The culinary scene in the UAE has once again proven its dynamism, as evidenced by the latest Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list unveiled in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. With a staggering 22 out of 50 establishments located in the UAE alone, both Dubai and Abu Dhabi stand tall as gastronomic powerhouses in the region.
Notably, five of these are first-time rankers on this list, which effectively captures the variety of the culinary offering in both the cities – from laid-back casual eateries to glitzy fine-dining establishments.
Here, we take a closer look at the five newly ranked restaurants, breaking down what’s on the menu, what makes them special, and what to expect when it comes to price.
Marmellata Bakery, Abu Dhabi
Ranking: No 29
This humble eatery broke through the coveted list, even outranking some fine-dining institutions backed by the who's who of the restaurant world. Since reopening in 2023, the bakery has gained a reputation not only for its delectable pizzas, but also its constant queues of eager diners.
Run by Raj Dagstani and his son Sebastian, the counter-service pizzeria has but a handful of dine-in seats and also keeps its menu tight and simple − five pizzas, some focaccia, coffee and peach soda.
Despite its food offerings, Raj refuses to call it an Italian restaurant, but rather a home-grown Abu Dhabi one – and he uses local ingredients where possible to drive this point further. The pepperoni pizza with spicy honey is a best-seller, but the figs and Gorgonzola with pistachio and lemon is worth sampling too.
A pie costs about Dh80, making this one of the more affordable spots on the list.
Open Wednesday to Sunday, 4pm-9.30pm; Mina Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi; 055 802 9355
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai
Ranking: No 33
The Michelin-starred restaurant, courtesy of award-winning British chef Heston Blumenthal also made its debut on the Mena list this year. Located in Atlantis The Royal on Palm Jumeirah, Dinner by Heston serves nostalgia and innovation on a plate – taking diners on a rather dramatic culinary journey.
As The National experienced, the meal at Dinner is part-feast, part-history lesson. Each dish has been served at significant tables in British history, dating back to the Tudors and the mid-20th century. Diners can see the dates the dishes were first served, with the team providing more historical context upon serving.
Some of the items on the menu include sherried scallops (circa 1965), meat fruit (circa 1500), which is the chef's playful take on a chicken liver parfait, and Tipsy cake, a pineapple dessert that dates back to 1858, when the fruit was a sign of extravagance in Europe.
The three-course discovery menu here costs Dh550 per person, while the Sunday roast is Dh495 per person.
Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm-11pm; Atlantis The Royal, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai; 04 426 2444
TakaHisa, Dubai
Ranking: No 41
While it's on the pricier end, this Japanese restaurant is as authentic as one can get in Dubai. TakaHisa combines the names of its two head chefs, Takashi Namekata and Hisao Ueda. The former is in charge of the sushi experience, carefully selecting fish from the popular Toyosu Market in Japan to bring to Dubai. The latter specialises in A5 Graded Kobe beef.
While a la carte dining is available, the sushi and Wagyu omakase menus – priced from Dh2,500 per person – are the best way to experience the restaurant's stellar food. Dishes include shiromi truffle, ozaki beef carpaccio and kabusu soba noodle.
Daily, noon-2am; Banyan Tree Dubai, Bluewaters Island; 04 556 6688
Smoked Room
Ranking: No 45
Another celebrity-chef-backed spot to make it to the Mena list is this 14-seater omakase restaurant, which already has one Michelin star. Dani Garcia, who is from Marbella, is the chef in question, and is regarded as one of Spain's most influential cooks.
Tucked away within Lena, another restaurant Garcia owns at St Regis Gardens on Palm Jumeirah, Smoked Room offers two set menus: Kosei no Hi priced at Dh600 per person for 10 courses, and Matsuri at Dh950 for 12 to 14 courses.
Although an omakase experience, the dishes are not all necessarily Japanese. The focus rather is on smoking techniques and cooking with fire. Dishes include triple-fermented brioche roll served with red miso butter, Amaebi from Hokkaido served with brown butter as well as smoked black pepper. The chef's signatures also come up on the menu, including the sturgeon nitro tomato, which is a feat of molecular gastronomy, as The National's review noted.
Tuesday to Saturday, from 6pm; St Regis Gardens, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai; 04 453 7548
Niri, Abu Dhabi
Ranking: 50
The home-grown Japanese restaurant in Mamsha Al Saadiyat offers an altogether more laid-back dining experience. Diners can choose from an extensive yakitori and sushi selection, as well as hot and cold Japanese starters. Specific dishes on the menu include shio bream with preserved lemon, mitsuba and ponzu, aka baby chicken as well as yaki udon.
A tasting menu at Dh300 per person is also available for those who want to experience Niri's breadth of culinary flair. It includes sharing dishes such as suzuki agedashi or golden crisp sea bass and toro sakusaku nori or fatty tuna tartare with seaweed crackers. If you're going a la carte, the average spend is Dh180 for two people.
Daily, noon-11pm; Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi; 02 546 8886
