Taste of Abu Dhabi Returns for 2025!

Taste of Abu Dhabi is making a triumphant return to the nation's capital, and it's building on the success of last year with a host of new inclusions - including new VIP packages, extra activities for the little chefs in your life and plenty more - all brought to you by MENA Live Events.

Tastegoers can expect three days of gastronomic delights featuring some of the most celebrated restaurants in Abu Dhabi, a star-studded lineup of celebrity chefs that'll blow your mind, and a fresh music concept to keep the party going. Let’s dive - or should we say, dine? - right in!

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WHEN, WHERE AND WHO!

This November 14th - 16th 2025, Taste of Abu Dhabi returns to Yas Island (with a slightly different location, around the corner at Gateway Park North) for an unforgettable culinary celebration, welcoming food enthusiasts, families and friends to three fabulous days of food and fun! 

Taste of Abu Dhabi will showcase the very best cuisine the city has to offer, with 15 fabulous restaurants in the spotlight, each serving a menu of delectable 'taster' size dishes, ensuring guests can sample their way through the impressive lineup. There'll be options for vegetarians - including Taste’s first vegetarian-only pop-up thanks to Gala Gourmet - and kid-friendly dishes so that no one misses out on the experience. Look out for favourites from previous years, along with some exciting new additions - including Taparelle (yay!), Ilios and Fouquet’s. Yep, that’s Fouquet’s from their home at The Louvre, bringing some French fine dining to the event. Très magnifique! 

Pro tip: You can purchase dishes at the event via credit/debit card or with vouchers included in select ticket packages.

The lineup of 17 guest restaurants has been confirmed, including plenty of our personal favourites: 

• Paradiso 
• Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi 
• Ilios
• Craft by Side Hustle 
• Lento
• Gala Gourmet 
• Catch by St. Regis
• Taparelle 
• Oak Room
• The Director’s Club
• Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori
• Ting Irie
• Pincode by Kunal Kapur
• Amara
• Villa Selene
• Barbossa
• Desert Lotus

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MEET THE STARS!

A foodie festival wouldn't be complete without some culinary stars, and Taste of Abu Dhabi is serving them up in abundance! You can look forward to three days of exclusive workshops hosted by celebrity chefs where guests can learn culinary secrets, techniques, and insights directly from the experts.

So far the celebrity chef lineup is piping hot! Look out for:

• Gino D’Acampo (yes - that Gino, ‘if my grandmother had wheels, she would've been a bike’ Gino)
• Matt Preston (hello, Masterchef royalty!)
• Shivesh Bhatia (hopefully with some of his viral No Bake Mango Cheesecake)
• Jenny Morris (as funny as she is lovely - and a personal favourite from 2024)
• Fred Casagrande (meat smoker/BBQ extraordinaire, and all round legend)
• Annika Panikker (chef and food content creator with drool-worthy socials)
• Rich (Dubai 92) 
• Harry Heals 
• Khaled Al Saadi 
• Faisal Naser 
• Warren Mendes 
• Omaka Marie (the smiliest face fresh from the kitchens of Taparelle and Niri)
• Andrew Dickens 
• Joe Nesbitt Larking 
  

Here's the kicker: all workshops are included for free with event entry tickets. You just have to sign up on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the event. Keep an eye out for the chefs’ full schedules at the cooking school, and Taste’s favourite hosts Priti Malik, Zoe Dickens and Andrew Dickens.

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DRINKS

Looking for the perfect beverage pairing with your dish or a refreshing drink to cool down after dancing? No worries! Guests can head to one of the 21+ licensed lounges within the event.

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MUSIC

Dancing up a storm is always one of our favourite parts of Taste of Abu Dhabi! The bands are massive crowd pleasers, and get everyone on their feet as the day goes on. This year, we can't wait to see two new bands taking the stage:

Sandstorm are trekking down from Dubai for one weekend only - the trio playing their way across Friday and Sunday with the unparalleled energy of Irish, Scottish and folk music that'll have you clapping, dancing and singing your heart out.

