Weekends in Dubai can offer – almost – anything. From indoor skiing to desert safaris and deep-sea diving, activities are practically endless. Yet, the truly unmissable experience to discover the city like a local is Dubai-style brunch.
In the Gulf Tiger city, brunch does not exactly look like a quiet, relaxing Sunday morning activity – not that there is anything wrong with pancakes and avocado toasts. Instead, brunch perfectly fits the image of the city’s opulence: between live music and classy dress codes, it truly is an unmissable weekly rendez-vous.
Even the most exclusive restaurants open their doors to brunch enthusiasts, offering everything from gourmet fish and chips straight out of the streets of London to the finest Italian pasta dishes from the heart of Puglia.
Elite Traveler has put together an exclusive list of eight of the best brunches in Dubai to suit the most discerning of diners.
[See also: The Most Luxurious Hotels in Dubai]
Suq Restaurant – Four Seasons at Jumeirah Beach
Suq Restaurant is one of nine housed inside Four Seasons at Jumeirah Beach and offers local Arabian specialties in a casual, market-style ambiance. The brunch – available on Saturdays and Sundays – is a lively affair with an eclectic buffet highlighting the very best of Middle Eastern, Western and Asian cuisines.
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Offerings range from a traditional English roast dinner to Chinese dim sum to spicy Indian curries. On top of that, an array of fresh seafood is also available. The casual dining experience makes it perfect for families and guests are invited to relax in the spacious interiors or the pool-view gardens post-brunch.
$205 per person
Fourseasons.com
London Social Garden – The Ritz-Carlton
For many British expats in Dubai, Caravan’s London Social Garden at The Ritz-Carlton has become something of a home away from home. This luxury brunch brings the very best of British cuisine to the heart of the Middle East, offering a high-end take on classics such as fish and chips and Yorkshire puddings.
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The décor is filled to the brim with London scenery with each of the 12 cooking stations named after a different part of the city. A wide selection of alcohol is included featuring London’s favorite craft beers and premium gins among many others. For youngsters, there is even a Mr. Whippy ice cream machine and a classic pick-and-mix station.
$107 per person
Ritzcarlton.com
Armani Mediterraneo – Armani Hotel
Relaunched in 2018, Armani Hotel combined its myriad brunch offerings into a single, ultimate experience in the Armani Mediterraneo, a modern Mediterranean restaurant. The focus is on bringing rustic Mediterranean food to the Middle East in its finest possible form.
The seafood selection is as fresh as the day it was plucked from the sea and the meat is cut before guests at the carving station. Guests can indulge in flavors from Italy to France, Greece or Spain and share the experience with their family, as children get their own special table featuring a chocolate fountain.
$190 per person
Armanihoteldubai.com
The Hide – Jumeirah Al Qasr
The Jumeirah Al Qasr offers several brunch options for different ambiances, from elegant Saturdays to relaxed Sundays. However, Friday’s offering remains one of the best brunches in Dubai.
Known as the most decadent brunch experience in the city, it is actually held from 6.30 pm to midnight. The menu is adapted to the evening brunch concept and offers a luxurious selection of wines and cocktails, as well as a Chef’s grill special featuring tenderloin, striploin and prawns. Guests who prefer to order dishes individually can also order international cuisine dishes from the À La Carte menu.
$160 per person
Jumeirah.com
La Cantine du Faubourg
Brunch 105 at La Cantine du Faubourg perfectly blends Dubai-style festive brunch with traditional Parisian petit-dejeuner. The setting is elegant but allows for a slow and relaxing weekend meal, and by the end of the afternoon, the Cantine will have organized live performances and DJ sets.
French coquillettes could not be missing from the menu, alongside Dubai-brunch classics such as yellowfin tuna ceviche or beef tartare. But essential brunch food is also offered at the Cantine du Faubourg, with the menu featuring truffled scrambled eggs, maple syrup pancakes and chocolate profiteroles. Plus, the drink selection includes Mimosas and Moët & Chandon champagne.
$205 per person
CÉ LA VI – Address Sky View
Brunch on 54 is CÉ LA VI’s Saturday afternoon experience. There, contemporary Asian cuisine is served by executive chef Howard Ko on the 54th floor of the iconic Address Sky View hotel, adding unbeatable views to the culinary bliss.
Traditional Eastern flavors are re-used by Chef Ko to create modern dishes, such as housemade Japanese milk bread, black truffle sushi rice risotto and chicken kushiyaki with miso and ginger. The brunch menu also offers vegan and vegetarian options including tempura haricots verts in ponzu sauce and a chili mango tart.
$187 per person
Mimi Kakushi – Four Seasons at Jumeirah Beach
Like the Suq Restaurant, the Eastern-Western fusion Mimi Kakushi is located in the Four Seasons at Jumeirah Beach. However, this one is a nod to 1920’s Osaka. The cuisine is deeply rooted in Japanese traditions, with ingredients such as Yuzu, edamame and soy being omnipresent throughout the menu.
Cocktails too are put in the spotlight at Mimi Kakushi. The drinks selection includes both mocktails and cocktails, all made of sophisticated mixes of Japanese flavors with original twists. The Wa, for example, is made of organic Sencha tea, pickled ginger, peach purée, saline solution and soda, while the blood orange Spritz offers a unique take on the traditional cocktail, mixing vodka, blood orange purée, coriander and YuzuTonic.
$208 per person
Tasca – Mandarin Oriental Jumeira
The Michelin-starred Tasca is Portuguese Chef José Avillez’s Portuguese tavern on the sixth floor of the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira. This sublime location not only offers views of Dubai’s skyline and the Arabian Gulf, but it also gives guests access to a terrace with an infinity pool to enjoy a relaxing, sun-soaked Saturday brunch.
The special brunch menu, “from the streets of Portugal to the shores of Dubai”, offers marinated seafood, sangria, and – of course – Pastel de Nata. However, it also boasts more sophisticated dishes, such as wagyu picanha and chouriço assado.
$204 per person
[See also: The 13 Best Restaurants in Dubai]
