As part of a new series of culinary guides to various areas in the UAE, The National explores The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah, where diners will find plenty of Instagrammable restaurants, pet-friendly outlets and casual cafes to take in the stunning views, especially at night as The Palm Fountain springs into action.
While this is not all the destination has to offer foodies, it's a selection of the best, newest and most popular.
Aiza
When it comes to beautiful interiors, Aiza has really nailed it. This modern restaurant transports you to the azure shores of the Greek islands, with beautiful pink foliage and a soft cream fabric sweeping from the ceiling, making it an Instagrammer’s paradise. On the menu, you’ll find Mediterranean classics such as moussaka, feta pies and grilled octopus. And in the cooler months, there’s a pretty terrace with a perfectly framed view of Atlantis, The Palm.
Open daily, 6pm-2am; East Marina; 04 575 5097, aizarestaurant.com
Zor
Serving up a combination of Uzbek and Mediterranean cuisine, Zor, on The Pointe’s West Marina, is a lively spot that has become popular with the late-night crowd. Food is served with theatrical flair, with a menu that features slow-cooked lamb, chicken kofta and Afghan kazan. The restaurant is designed with a chic, boho vibe and outside the terrace offers great views of The Palm Fountain.
Open daily, 3pm-1am; West Marina; 04 566 9612, zor.ae
Brunch & Cake
The popular (and extremely Instagrammable) Dubai cafe opened an outpost at The Pointe at the end of 2020. While it is much smaller than the Al Wasl Road flagship, and with a smaller menu, it still features plenty of the extravagant dishes and drinks the cafe is known for, such as its savoury French toast and eggs carbonara. The cafe’s terrace is adorned with chic mustard tasselled umbrellas, making it the perfect spot for a laid-back weekend breakfast.
Open daily, 9am-11pm; East Marina; 04 580 0437, brunchandcake.com
Lads Burger
For a casual bite at The Pointe, head to Lads Burgers, where you’ll find a selection of hearty burgers, endless toppings and some pretty indulgent shakes. Lads Burgers gets creative with its offerings, from the Pina Colada burger, with cheese, bacon and pineapple, to the Triple B, which is a real mouthful.
Open daily, noon-midnight; 800 5237
CMP Bar & Grill
Formerly Chicago Meatpackers, the newly rebranded CMP Bar & Grill brings classic American bistro vibes to the Palm. From juicy steaks to laid-back weekend brunches (actual brunches, not Dubai brunches), the fuss-free spot is also pet-friendly, so expect to meet some four-legged friends on any visit. Menu favourites include classic steak and eggs, chicken and waffles, and a good selection of burgers.
Sunday to Wednesday, noon-midnight, Thursday, noon-1am, Friday and Saturday, 11am-1am; East Marina; 04 580 7983, 04 580 7983, cmprestaurants.com
Saya Cafe
Another of Dubai’s most Instagrammable outlets can be found at The Pointe. Saya Cafe, from the same team that also runs Aiza, knows how to draw the crowds. Inside, the theme is pink, with floral walls, plush seating and plenty of photogenic backdrops. The picturesque theme flows into the menu, too, with pink burger buns, stacked waffles and plenty of avocado.
Sunday to Thursday, 4pm-midnight, Friday and Saturday, noon-1am; West Marina; 04 575 5097
Il Passaggio
This quaint Italian restaurant brings a slice of Europe to The Pointe. The name, meaning “the passage”, gives a taste of the restaurant’s unusual interior, which has guests entering through a glass-roofed passageway before finding themselves in the light, airy dining room. The menu runs from breakfast through to dinner, with Mediterranean classics such as seafood linguine, squid ink tagliatelle and calzone diavola.
Sunday to Wednesday, 9am-11pm, Thursday to Saturday, 9am-midnight; East Marina; 04 587 3111, ilpassaggio.com
Milky Jar
Another spot from the team behind Saya Cafe and Aiza, Milky Jar is a great pit stop for a coffee, milkshake or hot chocolate and, of course, you can expect it to come in an Instagrammable manner. Milky Jar is a small cafe at the heart of The Pointe’s main plaza, opposite the area’s pet-friendly beach. On the menu, you can find s'more-rimmed hot chocolate, cream-topped strawberry milkshake and freshly made lemonade.
Open daily, 8am-midnight; central plaza; @milkyjar.ae
Read more
12 restaurants to try in Motor City, Dubai: from Le Petit Belge to The Cycle Bistro
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Yabi%20by%20Souqalmal%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMay%202022%2C%20launched%20June%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAmbareen%20Musa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20u%3C%2Fstrong%3Endisclosed%20but%20soon%20to%20be%20announced%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseed%C2%A0%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EShuaa%20Capital%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time
Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm
Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
