Eat Your Way Around The World Without Leaving Abu Dhabi

Ethiopia

Bonna Anne Ethiopian Restaurant

Al Zahiyah

There’s a handful of excellent Ethiopian restaurants in Abu Dhabi, but Bonna Anne has to be one of our favourites. The atmosphere is warm and inviting - as are the staff - which adds to its charm, and it’s great for vegetarians: it’s not purely vegetarian, but it’s great if you have a mixed group of vege and carnivore friends, or if you want to branch out and try something new. 

You’d be hard pressed to visit Bonna Anne and not try the traditional injera, a sourdough flatbread that serves as both base and utensils for much of the menu. If you’re new to Ethiopian cuisine - or like us, love to try a bit of everything - go for the vegetarian platter. Served up on the quintessential injera bread, you’ll typically find a variety of stews like shiro (chickpea stew), misir wot (spicy lentils), and gomen (collard greens). The flavours are rich and aromatic, and you can mix and match. We often add a meat dish as well - the beef tibs are excellent, and fit right in with the vegetarian platter mix.

Don’t feel intimidated by the menu - the staff are more than willing to explain the dishes or make recommendations. Share with friends if you don’t mind a hands-on approach, so you can try more - just lean into the communal element of eating Ethiopian food and have fun with it. 

Open: daily | 10AM-12AM

Contact: 02 491 2128

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Other Ethiopian restaurants in Abu Dhabi to try? We also love Kitfo and Sheger.

Uzbekistan

Osh House

Mina Souk

Mina Port has to be one of our favourite foodie destinations in the city at the moment. Home to the ever-popular Marmellata as well as some of the best gelato in Abu Dhabi scooped up daily at J.Lato, there’s a stack of other restaurants well worth a detour - and one of them is the Uzbek offering at Osh House. 

Never tried Uzbek food before? The menu at Osh House blends flavours and dishes you’d find across some central-Asian neighbours, as well as Georgian and even Turkish influences. We can’t go past the freshly made manti, some hand-pulled lagman noodles and traditional plov. The kebab is excellent too, they have a bunch of fresh salads that are worth adding to your table, as well as an all-day Uzbek breakfast. 

The interiors are fresh and bright - you can even sit on the floor for a more traditional experience - and they sell a range of organic honey, preserves and even some lovely blended tea. Complete your trip to Uzbekistan-in-Abu Dhabi by trying on some traditional dress while you’re there. 

Open: daily | 10AM - 12AM

Contact: 050 776 2919

Columbia 

Fonda Colombiana

Al Manhal

This one is a true hidden gem, nestled downstairs in a spacious villa - but well worth the hunt if you’re after something a little off the beaten track. Fonda Colombiana’s walls are adorned with bright murals - the whole space is colourful and funky. Take a seat inside to take it all in, or settle outside amongst the hammocks for an 'out of office, it's holiday time' vibe. 

So what should you eat? There’s plenty to choose from - so we resorted to Google Translate to help us choose (our Spanish is a little dusty). The freshly-made empañadas are a must try - the chicken is well-flavoured and tender. Push the boat out a little with some arepa de choclo, sweet, crunchy, chewy corn cakes that are native to Colombia, topped with cheese, or give their patacones con carne desmechada a whirl - the pulled meat is delicious and the salsa adds a lovely fresh kick. Take your friends and a sense of adventure and order a lot to share - from hearty stews to ceviche, plenty of meat, fish and chicken to dishes filled with plantain and beans, it’s quite the foodie adventure. 

Top tip: when we visited, payment was via cash or bank transfer (check before you order if you need to be sure), so come prepared. 

Open: daily | 9AM - 11.50PM

Contact: 050 342 7157

Bosnia 

Bosnian Hut

Al Danah 

If you’ve visited the Balkans and loved the food - or even if you haven’t - add Bosnian Hut to your hit list - ASAP. My mouth is watering thinking about their freshly cooked cevapi (small meat kebab, prepared the traditional Bosnian way) paired with somun flatbread, diced onion, delicious sumac and kaymark. Bosnian Hut’s haji and sitni kabab dishes - stews of meat and fresh vegetables served with rice or more somun bread - are also excellent, as is the klepe (fresh pasta stuffed with minced meat), carb-heaven warm burek and vegetable dolma. 

