8 Underrated Restaurants In Abu Dhabi

AL ASKANDRANI

MINA FISH MARKET

This fabulous no frills restaurant in the Mina Fish Market is a must try for anyone who wants fresh fish in Abu Dhabi without paying a fortune for it.  Our group of eight ordered a seafood boat which was an amazing choice . It came with shrimps, prawns, crabs, calamari and two whole fish, which we happily hooked into. Despite this being a fairly plain restaurant, they brought this boat with an element of drama - the dry ice really made it all feel quite upscale and exciting. Most importantly, all the seafood was perfectly cooked and had an incredible smoky flavour. The boat came with sides of rice, a nice fresh fattoush salad and fries, as well as a lovely tahini dip and another slightly spicier option, great for diners who like to give their fish a little kick. We also love the fried sardines - epic and delicious for lovers of this little fish.

For eight people you can expect to pay around AED750, which is well under AED100 a head - you’ll agree, an excellent price for fresh fish and seafood

Time: 10AM - 11.30AM

Contact:  050 620 4361

KUZINA 22

MINA ZAYED

Kuzina 22 is one of the fabulous new restaurants down in the newly developed Mina area, which, by the way, is worth a stroll around given that three of our underrated restaurants are actually housed in this square mile! 

Kuzina 22 serves traditional Balkan food, cooked by Balkan chefs and owned by a Balkan family.  Kuzina is warm, inviting and really goes out of its way to give Eastern European expats a taste of home. 

And food wise? Expect smoky grills - do not go past the smoky, juicy, rolled veal whose prosciutto and cheese combination is mouth-watering. Get some of Abu Dhabi’s best burak, gorgeous veal soup and super cevapi - and they even deliver!

The restaurant itself is light, contemporary and comfortable enough for you to want to stay all day.  We  can’t recommend it enough!

Time: 12PM - 11PM

Contact: 055 145 6663

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ABDEL WAHAB

SOUQ QARYAT AL BERI

There’s not really anything fancy about Abdel Wahab, but fancy isn’t what it’s about.  We love the authentic Lebanese food - that’s a given - especially the new fish and seafood menu. Choose your fish from the display and have it prepared exactly how you’d like it - we were excited to get ours salted, then have the team smash the salt away tableside. Result? Fish that was gorgeously seasoned and fell off the bone! 

Aside from the fish, the chicken livers, shanklish and mixed grills are worth a shout and we love the superb desserts - get the halawet al jibn, some of the best in Abu Dhabi.  

There’s a dedicated smoking area, perfect for enjoying shisha with your food. In the cooler months, there’s nowhere nicer to sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine or Lebanese Al Maza beer, than Abdel Wahab, under the fairy lights, looking at the hotels across the bay and the Grand Mosque.  

Abdel Wahab has something different - it’s reasonably priced and should definitely be on your rotation for a great Lebanese food in Abu Dhabi. 

Open: 12PM - 12AM

Contact: 02 558 1616

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BARBASSI

MINA ZAYED

Brought to us by the team behind Marmellata, Barbassi is equally as cool and equally as popular - but incredibly, still under the radar for a lot of Abu Dhabi diners! Meanwhile, owner Raj Dagstani has shaken up the food scene in ways we can’t even explain … and you need to get to Barbassi to try it. 

Packed full of flavour and served on fresh-baked focaccia bread, there are currently three sandwiches on the menu: Bassi Boom, Bangga and Quadrado, their vegetarian sandwich. All three come in at a tasty AED45 and are plated up with a side of crisps. 

We jumped on the Bangga sandwich to add a bit of a spicy kick with a base of crispy focaccia, a marriage of flavours from apricot jam, Emmental cheese, lettuce, pickled red cabbage and banana pepper are topped with the heroes: beef spianata (spicy salami) and spicy labneh, mixed with Calabrian chili for an added kick. 

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Bassi Boom is a cheesefest that combines Emmental, Gruyère, Comté, grated parmesan and a fancy cheese sauce (béchamel sauce with grated cheese added) with veal (beef) ham and piccalilli - Britain's take on Indian pickles. If the fanciest ham and cheese toastie you’ve ever set eyes on, a four cheese pizza and a croque monsieur had a baby, it might come close to this epic sandwich. If you’re a cheese-o, this is one for you!

We also love the Quadrato, the tomato and olive focaccia bread topped with cheese, spicy labneh, taggiasche olives and onion.  What made it even more starry is the apricot jam which popped it up from ordinary to incredible! 

Another entrant in the ‘where’s the coolest place in Mina’ awards, Barbassi is worth the inevitable queue you’ll have to endure to get your hands on it!

Timing: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, other days 11AM - 2PM

Contact: 055 802 9355

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OSH HOUSE

MINA ZAYED

Osh House is another Mina Port gem and we absolutely love it - the staff went the extra mile to give us an experience and were passionate about their place of work - as well as really knowing their stuff!

The Uzbek food is simply beautiful - the best Uzbek food in Abu Dhabi that we’ve tried. The plov rice was exceptional. It came with hand pulled lagman noodles which were absolutely superb. The staff recommended we try the beef manti - dumpling-esque concoctions that were big on filling and huge on taste, and stack up to the best manti we’ve tried in Samarkand - and we finished with a sweet rosti with pistachio baklava and sarma. The menu is dominated by Uzbek dishes, but you can see the influence of other Turkish and Central Asian flavours as well, making for a unique offering. Breakfast is served all day if that sounds up your alley - we’ll be returning to try it out soon.  

