Five outdoor restaurants in Dubai to visit this winter – and what to eat there

After months spent relishing all the indoor fun the UAE has to offer, from shopping malls to museums, it's finally time to venture back outside. As the cooler months hit, restaurant terraces and beach clubs, both old and new, have opened by the dozen, meaning guests can soak up the sun by day and enjoy the breeze by night. Here are five tried-and-tested options.

Nobu Dubai for impeccable dining

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's Dubai restaurant offers eclectic Japanese-Peruvian dishes, ambient lighting and a resto-lounge vibe. Located on the 22nd floor of Atlantis The Palm, the venue reopened its terrace this week. Offering stunning views of the Arabian Gulf and Palm Jumeirah, the open-air, 119-seater spot is done up in deep browns with pops of greenery.

While the black cod miso and fresh sushi are Nobu signatures, there are at least two other items worth sampling on executive chef Damien Duviau's menu. Despite the satisfying crunch of fried mushrooms, the shiitake salad (Dh165) is light and refreshing, and comes with a flavourful goma truffle dressing.

More crunch comes by way of the yuzu vanilla creme brulee (Dh90), complemented by crispy nori kataifi and a mousse-like sakura semifreddo. It's a light-as-air dessert, evermore enjoyable in a breezy, al fresco setting.

Monday to Wednesday, 6pm-1am; Thursday and Friday, 6pm-1.30am; Saturday, 12.30pm-3pm and 6pm-1.30am; Sunday, 12.30pm-3pm and 6pm-1am; Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah; 04 426 0760

– Panna Munyal, lifestyle editor

Jara by Martin Berasategui for party vibes

Making its way to Downtown Dubai in February this year, The Lana Dorchester (the hotel group's first in the country) bought a buzz along with it, as has everything that's opened within it since. Jara by Martin Berasategui is one example.

The restaurant already appealed to the city's foodies thanks to its impressive open kitchen, chic modern decor and Basque cuisine that simultaneously delivers fine dining and simple recipes, and now the launch of a new terrace space is another mark in its favour.

The large terrace overlooks Marasi Bay Marina. Boats docked below, the cityscape lit up ahead and the Burj Khalifa glittering in the night sky make for impressive views. Seating on the terrace weaves around tall columns surrounded by large potted plants.

There are big tables for serious diners, plush sofa seats to relax in and bar tables to stand around, meaning its ideal for dinner, drinks or both. A DJ plays upbeat music through the evening.

The kitchen serves up finger food that are all prefaced as being the 12-starred Michelin-lauded chef's take on a dish.

This includes croquettes stuffed with mixed mushroom, cheese and spinach (Dh30), Spanish squid (Dh110) or salted and dried meat cecina (Dh155); plus Gilda oysters featuring olives, marinated red tuna and pickled spring onions (Dh35); and gazpacho with vegetable and olive sphere. Each is a tiny tease of what the full menu – crafted for both seafood and meat lovers – has to offer.

7pm-1am (closed Mondays); The Lana Dorchester, Business Bay; 04 541 7755

– Hayley Kadrou, deputy features editor

La Cantine for beach buffs

French restaurant La Cantine du Faubourg is a stalwart of the UAE dining scene, so news that it has opened a beach club outpost at Delano Dubai has been warmly received.

La Cantine Beach brings French Riviera charm to Bluewaters Island, with a chic blue and white colour scheme throughout. The beach club features a family pool, adults’ pool and direct beach access. La Cantine's Sports Club caters to the fitness enthusiast, complete with a pickleball court, beach volleyball and an outdoor gym deck.

Food is exceptional, serving a Mediterranean menu complete with panzanella salad (Dh80), grilled octopus (Dh155) and truffle fries (Dh155), among many other options. As part of the La Cantine Sports Club there is also a healthier menu available, which includes juices, protein shakes, salads and grilled entrees.

Leave room for dessert, though. The cheesecake mousse with speculoos (a Lotus-style biscuit) and raspberry (Dh70) is outstandingly moreish.

The jewel in the beach club’s crown has to be the Ain Dubai view. Towering over the venue, the mammoth wheel makes for a striking Instagram backdrop when posing poolside.

Daily, 10am-midnight; Dh200, Monday-Friday; Dh250, Saturday and Sunday (entry non-redeemable); Delano Dubai, Bluewaters Island; 04 556 6622

– Farah Andrews, head of features

Karma Kafe for vintage charm

While there is something to be said for bird's-eye views from the many, many high-rise restaurants dotted around Dubai, Karma Kafe's first-floor terrace looks out on to something altogether more entertaining, even relaxing: the Dubai Fountain.

The usually chill vibe does get a tad disturbed when dozens of diners rise as one to capture the fountain show every 30 minutes, but that's testament to popularity of this Souk Al Bahar restaurant, which is celebrating its crystal anniversary this year.

Karma Kafe has been a mainstay of Dubai's fine-dining scene for 15 years. Chef Rob Rathbone, the culinary director of Solutions Group, recommends some dishes that have stood the test of time. Among the appetisers, the shrimp tempura with mango kimchi (Dh95) is gone before you can say sweet peanut chilli sauce.

The tenderloin (Dh215) from the robata grill is melt-in-mouth soft and saucy thanks to a caramelised spicy teriyaki and shallot miso puree. The overly salted katsu curry leaves much to be desired, though, as it's more akin to a Thai red curry (Dh130) and not a very good one at that.

- Panna Munyal, lifestyle editor

Chouchou for luxe privacy

Of the 13 newly minted beach clubs at J1, Chouchou is the only venue that is open to members only. The private club offers access to its own strip of the beach, plus the pool and expansive second level of the restaurant. Membership rates start at Dh15,500 per person per year, with other packages available for couples and families. Members can bring up to three guests, who pay for a day-pass fee, from Dh250.

Within, it's all earthy tones – think mocha mousse, soft greens and warm terracottas – complemented by wicker and rattan accents that channel the laid-back sophistication of a classic French Riviera retreat.

While natural light floods the indoor restaurant through expansive windows, the outdoor terrace is an idyllic extension of the venue's relaxed elegance, furnished with comfortable dining sets that overlook the pool and the beach. Beachside seating is on comfy sofas rather than traditional sunbeds, while white wooden cabanas line up on one side for those who want even more privacy.

Three tried-and-tested dishes include an artichoke salad (Dh140) infused with truffle water, with green beans, mushrooms and truffle shavings; a French onion soup (Dh80) with a caramelised onion base and topped with a golden, bubbling layer of Comte cheese; and tresor de Saint Pierre (Dh345 for 150g), with grilled john dory fish served with whelks, soft-boiled quail eggs, vegetables and a saffron-tinted rouille sauce.

9am-1am; J1 Beach, Jumeirah 1; 04 558 4877

– One Carlo Diaz, lifestyle reporter