Yes, lots of things are called kebab or kabab, but the menu has photos and the staff are super helpful - plus, everything we’ve eaten here tastes great, so go wild. Sip on tea as you dine, and grab dessert too if you have room. The decor is quaint, and you could easily be sitting in a little restaurant somewhere in Bosnia. It’s a long time Abu Dhabi favourite for a reason - enjoy!

Open: daily | 12PM - 12AM

Contact: 02 566 6215

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Other Abu Dhabi Balkan restaurants to try? We also love Kuzina 22 in Mina Port.

Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Kitchen 

Opposite Mushrif Mall

It might not be far geographically, but we still think Saudi Kitchen deserves a shout out. One we love to take our visitors too for a traditional Middle-Eastern experience, take a seat in one of their private dining booths - on the floor! Furnished in the majlis style, with floor cushions and a low table, kick back and relax in this family-style setting (shoes off at the door, thanks!).

What should you order? We can’t go past the mandi and the madfoon: both come with the choice of lamb or chicken, slow cooked inside a woodfired tandoor clay oven, and both are delicious. We usually order one with chicken, and the other with lamb, and share - served up on a bed of rice, it’s a lot of food. The spices and aromatics really make for a great flavour profile, and the meat is fall-apart tender. Add a lovely fresh salad and another dish or two depending on your group size - we tried the hamisa chicken last visit and it was tasty, too. The staff will help you out - their recommendations are always spot on, and they can let you know if something has run out for the day and what to order instead - too easy! 

Find room for dessert - the pistachio kunafa is next level. After ordering one to share with friends who insisted they had no room for dessert, it was polished off at the speed of light and we had to order another two - so much for ‘too full for dessert’! 

Open: daily | 12PM - 1AM

Contact: 02 665 5355

Georgia

Shvili

The Galleria Al Maryah

Branching out from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 2024, this Georgian bistro serves up fresh - and delicious - traditional Georgian dishes. Not as much of a hidden gem as some of the other restaurants on this list - they call The Galleria Al Maryah home - it’s still well worth a visit for some excellent Georgian cuisine. We rate the iconic khachapuri Adjarian and mouthwatering khinkali beef dumplings: give us all the cheesy, carby, meaty goodness please! 

Another big green flag? Shvili is super family friendly - there’s outdoor seating for cooler days and it has a great kids play area, making it the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a hearty meal at The Galleria - without worrying about keeping the little ones occupied. Got a birthday coming up? It’s a great option for a kids party with a twist - they can cook up some Georgian specialties, along with the fun stuff like face painting and birthday cake. And if you’re looking for a cool date idea, how about a Georgian cooking class - before tucking into your freshly cooked masterpiece at the end. 

Open: 10AM-11PM daily | until 12AM Friday & Saturday

Contact: +97124937400

African & Caribbean

West To West Kitchen African & Caribbean Restaurant

Al Danah

West to West Kitchen is almost impossible to put in a box: they have a menu drawing on owner Laddi’s heritage, from Sierra Leone to Trinidad and Jamaica (West Africa to the West Indies) - making for an eclectic and delicious mix. His mum and aunt even taught the chefs how to make their own family recipes - the ones on the menu today. We love a restaurant with home-style cooking at its heart! 

Try the chicken ground nut stew - it’s the bomb - and the jerk chicken (probably the best in Abu Dhabi). Other stand outs? Their beef patties, Trinidad curry, fried plantains and Sierra Leonean vegan awojoh binch wrap (there’s a bunch of vegan and veg options, which we love to see). The dishes boast an excellent depth of flavour and some really homey African and Caribbean soul food. 

Pop in if you like - but keep in mind the restaurant is small, with just a handful of tables - or order delivery: they have their own delivery service, which will save you a few dirhams over ordering through the big guys. Winner! 

Open: Tuesday - Sunday | 12PM - 10PM | until 11PM Friday - Sunday

Contact: 02 671 9119

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Mexican

Chiquita

Al Nahyan

Ok, ok, Mexican isn't exactly a 'less known' cuisine - but we reckon Chiquita deserves a spot on this list for two reasons:

1. It's a departure from your classic Mexican restaurant - but the food is authentic and excellent
2. It's a tiny little hidden gem - a handful of tables, an out-of-the-way location, a chef/owner who does it all himself - which will tickle our adventurous foodies

It’s in a quiet but gentrifying neighbourhood in Al Nahyan, the food is great and the prices even more so - check out our full run down here! 

Open: daily from 12PM - 11PM | from 1PM on Mondays

Contact: 02 245 8029