In terms of experience, there’s much to recommend. While there aren’t private rooms per se, there’s an area that can be sectioned off with glorious heavy curtains, where you have the option to sit on the floor for a more traditional vibe. Gorgeous traditional dress is dotted around the restaurant so you can admire it, or if you’re lucky (and nice) they might even let you try it on - a unique touch. This is definitely a place to take your visitors - it’s beautiful inside and out and well worth a trip to Mina Zayed.  

Timing: daily | 10AM - 12AM

Bookings: 0507762919

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DAIKAN IZAKAYA

YAS BAY WATERFRONT

Daikan is one of those places that has both a strong, loyal customer base but equally, a whole section of the population  that doesn't know it exists. It sits right beside Barbossa in Yas Bay Waterfront and has views (especially in cooler months) which look over the bay. The interior is dark, moody and funky and the staff knowledgeable. 

We have some favourites: at face value, we like the ramen (though die-hard fans say the recipe has changed and it’s not as good as it used to be) and the sushi is fresh and while somewhat inventive, doesn’t go too far off-piste in terms of authenticity.  We ordered the sushi platter at AED175 which was more than enough  for two people to share, along with some sides. 

We liked the kimchi and would recommend the cold cucumber dish for a try - this was interesting in flavour and texture and is ultimately a very refreshing dish.  

But the star of the show and an absolute must-order is the beef gyoza - oh my word, what a dish! I would order a plate just for myself and would go back to Daikan for this dish alone.  

Daikan is almost a 'restaurant from home', the kind of place that's good for a mid-week night out or a weekend lunch -it serves alcohol so you can have a drink or two with your meal, but isn't a 'big night' kind of situation.  We like it.  

Time: 12PM - 12AM

Contact: 058 124 1529

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OII

AL QANA

We've loved Oii since it opened, but it seems to be going from strength to strength. We love it the most when it's cool enough to sit outside and enjoy the fountains and the views of Al Qana Marina, but the inside is pretty and appealing too.

The menu is Mediterranean, so you can expect light meals, great salads and good pasta dishes. We absolutely 100% rate the gnocchi which sit on a slightly cheesy whipped potato - undeniably moreish and very hard to stop eating!

There are some gorgeous, beautifully plated desserts too. The tiramisu is light and airy, and we love the contrasting textures of the galaktoboueko - filo pastry layered with sweet cream cheese, cinnamon, and a light orange syrup. This is definitely on the ‘order again’ list. The texturally superb sticky date cake with coffee ice cream has delicious caramel tones, and would suit those who love a proper pudding: this is an indulgence that is the perfect end to such a beautiful meal.

Our favourite dish, the one we believe to be the best in Abu Dhabi, is the baked camembert, whose warm ooziness is incredible scooped up with great toast or bread. Pair it with a mocktail or a good coffee and your meal is made!

Open: 8AM - 12AM

Contact: 02 628 2983

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DESERT LOTUS

AL BANDAR

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There’s a lot to love about Desert Lotus: their waterfront location, a fab terrace, fresh and delicious Thai dishes - and all that’s before you get to the tasty cocktails and mocktails. A favourite amongst Al Bandar residents, this underrated Abu Dhabi restaurant isn’t as well known outside the community - but it deserves to be!

You’re in for a treat - their Thai dishes are top notch - but you can enjoy a little side trip to Japan as well: the sushi is excellent! Our pick? Try the signature Bua roll or tuna avocado maki. 

When the weather is on your side, the terrace is gorgeous - with views from Al Bandar across Yas Bay, so you can watch boats zipping about and a fresh sea breeze as you sip on your cocktail. Huge windows allow you to soak up the sea views from inside if you prefer, and the ambiance is pleasant. The friendly staff are on hand if you need recs - and we’ve happily put out dinner’s fate in their capable hands many times and not been disappointed. If owner and chef Bua is around, she will often pop by to say hello, too - the restaurant’s got a lovely family feel. 

Save room for dessert: the mango sticky rice is a favourite, and I think we’ve ordered it on every visit without fail! 

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Timing: daily | 12PM - 11PM | until 11.30PM Thursday - Saturday

Bookings: 056 583 5591

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AMORITALIA

RAHA BEACH

We decided to add Amoritalia in Raha Beach after yet another positive review on the Best Bites Abu Dhabi Facebook Group. These days, people only review when they have strong feelings and this lovely Italian seems to be ticking boxes for a ton of off-islanders.  

Why?

The quality of the Neapolitan pizza is a good place to start! The crust is chewy and well-charred and every ingredient, from the tomatoes to the creamy mozzarella and fragrant basil, is imported directly from Italy and the result is outstanding.

All the pasta is light - the cacio e pepe, with a good strong dose of pecorino cheese, is creamy but not at all gluggy while the desserts are pretty drool-worthy. With a 15% BB+ discount, it makes it not too bad price-wise and definitely worth a try.

Open: 1PM - 10.30PM

Contact: 055 418 8167

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