NEW RESTAURANTS IN ABU DHABI THIS MONTH
KARAZ
THE FOUNTAINS, YAS MALL
Karaz holds one of the best pieces of restaurant real estate in Yas Mall! Serving great Levantine food, it allows diners (and cheeky shisha smokers!) to watch the fountains play and sink into relax mode. The food is good - dishes are both cooked and presented to perfection - and the decor is completely Insta-worthy. They offer both a breakfast and a business lunch and we're sure this will be your go-to in Yas Mall.
Open: 9AM - 1AM
Contact: 02 584 5984
NONNA STELLA OSTERIA
MARSANA AL HUDAYRIAT
This gorgeous little Italian is a departure from the norm at Marsana: its contemporary Italian feel goes perfectly with the beachiness of the place and the food is suitably light too. Head in early for a cornetti or go late for a wodge of tiramisu - everything is authentically produced and everything we had tasted delicious.
Open: 11AM - 11PM
Contact:052 418 8006
BUA THAI CAFE
YAS BAY
Great for: affordable Thai food on the Bay
Love Yas Bay but don't always love the price tags? Head to one of the most affordable restaurants in Yas Bay, the newly opened Bua Thai. This is the second in Bua's restaurant stable: Desert Lotus has been going strong for some years now and is the only independent Thai outlet that also serves alcohol.
Bua Thai has much more of a street food feel, with main course portions being small enough and cheap enough for you to order a few and share. Don't miss the Pad Thai with wontons - twisty and so very good! The mango sticky rice is primo too, an excellent way to finish your meal.
Open: 5PM - midnight ish
Contact: 02 575 3158
AMALFI RISTORANTE
LE ROYAL MERIDIEN
Amalfi is a great addition to Le Royal Meridien offering, giving on-islanders a place to chill, eat great pizzas and pasta at affordable prices. In cooler months, it's got a fantastic terrace that looks out over the pool and makes that Aperol spritz with a side of flatbread and olives just that much more enticing!
This is a great place for a mid-week meal without breaking the bank or an after work catch up ... you might even convince your other half to do a cheeky date night under the stars!
Open: 12PM -11PM
Booking: 800 101 101
TIGER SUGAR
THE GALLERIA MALL
It's bubble tea heaven! Pick up your boba wondrousness right beside Raising Canes in the food court at the Galleria and release your inner growl. This is the original brown sugar boba, made with fresh cream, and each permutation comes with the distinctive tiger stripe. Very grrrrr, baby!
Open: 10AM - 10PM
Contact: 02 642 1068
KAYU
THE GALLERIA
Kayu is the perfect place to go if what you're craving is outstanding French patisserie delicousness. All the patisserie items from the extraordinary Paris-Brest to the gorgeous creme filled chouquettes, are absolutely dreamy and definitely top our list for astoundingly good pastries and desserts in Abu Dhabi.
It's tucked away behind the Dior kiosk, between Zara and Shake Shack, making it a handy place to spend an hour indulging mid-shop.
Open: 9AM - 10PM/12AM
Contact: 02 235 8401
ANTONIA TRATTORIA
AL ZEINA
The sister ship of the Mamsha OG has opened and it's delicious on every level. Decor is Italian chic and the food is exceptional while maintaining that unassuming, casual Italian trattoria authenticity.
We loved the slow cooked octopus, mopped up with the best foccacia, the new meatball pizza and of course, Chef Simone's fabulous tiramisu. Go, have an Aperol and enjoy!
Open: 12PM - 10.30PM
Contact: 02 622 0480
GRAND BEIRUT
AL QANA
Great for: Lebanese food with a view
Grand Beirut has opened in Al Qana and will become a firm favorite with many. It's located on the second floor on the Khaleej al Arabi side, right down the end and the terrace sports views down the canal and right over to the Grand Mosque.
Much thought has gone into presentation where even the simple hummous is transformed into a plate of beauty. What to try? Amongst a whole heap of great dishes, we loved the mixed grill, with the kofte particularly standing out as a best in show.
