Where To Eat On Reem Island | Plus All The Best Restaurant, Cafe & Bar Discounts

Cafe James

Shams Boutik 

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Some of the best food on Reem can be found at Cafe James: smashing breakfasts (try the shakshouka or go all out with a brill French toast), excellent mains with some French influences, buttery croissants, decadent desserts and even some good scones (high praise in Abu Dhabi, the home of sad scones), James hits the mark every time. Caffeine addicts, you’ll find your fix here - the specialty coffee menu hosts a range of different origin beans, every kind of milk and anything from an iced Spanish to nitro. 

As well as being a favourite for coffee stops and weekend breakfast with our mates, James is also a great spot to knock over some work. Counter seating means you can zero in on your laptop without taking over a whole table, and the cafe is conveniently located in Shams Boutik, perfect for a lunch meeting. Good lighting, strong WIFI, great food - tick, tick, tick. After becoming a favourite on Reem, a second James is now open in Al Qana, so you can find your favourites over that way now, too. 

Open: daily | 7AM-11PM

Contact: 02 886 9949

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London Dhaba

Al Reem Bay Tower

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Sharing their location with Sweet Greens, it’s a relaxed cafe vibe at London Dhaba - Abu Dhabi’s first London curry house. Boasting ‘desi tadka mixed with London swagger’, they’re not wrong - the food’s really good and it nails the brief. Go for the onion bhaji with mint chutney that really brings out the flavour - they’re so crispy, with enough integrity to stand up in a leaning tower of Pisa-esque construction. The butter chicken is creamy and true to its British curry interpretation, or get your BC fix with a twist and order a loaded bowl: like loaded fries but better, it’s a layered combo of butter chicken, fries, butter chicken again and a spicy sauce to pour over the top. It’s a bit like an Irish spice bag on steroids (don’t come for us for saying that if you’re British, Irish or Indian), but we couldn’t stop eating until the bowl was empty. Best part? Score 2FOR1 on mains with Best Bites - so it’s the perfect time to give this newcomer a try and save yourself some dirhams while you’re at it! 

Open: daily | 12PM-11PM

Contact: 058 661 3650

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The Kettle Corner

Shams Boutik

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Cute and cosy, this cheerful cafe in Shams Boutik is a hub for its regulars - you’ll see them gathered around their favourite tables outside shooting the breeze over a coffee. The staff are friendly - and great at remembering a face, as well as your favourite order - and they get started early, so you can grab your favourite brekky or coffee before work. You’ll find a blend of Indian and western dishes on the menu: from English breakfast to a Bombay breakfast, French toast to keema or vada pav, there’s a great mix. The coffee is solid, and they do a delicious karak - not quite as cheap as downtown, but well-priced for Reem at AED11 for a large cup. It’s not just a breakfast spot - The Kettle Corner is open until 11PM, and buzzing with diners throughout the day. 

Open: daily | 7AM - 11PM

Contact: 02 884 4560

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Thai Noodle

By The Sea Tower

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This cheerful Thai restaurant on the Reem Island waterfront, a stone’s throw from Reem Central Park, popped up in 2024. You’ll find plenty of your Thai favourites: fresh papaya salad, crunchy shrimp spring rolls, tom yum soup and of course a solid pad Thai - well priced at AED42 (chicken or shrimp).

We love to stop in after a wander along the palm-lined beach when the weather’s nice - perfect for a weeknight dinner or a fresh weekend lunch. Finish with the mango sticky rice - you won’t regret it. 

Open: daily | 11AM - 11PM

Contact: 02 447 3731

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Adam’s Beer Kitchen

ARC Tower

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The first official pub on Reem Island, Adam’s has become a go-to for catching a game, grabbing a beer and even grabbing an al fresco beverage in their now-expanded beer garden. During summer, they even pump the aircon, so sitting outside is just about tolerable - nothing short of a miracle. 

Scan the menu and order your standard pub grub - burgers, and all sorts of fried goodies to go along with your ice cold beer. You’ll find your favourites on tap, like Guinness, or go for a more local brew with a pint of Dune. They’ve got some beer-based cocktails for the adventurous amongst us to try, like the Coronarita, and a wine list that changes but usually has a decent pinot grigio on it. Opening daily from 12PM - and 11AM on weekends - you can nip in for a liquid lunch or an afterwork drink as you fancy. 

Open: daily | 12PM - 2AM | 11AM - 3AM from Friday - Sunday

Contact: 056 863 7522

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K-Seoul by Taon Korean Restaurant

Shams Boutik Food Court

Spend AED100 and get a FREE bubble tea worth AED25 - sign up here if you aren’t a member yet!

Tucked away in the food court of Shams Boutik, this Korean punches above its weight. Go for the bulgogi, nasi goreng or a hearty bowl of ramen for a fix to fuel your gym session at Gym Nation - or for a food court choice that isn’t your run-of-the-mill Subway or Popeyes. Bubble tea fans will love the BB+ discount - spend AED100 and score a free bubble tea worth AED25 - yum! 

Open: daily | 10.30AM-10.30PM | closed Sundays

Contact: 050 209 6924

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Pizza Express

ARC Tower

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A little bit of England in Abu Dhabi, this well-loved chain is also a popular choice on Reem Island. Located on the ground floor of ARC Tower, the spacious restaurant is great for families - they have a kids menu and some great deals for kids parties too, so the kids can get their hands dirty with a pizza making party. Grab a spot on a booth and make the most of 15% off with BB+. They’re one of the few licenced venues on Reem Island, so you can enjoy a beer or wine with your Romana-style pizza, pasta or deliciously calorific garlic-drenched dough balls. Pizza Express do a decent salad too, if you want to feel better about having a glass of wine on a weekday - just saying!

Open: daily | 10.30AM - 11.30PM | until 12.30AM on weekends

Contact: 02 666 0068

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Peninsula Drinks and Food 

ARC Tower

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Abu Dhabi-owned Peninsula is one of the go-to alcohol stores on Reem Island. Find your favourite tipple amongst a wide selection of wines, craft beers and spirits in their well-stocked shelves - sourced from around the world by their team of experts. Every month, Peninsula spotlight a different country or variety of wine, perfect for our wine enthusiasts and sommeliers-in-the-making keen to try something different. BB+ members score 20% off full priced products - winning - and it’s conveniently located on the ground floor of ARC Tower, walking distance to Shams and the surrounding community. 

Open: daily | 9.30AM - 10PM

Contact: 02 447 8753

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Grapes & Hops 

Reflection Tower A

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A little further up the island, Grapes & Hops’ Reem Island branch is located downstairs of Reflection Tower A. You’ll find a great range of beer, wine and spirits to choose from - changing regularly, so there’s always something new to try. Check out their weekly specials - and anything not on special, nab 20% off with your BB+ membership. Basically, that means everything you buy will always be on sale - sounds pretty great to us! 

Open: daily | 10AM-10PM

Contact: 02 309 8696

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