Your Guide To Al Qana | Abu Dhabi’s Waterside Destination For Dining And Entertainment

Where is Al Qana? 

Lining Al Maqta Channel on both sides, the Al Qana precinct was officially opened in 2021, offering an ever-growing list of new venues for locals and visitors alike. This waterside hub for dining and entertainment is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi: the channel is an offshoot of Khor Al Maqta, the waterway that separates Abu Dhabi’s main island from the rest of the city. On the opposite shore, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque sits spotlessly white, Abu Dhabi’s best known landmark offering an iconic view.

Less than 10 minutes drive from the Mosque, 20 minutes from Zayed International Airport, less than 30 minutes from Yas Island and 40 minutes from Saadiyat Beach, Al Qana is perfectly positioned in the centre of all Abu Dhabi’s best tourist attractions.

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Where to Eat in Al Qana

Finding the best restaurants in Al Qana is quite the adventure if you’re up for it! There’s so many great spots to choose from, but as the area is quite big we suggest going in with at least some idea of where you want to eat - especially in summer when it’s hot, hot, HOT outside! 

We have our favourites - Grand Beirut is hard to skip, plating up some of the best Lebanese food in the city in a lovely setting (you can even spot the Grand Mosque from the terrace), and Otoro has a delicious and decently priced Japanese offering. James Cafe is great for both coffee and food - try the acai bowl or the avocado on toast that comes in a fresh, crispy croissant if you’re looking for a good breakfast - and crowd favourite Al Safadi is always busy. 

Another must try? Oii! You’ll find excellent Mediterranean food - the risotto is to die for - and some great sharing options too (don’t sleep on the baked Camembert topped with honey and walnuts). It’s a favourite amongst BB+ members, with a great BB+ exclusive menu filled with highlights from the main menu at a great price. At AED160 per person, including a mocktail, water and three delicious courses, it’s a great pick for dinner! 

For the best dining discounts in Al Qana, BB+ members score 20% off a la carte at both Grand Beirut and Oii. In addition, BB+ members can enjoy 2for1 on the smashing Grand Beirut business lunch - usually AED99 each, it’s a steal with the discount, and you’ll be full fit to burst with a set menu of 3 cold mezzeh, 2 hot mezzeh, a mixed grill, dessert and a soft drink (available Monday - Friday | 12-5PM). 

Not a BB+ member yet? Sign up here and start saving on these popular Al Qana restaurants, as well as a stack of others across the city. Looking for some activity discounts for the family? You’ll find some fun Al Qana BB+ leisure discounts below.

Check out some more of our favourites here  - we’re always up for an Al Qana trip to see what new additions have popped up since our last visit! 

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Al Qana Drive Thru

If you don’t fancy parking and wandering around Al Qana, this bit’s for you! The UAE LOVES a drive thru - from pulling up at your favourite coffee shop and tooting the horn, to the thousands of food trucks dotted around Abu Dhabi, Dubai and beyond - there’s no shortage of food-to-go options without even leaving your car. 

Al Qana has leveled up the food truck game though, with a HUGE amount of take away spots all in one spot: from pizza, burgers and noodles to coffee, baked sweets and dessert, you can find something to hit every craving in this cute trailer park! 

We love Slice 45 - giant pizza slices bigger than your face, with flavours like Trifecta (brisket, truffle sauce, hot honey and rocket) and The Raging Bull (pepperoni, hot honey and burrata) - and you can’t go past Wayback Burgers for a proper burger fix. Matcha girlies (and the boys!) love Cult Matcha by Trio, and Hoop Desserts and Shakes have opened their first Abu Dhabi outlet so you can get your decadent shake fix in the capital - love that for us!  

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Who else will you find at the Al Qana Drive Thru? 

• Wayback Burgers
• Noodly
• Cult Matcha by Trio
• Project Café
• Sauced
• La Baguette de l’Entrecôte
• Slice 45
• Woofers
• Hoop Desserts and Shakes
• Seven Seas Café
• House of Melo
• Acai Hub
• Two Blends Cafe
• Gather On
• MLT
• Chocolicious Sweets
• Rolls 33
• White Lounge Café
• Hoka
• White Smoke
• Hangry Joe’s

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What to Do in Al Qana

Whether you’re looking for school holiday ideas in Abu Dhabi, you need to entertain your visitors or you’re just looking for your next family day out, Al Qana has bucketloads of things to do for all ages. 

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Abu Dhabi Butterfly Gardens

The latest attraction to hit Al Qana? You can’t miss the Abu Dhabi Butterfly Gardens, a set of glass domes filled with lush tropical plants, some exotic critters like sloths and squirrels, and thousands upon thousand - upon THOUSANDS - of butterflies! With an Asian and an American dome, you’ll be blown away by the variety and volume, and mesmerised as they float through the air and land on every surface - including you! 

Find everything you need to know before you go right here - including some top tips to get the most out of your visit. 

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Abu Dhabi National Aquarium 

One of the best places to visit in Abu Dhabi during the summer, the National Aquarium is a tranquil escape from the relentless sun - and a magical trip into an underwater realm. You can easily spend hours wandering from room to room, spying everything from giant fish to penguins, sharks, rays and even a tropical room filled with birds, giant snails and capybaras - super impressive! 

The best part? BB+ members score 20% off all packages (just not general admission, but the packages are where it’s at - they include entry and some super cool behind the scenes experiences as well!), 

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Adrenark Adventure

Another amazing summer option - but like the National Aquarium, worth a visit all year round - Adrenark Adventure is the region’s biggest indoor park. There’s over 20 games and activities - from a classic carousel and an inflatable park, to a rappelling wall, multiplex karting, rides, a ropes course and a toddler area! 

If you get hungry, make a pitstop at the food court to refuel, or grab a coffee for mum and dad while the kids kick on. Redeem your 20% BB+ discount on arrival - just pull up Adrenark Adventure in the app, click redeem discount when asked for the code, and you’ll have extra dirhams leftover to put towards lunch.

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Pixoul Gaming 

It doesn’t get more ‘futuristic Abu Dhabi’ than this - especially for teens, tweens and lovers of virtual reality experiences. A 4500 square metre VR and Esports hub, you’ll find over 10 immersive virtual reality experiences and a dedicated Esports arena inside. The first fully wireless VR gaming in the MENA region, make the most of 4D motion platforms, open-world games and simulations - plenty to keep you - or the kids - entertained for hours. 

With BB+, you can grab 20% off story mode - just show your BB+ redemption code in the app on arrival to secure the saving! 

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Cinema City Al Qana

Located on the north side of Al Qana, Cinema City gives you access to some fabulous immersive cinema experiences - 3DMAX, VIP Cinema & Kids Cinema - along with your standard screens. It can accommodate up to 9000 customers across 15 screens - they don’t do things by half! - and earns the name Cinema City for the sheer volume of the place!

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All Your BB+ Discounts in Al Qana

If you're looking to save some dirhams while keeping the family busy, here are 5 great discounts to make your next day out that much better! Not a BB+ member yet? Sign up here - it's just AED119 for an annual subscription, or grab a friends and family sub for just AED199 - you can use the discounts as often as you like, across hundreds of restaurants, brunches, pool days and leisure spots across Abu Dhabi!

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Oii - 20% off a la carte & exclusive BB+ menu - AED160 per person for 3 courses

Grand Beirut - 20% off a la carte & 2for1 on Business Lunch (usually AED99 per person)

National Aquariam - 20% off all packages (general admission tickets excluded, packages include admission)

Adrenark Adventure - 20% off entry

Pixoul Gaming - 20% off story mode

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