Open: 9AM - midnight
Contact:
NASCONDINO
AL REEF
This home-grown Italian bakery-cafe is an excellent new addition to Al Reef, providing a great place to sit down for a casual meal or a chat over coffee and a bomboloni. This passion project will be the answer to Reefies' prayers, solving lunch and dinner cravings with good Italian food options!
Open: 6AM - 11PM
Contact: 056 755 1290
TERRA
AL QANA
Great for: Mediterranean food and scrummy desserts
Terra is a great new addition to Al Qana, serving breakfast (if you like breakfast for lunch, since it doesn't open till 12!), lunch and dinner.
The Mediterranean menu is fairly eclectic, covering everything from snails to pappardelle and tenderloin. The desserts are fabulous and we're going to come back to you with a definitive answer on exactly how good that lemon cheesecake is and whether the apple pie actually melts our butter! Pricing is fairly standard: AED85 for eggs Bene seems a bit steep but that's qualified by AED60 for French toast.
Watch this space for the full low-down.
Open: 12PM - 12PM
Contact: 02 562 0233
NEIGHBOURHOOD CAFE & BAR
YAS CREATIVE HUB
The new home of twofour54, the Yas Creative Hub has opened with a culinary bang. Neighborhood is fresh and light and designed in such a way to be both very cool and relaxing at the same time.
Food offerings are good, with everything from salad to the most luscious of burgers. Grab your morning coffee or sit at the bar in the late afternoon for an aperitivo. Every ingredient used is quality, resulting in an eatery that's so much more than just the building coffee shop. It's definitely worth your time to make a special trip.
Open: 9AM - 8PM/10PM Friday/Saturday
Contact: 2 585 8065
ELA ELA
YAS MARINA
Euro summer might be over for another year, but Éla Éla is bringing that relaxed Mediterranean vibe to Yas Marina right on schedule as our weather kicks into gear.
Designed to be shared, the menu promises Greek dishes that offer traditional flavours with a twist. We have our eye on the chargrilled octopus and roasted lamb shoulder, followed by classic loukoumades - Greek doughnuts with honey and walnut crumble.
After sundown, the music kicks off and the party gets going - if you glance out over the water, drink in hand, maybe you’ll be transported to Greece for an evening!
Open: 5PM - midnight
Contact: 056 603 7500
CHICHA SAN CHEN
BOUTIQ MALL
This space has now gone super bougie! We love this new addition to Boutik Shams Mall for its freshness, blazing lights and amazing bubble tea.
Described as the Hermès of boba, we love the attention to detail that goes into every drink: fully customisable, precision (including scales to weigh the ingredients!) and perfect presentation, down to the cardboard cup sleeve and cute twine handles. The best bit? They taste amazing too. A very dangerous addition for Reemers!
Open: 10AM - 10PM
Contact: 056 280 2415
MR MOTO
YAS MARINA
A great addition to Yas Marina, this modern Japanese cocktail bar exudes speakeasy charm. Every cocktail here boasts a unique twist and an intriguing narrative: we particularly like the musashi, crafted with Roku gin, lemongrass, yuzu, jasmine and mangosteen, is a stroke of genius!
Honouring the Japanese traditions of otsumami (snacks and simple dishes meant to be eaten alongside a drink) and tsumamu (to grab something with your fingers or chopsticks - something that can be eaten easily), the focus is on food that really complements their cocktails, providing an immersive experience. Their innovative offering includes everything from sweet miso black cod to spicy udon carbonara. Our personal favourite? The flavourful beef tataki with sesame dressing, oyster cream, and crispy hickory sticks.
Open: 5PM - 1AM
Contact: 056 603 7600
ORA
MARSANA AL HUDAYRIAT
This new pizzeria in Marsana is an absolute winner. We already love the first branch but this one by the beach is also great. Enjoy some excellent pizzas, risotto and even a cracking Italian burger, perfect for the burger lovers among us. Check them out!
CHECK OUT WHAT OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2023!
We had some amazing newbies open their doors to the public in September. Read all about them here
Rachael Partington
10/27/2023
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