Another Dubai fan favourite, MADAM delivers high-energy sets blending live looping, vocals, and fiddle-driven beats. Bringing it home on Saturday night, their adrenaline-fuelled set is one not to miss.

WHAT'S NEW IN 2025

Partnering with BMW Abu Dhabi for the first time, look out for two exciting new experiences at Taste of Abu Dhabi this year! Explore a selection of the raciest - and most dynamic -vehicles in town. From fun, family-friendly activities to exclusive free test drives (grab your wristband at the BMW stand to have a go), alongside a premium showcase featuring the BMW X3 and BMW 3 Series, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Zoom, zoom!

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FREE PASTA-MAKING WORKSHOPS & COFFEE MASTERCLASSES

Alongside all the other fun and fabulous workshops to look forward to, learn insider tips on making the best fresh pasta as you follow along in hands-on classes - again, all included free with your ticket.

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FAMILY FUN!

This year's event promises fabulous activities for families with children of all ages, including culinary workshops, a mega kids zone, and plenty of delicious food options. Best of all, kids under 12 can enter the event for FREE! There are free line dancing classes, free MINI caricatures to take home and even a dedicated zone for teens. Brand new this year, older kids and teens can enjoy a zone just for them with Gen X Kids. Jump into the silent disco, games & prizes, glitter face painting and more, parents can leave their young foodies for 1 or 2 hours to chill out while they explore. Prices are AED 65/hour or AED 105 for 2 hours. Asking for ourselves, is there an upper age limit? Because a silent disco and glitter facepaint is right up our alley! 

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MEGA KIDS ZONE!

Bigger and better than ever, the kids zone will feature bouncy castles, crafts and tons of activities designed to get kids burning off steam and letting out their creative energy.

Activities are charged individually, and last year included:

A giant Obstacle Course

A massive trampoline

Bungee Jump

Meltdown

Human Crane

Soft Play Area for younger children

Chef's Hat Decorating activities

Apron Decorating

Tie Dye Making

Slime Making

Coin Bank Making

Wooden Magnet Painting

Canvas Painting

Ceramics Painting

Mosaic Art

Hair Braiding

We can't wait to see what new activites are waiting for the little ones in 2025!

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TICKETS

Tickets are available for purchase at Platinumlist.net, and there are several ticket options to tailor your experience: 

ADVANCED SALE PRICES (TICKET PRICES INCREASE ON THE DOOR)

Standard: AED80 *children under 12 go free

Taster Package: AED185

VIP Package: AED350

Friday Team Packages: from AED130 - please contact for more information

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BB+ members score 30% off standard tickets - sign up here!

Package Inclusions

General Admission

Includes:

• 1 day entry to the event
• Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)

Taster Package

Includes:

• 1 day entry to the event
• 2 food vouchers
• 2 drink vouchers
• Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day

*Vouchers are distributed at the time of entry into the event.

*Food vouchers may be redeemed for any dish at any restaurant pop-up.

*Drink vouchers may be used for house beverages, soft drinks or water.

VIP Package

Includes:

• 1 day entry to the event
• Fast-track entry to the event
• 3 food vouchers
• 4 drink vouchers
• Access to the Taste VIP Lounge including dedicated entertainment & plush seating options

• Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)

*Vouchers are distributed at the time of entry into the event.

*Food vouchers may be redeemed for any dish at any restaurant pop-up.

*Drink vouchers may be used for house beverages, select VIP lounge cocktails or mocktails, soft drinks or water.

Looking for the perfect team building outing for your organisation? Taste of Abu Dhabi is offering specially designed packages for companies to take Friday team lunch to the next level. Please contact marketing@mena-events.com for rates and details.

For the latest updates and event details, visit https://tasteofabudhabifestival.com and follow on Instagram @tasteofabudhabi. They've even got a TikTok page: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSLGSvtra/

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