New Restaurant Openings In Abu Dhabi
Article by
Rachael Partington
-
February 5, 2026
NEW RESTAURANTS IN ABU DHABI
It's prime restaurant opening season! and there are a whole raft of new restaurants open in Abu Dhabi this month, embracing the cooler temperatures and getting us all excited for some really great food.
There's a wealth of new restaurant openings in Abu Dhabi, cementing its place as a proper food destination. We've got a funky new neighbourhood Korean, 2 new places on Reem, and not one but 3 new places to eat in Yas Bay - and one of them gets our new opening of the month award!
- Pitfire Pizza finally comes to Abu Dhabi
- Bar Du Port arrives in Yas Marina
- Marcella is a fabulous addition to Yas Bay Waterfront
- Ocean Basket in Reem Mall is great for family dining
- An amazing outlet that's great for families and has a space where adults who don't like kids don't need to see them - welcome Peaksy!
- The city's first parfait bar opens in Reem Mall -Mooah!
- There's a funnew neighbourhood Korean in Al Seef
- and a fab sushi outlet on Reem
And check out Coming Soon and stay in the know!
GONE!
Love Vibe Cafe in what we're calling Waitrose Mall in Khalifa City closed its doors
Ma Buckley's has closed in the Souq Qaryat al Beri but will reopen in April in a new secret location
BAYSIDE BURGERS
YAS BAY WATERFRONT
This little burger joint is in a prime spot at Yas Bay, right beside the entrance to the new beach. It has a gorgeous little terrace overlooking the bay and the interior gives Baja with images of surfies, sand, waves and a kind of 50s diner vibe. Grab a frozen margarita, pina colada or a cold beer, or a cheeky little blue (yes, that's a flavour!) slushy, and your burger of choice and sit and watch the world go by.
The menu is small but perfectly formed. Choose a good quality beef patty combination with your house-made bun, or chicken with some of the dirtiest fries imaginable and get involved. Not to be missed, vege or not, is the Shroom Boom - this incredibly well textured mushroom burger is insane.
Open: 1PM - midnight
Contact: 02 563 9329
BAR DU PORT
YAS MARINA
Opened in December, Bar du Port is another Dubai restaurant experiencing it's first taste of Abu Dhabi. It's high on glamour and marina views and if you want the best of its food, head there on a week night. It's a late night venue so a good option for a drink in the wee small hours.
Open: 4PM - 2-3AM
Contact: 04 354 8088
88 SEOUL - CHICKEN AND RAMYEON
AL SEEF WALK
Abu Dhabi now has an amazing complement of Korean restaurants and this mid-range one is great for a mid-week dinner or lunch. The interior is funky, the ramen is good and the vibe is actually pretty cool.
To find it, turn right out of the mall itself - it's right around the corner.
Open: 12PM - 10PM
Contact: 050 957 2523
SUSHI HOUSE
AL REEM ISLAND
This is a great addition to Reem, where scores of people are looking every day for a great place to have sushi that ... well, that doesn't suck! Sushi House is a good one because the sushi is made on the premises, to order and is fresh and decent quality. Pricing doesn't break the bank either and we've already been back for our mid-week dinner hit - both dine in and delivery. We'd love it if it was licensed but will wait and see.
Open: 8AM - 12AM
Contact: 02 565 4110
MOOAH
REEM MALL
20% off with BB+!
This is Abu Dhabi's first parfait bar! What to expect? Little pots of goodness - and we tried the sweet and the savoury (yes, this is a thing!) and would go back for breakfast for lunch - we really enjoyed it. Its not expensive but the BB+ discount makes it all the better and they deliver! Check out what we had when we visited here.
Open: 8.30AM - 10PM
PITFIRE PIZZA
AL ZAHIYAH
It's been a long time coming but we're welcoming Pitfire Pizza to Abu Dhabi with open arms. Widely touted as one of the best pizza restaurants in the universe, Pitfire is going to be a showstopper for great pizzas and pastas and drinks too. It's tucked into our new favourite area, the lovely promenade outside Waterfront apartments beside Beach Rotana, at the base of Al Maryah bridge. Pizza prices range from about AED70 to AED96, depending on ingredients and we're giving this our 'most exciting new opening' badge for this month! Check out what we ordered
Open: 11AM - 11PM/12AM
Contact: 02 236 6903
MARCELLA
YAS BAY WATERFRONT
From the team that brought you Mika, Marcella will be a welcome addition to the Yas Bay Waterfront dining scene with its Iberian flavours on a menu encompassing tapas, seafood, grills and desserts. With dishes like lamb shoulder and paella for sharing, this will be a great spot for lunch or dinner, whatever the weather outside.
Open: 12PM - 12/1AM
Contact: 056 545 7290
NEW OPENING OF THE MONTH: PEAKSY
YAS BAY WATERFRONT
Listen up: this is probably the most multi-faceted place in Abu Dhabi and don't be put off if you don't immediately think it's going to be your jam.
On the bottom floor there's toy kitchens and role play activities and there's a cafe there so parents can eat brekky and watch their kids without having 50 heart attacks. Above that, there's a soft play area for toddlers, then there's a climbing wall and a rope climbing course for older kids.
'But I don't have kids and I don't like kids and I don't want to be near kids!' ... no problem. The entrance to the restaurant with alll the views is via a separate lift - you won't even know said scone grabbers are there! And best of all, this restaurant is licensed so you can enjoy a wine along with the actually great food - just what the Yas Bay doctor ordered.
Peaksy has some gas left in its tank: the rooftop bar (which we think is going to blow our minds!) is yet to open ... along with a daredevil surprise to go with it.
We think you should go and give it a try. It's our pick of the month ...and there's a BB+ menu coming soon!
Open: 10AM - 10PM and midnight on weekends
Contact: 02 627 9899
OCEAN BASKET
REEM MALL
This much loved South African seafood house is already massively popular in Abu Dhabi, with fans making the trek to level 2 in Reem Mall to get a taste of home. Get everything from meze platters and small plates to whole fish, gorgeous chips and even burgers and pasta. There's a kids menu, making this a really good option for family dining in Abu Dhabi.
Open: 10AM - 11PM
Contact: 02 677 4116
COMING SOON
It doesn't stop here - there are some cracker new restaurants opening in Abu Dhabi in the next few months.
- Craft by Side Hustle - yes, we'll see the fan favourite opening outlet number 2 in Yas Bay Waterfront - bring it!
- Brass Monkeys - The Galleria al Maryah. We're looking forward to seeing this one in action!
- Everything at Hilton LXE!
- EL&N - the pink extravaganza will soon be open this week in Marina Mall, Reem Mall
Watch this space Abu Dhabi!
BAR DU PORT
YAS MARINA
Bar Du Port is a breath of fresh air in Yas Marina. Offering a French menu with more than a hint of global, BDP is going to be the go-to spot for date nights and celebrations for Abu Dhabi diners who love a great meal.
Open: 4PM - 2AM/3AM
Contact: 050 969 9820
MINA CREAMERY
MINA PORT
This home grown ice-cream brand has been delivery only for the longest time, but now there's an actual outlet. Set in the bustling Mina area, this is a superb option for an ice-cream stop, with flavour combos set to excite. We love the salted saffron halwa and the falooda (omg!) - but there are tons more to try ... you must!
Open: Wednesday - Sunday, 12PM - 5PM
Contact: 058 579 1612
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