed Mondays
Call: 02 236 7493
(image, Kevane Hammond)
PHO MO
THE GALLERIA AL MARYAH
If we were making a movie about new additions to the Vietnamese food scene in Abu Dhabi, we might call it Abu Dhabi: The Rise Of Pho! Not only are we spoilt for choice these days with great Vietnamese options, this opening, Pho Mo, might actually lead the pack.
With a strong bone broth game, there are a range of pho flavours to try including both rare beef and brisket (both around AED47) and if pho doesn’t blow your dress up, you can order fried rice (around AED42) or some of the great starter options. This is a great addition to the Galleria Central Kitchens and could become your lunchtime go-to.
Open: 10AM - 10PM/12AM
02 493 7400
EATALY
REEM MALL
This popular Italian restaurant is now in Reem Mall. You can expect casual Italian food - ask for your pasta al dente if you like it that way - and better still, a huge range of Italian food to buy. Enjoy a cannolo or a gelato on the great outdoor terrace, perfect for the cooler months.
Open: 9AM - midnight
Call: 02 691 0581
PANDA CHINESE
THE GALLERIA AL MARYAH
If you’re constantly on the hunt (no, we won’t use the word obsessed!) for a good old American Chinese, this outlet in the Galleria Mall food court opposite Raising Canes, might help quench your thirst.
As an indication of what lunch at Panda Chinese might look like, AED40 will get you either fried rice or lo mein, a couple of mains, a spring roll, wonton chips and a bubble tea. This must be the deal of the month! Also, soups rock in for as little as AED6. If you can find a better deal anywhere else, we’d love to hear about it!
Open: 10AM - 10.30PM
Call: 02 564 3661
TAWA BAKERY
AL ZAHIYAH, BESIDE BEACH ROTANA
The gluten free community has been waiting with bated breath for Tawa to finally reopen its doors! It is completely gluten free, with no cross contamination, making it a safe space for coeliacs and those who are gluten intolerant. There’s a dine-in area with indoor and outdoor seating, where you can enjoy fish and chips, pastas, sandwiches and burgers and some great breakfast options too and a ton of lovely sweet treats for when the craving hits. There are also vegan options - it really is the one-stop shop!
Open: 10AM - 11PM
Call: 055 444 0514
POKE & CO
THE GALLERIA AL MARYAH
This already popular little outlet is a great choice for anyone looking for a healthy, fresh meal in a bowl - or a good pot of acai! We love the Taste Like Sushi bowl, with sushi rice, fresh avocado, edamame, hunks of salmon and prawns and topped off with wakame, dried seaweed and ginger. It’s a total winner and just one of a number of delicious options. It’s not cheap but we think it’s pretty good value for the quality and amount of ingredients.
Open: 10AM - 10PM/12AM
Call: 800 7653
AMORITALIA
CRESCENT RESIDENCES, AL RAHA BEACH
With the hoards of people now living in the Raha Beach area, there’s plenty of room for a ton of new eateries and Amoritalia is one of the newest additions. It's a small but perfectly formed eatery, serving casual Italian food. Start with a really good arancino, and move forward to pastas - the gnocchetti might be a must-try - and consider yourself Italian-ed!
Open: 1PM - 10.30PM
Call: 055 418 8167
SNIPPETS: WATCH FOR MORE INFO ON THESE NEW OUTLETS ...
- The Catch Seafood Grill - Corniche
- The Butcher Shop & Grill - Reem Mall
- Salmontini -Le Royal Meridien
CLOSURES: WE'RE SAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO ...
- Larte, Manarat al Saadiyat
- La Cuisine de Manou Cafe - closed for refurb ... watch this space
- Gunaydin
- Smoking Doll, Boutiq Mall
- Tilal Liwa - closed for refurb
- Nurai Island - closed for refurb
CRAFT BY SIDE HUSTLE
THE GALLERIA AL MARYAH
This groundbreaking new opening signifies a massive change for the UAE: Craft is the GCC's first ever micro-brewery, with a whole range of craft beers being brewed on-site. The space is large, and holds two bars, one very firmly in the booth-laden, sit-down dining area and the other in an area with high tables and couches for more casual drinks.
Food is interesting and well-executed, with a lot of dishes to love including a bone-in short rib lattice pie, a huge meat platter and a gorgeous platter with house-made pretzels and the most delectable chicken liver pate. Don't miss the buttermilk tart to finish.
Open (for now): 4PM - 1AM
Call: 02 631 9855
MIKA
YAS MARINA
We're so happy to see the very pretty Yas Marina coming back into fashion, with Mika firmly leading the charge. This very Instagrammable restaurant is a labour of love for its owners, easily seen with the superb attention to detail of the styling of the interior and the showcasing of what is excellent food.
Expect small plates of great food with lots of sharing options, an approachable wine list (Chef Mario has gone to great lengths to make solid recommendations for wine pairing) and some outstanding mixology from beyond competent bar staff. Views are on point and the vibes are on point.
Open: 12PM - 12AM
Contact: 056 433 1422
GRIMALDI'S
FORSAN CENTRAL MALL
25% OFF WITH BB+
Grimaldi's is a welcome addition to the casual restaurant scene in Khalifa City A, sitting in prime position on level 2 of Forsan Central Mall. It's spacious, great for families and has a good range of options on the menu, giving something for everyone. We enjoyed the pasta options but the thin crust, New York style pizzas are the real crowd pleasers. Dine in with the fam or get it delivered - this makes for another really good option for family dining off-island.
Open: 10AM - 10PM
Contact: 02 564 6273
PORTO GINA
INTERCONTINENTAL ABU DHABI
Perched bedside the yacht marina at Intercontinental, let the latest Italian offering in Abu Dhabi woo you with a combination of perfect sunset and city views, warm hospitality and classic, homestyle dishes.
Highlights? Crispy-based yet substantial pizzas, home-made gnocchi and lasagne, perfectly cooked steak and as always, dessert! We’ve lost track of our capital city tiramisu rankings, but this one scores well. Enjoy a relaxed date night outdoors while it’s terrace weather, then wrap up the evening with a walk along the waterfront after.
Open: 12-3PM | 7-11PM | daily
Contact: 800 423463
MA BUCKLEY'S
THE SOUQ AT QARYAT AL BERI
Ma Buckley's boasts some of the best pub views in Abu Dhabi, with it's seaside position at the Souq at Qaryat al Beri and it's this, along with live sport, an excellent live music line-up and reputedly 'the best Guinness in Abu Dhabi' that's already made it a popular hangout for the Irish and non-Irish alike.
New to the menu is the Sunday roast, which we think turns heads and at just AED99 is a really pocket-friendly way to spend your Sunday afternoons.
Open: 9AM weekends/12PM weekdays - 4AM
Contact: 02 642 8600
CHU BOBA
NAHYAN CAMP
25% OFF WITH BB+
Bubble tea spots are popping up everywhere and Chu Boba is a definite must-try for you boba lovers. They serve not just some fantastic boba flavours - the creme brulee with the sugar glazed top is incredible! - but also some fabulous baked goods. Are you game to try the boba filled croissant? It's a Tik Tok waiting to happen!
Open: 11AM - 11PM
Contact: 050 831 5114
Rachael Partington
1/18/2024
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