SIGN IN

Back to all Recommendations

7 New Restaurant Openings In Abu Dhabi | Best Bites

Abu Dhabi is lucky enough to welcome some excellent new players to the food and beverage market. Interestingly, none of the new openings serve alcohol and all are bound to appeal to a large number of Abu Dhabi foodies.


It's exciting to see we've two new Japanese restaurants to really step up the competition for that market. We're happy that the Danat area finally gets a funky new cafe, while Al Qana is starting to see some excellent outlets opening up, some new to Abu Dhabi, some we've seen before but new to this very beautiful location. We're also excited to return to the excellent Bosnian outlet - roll up, you lovers of authentic burek!

OTORO

AL QANA


Otoro is your best reason to go to Al Qana. Another great addition to the mid-range Japanese market, Otoro serves some excellent food, quickly and in a style that might be described as sexy! We're going back for the amazing maki and nigiri, the seabass miso yaki, complemented with a very cool potato salad and the wagyu tempura - absolutely to-die-for! We think the spicy lamb chops will be a bestseller, along with the creme brulee for dessert - this is a winner.


Time: 12 noon (6PM during Ramadan)

Price: Maki (6) From AED40, Starters: AED35-98, Mains: AED42-400,

Phone: 02 886 9995

SPRINGS BISTRO CAFE

DANAT AREA


This family-run passion project is serving up some delicious food in a small but beautifully fitted-out cafe in the Danat area - which really needs it! Springs is going to become an excellent place to hang out, work and chat for a load of Abu Dhabi's finest with a good selection of coffee and some nice sweets.


Time: 4PM during Ramadan

Price: Cakes: from AED25, Breakfast: from AED22

Phone: 050 488 4508

KAIZU

AL ZAHIYAH


Kaizu could be Japanese for 'stand-out' (it isn't, it's actually named after a city in Japan, but it totally should be!) With a really great location in the Tourist Club Area and some excellent interior design, Kaizu is set to become an Abu Dhabi city, high-end dining favourite.


The menu includes everything you might expect from a Japanese restaurant, but the focus on freshness and flair is easy to see. Boasting one of the few teppanyaki experiences in Abu Dhabi, this promises to be a huge draw for lovers of dinner and a show. We loved the very beautiful hamachi nigiri and the tuna tartare (pictured) and are very keen to go back to try to udon, a BB favourite.


Price wise, it's at the higher end of the spectrum but we suspect this won't put off patrons, who'll believe it worth it for the quality of the food on offer.


Time: 6.30PM during Ramadan

Price: Noodles: AED90, Signature dishes: AED110-480, Teppanyaki: AED445-600

Phone: 058 691 1981

BOSNIAN KITCHEN BRAJLOVIC

URBAN RETREAT | YAS MALL


Already very popular on Best Bites, this family-run outlet is going to be a mainstay of Bosnian food in Abu Dhabi. Offering such Bosnian favourites as bey soup, burek (chopped meat pie), ćevapi (kebabs), sarma, satirica (young onion in sour cream), ajvar and kajmak are just some of what you must try here, along with the inevitable ‘Mirzovaca’ (stuffed burger), which is the specialty of owner, Mirza!


Don't miss the homemade coffee with rahatlokum (Turkish delight) which is a strong Bosnian tradition, alongside some incredible Bosnian desserts.


Thanks to Alexandra for the review and intel!


Time: From 10AM

Price: Grills: from AED35, Cevapi from AED49, Desserts: AED15-20

Phone: 056 174 1850

TAZAL

AL QANA


Tazal, facing the National Aquarium, serves global cuisine with an Arabic touch. At Tazal, you can find a bit of everything: some lavish main courses like this astoundingly good lamb shank, some great snacks and bites - don't go past the sando and grab a couple of spring rolls. Tazal boasts excellent coffee, with a strong emphasis on the quality of beans and superb house-made pastries.


Tazal has a large outdoor terrace with views across the marina, making it a great place to meet in the evening or for a morning catch-up.


Time: From 8AM (Ramadan 4PM)

Price: Pastries: AED27, Desserts: AED48, Mains: AED85-148

Phone: 050 152 0815

M1 CAFE LOUNGE

KHALIDIYA


The very statuesque M1 opened a month or so ago, just off Khaleej al Arabi, and is already a popular place to dine amongst the local populace. Split across three levels (cafe, lounge and private members club), interiors are moody and impressive and the spaces offer something for everyone. We were impressed with the seriously beautiful plating (and the seriously beautiful plates!), showcasing the varied menu on offer and screaming attention to detail.


Depending which level you choose, you can order everything from cakes and coffee, wagyu rolls, upscale pasta dishes and great steak dishes to some gorgeous desserts: we were particularly taken with the sticky toffee date pudding which may be the best dessert in Abu Dhabi and comes with spiky shards of honeycomb ... divine! Of course, the coffee game is strong, offering one of the best coffee menus in Abu Dhabi.


M1 is definitely a real player in the coffee lounge culture in Abu Dhabi and is a definite must-visit.


Time: From 7PM during Ramadan

Phone: 02 583 3342

Get amazing dining discounts in Abu Dhabi


With Best Bites Plus, you can get restaurant discounts at a huge range of venues across Abu Dhabi. We also have offers for iftars, brunch, business lunches and more! Sign up today.

OII

AL QANA


Stepping into Oii is like walking into a good southern-European eatery and that's exactly what to expect when you dine there. Set to become one of Abu Dhabi's premier fine dining outlets, Oii boasts some outstanding Mediterranean dishes - think seafood and tapas to get the ball rolling. We loved how much attention they've paid to detail and how the mocktails look much funkier than we're used to - which will be a crowd-puller in itself.

Rachael Partington

11/10/2022

Previous
Next Article