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Food & Drink
Dubai's best foodie experiences in December
Sun, November 14, 2021
From limited-time menus to popular pop-ups, here's your insider guide to sampling the city's culinary highlights.
From limited-time menus to popular pop-ups, here's your insider guide to sampling the city's culinary highlights.
1
Celebrate with National Day menus
Join in on the country's Golden Jubilee festivities with special offers at food hotspots throughout the city. Satiate your sweet tooth at decadent dessert spots like Black Tap and Mirzam Chocolate Chocolate Factory, or head to Expo 2020 Dubai for flavourful meals for just AED50 at places including the Arabic Rising Flavours, African food hall Alkebulan or a host of other eateries across the greatest show on earth. One thing is for sure, you have plenty of dining deals to indulge in during the long weekend.
2
Admire the Growth of the UAE with Hilton
To mark both Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, Hilton Hotels & Resorts have joined forces with agri-tech platform Fresh on Table to showcase the country’s farm-fresh produce. The new Growth of the UAE menus illustrate how wholesome dishes can be created using local ingredients, supporting the homegrown farming industry and reducing carbon footprints. Dine at any of the 17 properties nationwide and try dishes like hamachi falafel, seared seabass, and roasted cauliflower steak. Opt for the Discovery menu at AED220 per person, which includes four starters to share, a main each and dessert.
3
Start the party early at Billionaire Dubai
Wednesday evenings have gotten a lot livelier now that theatrical restaurant Billionaire Dubai has introduced an early dinner show that kicks off at 7pm. International entertainers – acrobats, singers and dancers – take to the stage while guests are served a delicious set menu featuring Italian and Japanese signature dishes. High-end plates include truffle ponzu salmon tiradito, burrata salad, beef short rib and lemon herb seabass. Priced at AED450 per person, the glamorous evening wraps up at 9pm, which is ideal for a school night.
4
Take part in a food-filled celebration at Atlantis the Palm
Experience a festive culinary adventure unlike any other at Atlantis The Palm. With unlimited eating at ten world-renowned restaurants and uplifting festive entertainment all packaged together, this Christmas soiree should definitely be on top of every foodie's must-do list. Relish a roaming all-you-can-eat dinner as you wander across the resort's top eateries like Nobu by Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen, Ossiano by Chris Malone and Cantonese hotspot Hakkasan. In between the four hours of feasting, you can snap a shot at the giant snow globe photo booth or head off into Santa's Grotto in The Lost Chambers Aquarium. There are lots of live acts and spectacular performances lined up too to make this a night to remember.
5
Knead some glory at Bread Ahead
Known to produce the most moreish desserts in London’s Borough Market, flour specialists Bread Ahead have brought their famed Bakery School to Expo 2020. Sign up for a workshop, costing AED350 per person, and you’ll soon be able to recreate their trademark filled doughnuts. Along with these fluffy ‘pillows of joy’, you can also learn the secrets behind their signature sourdough and other British favourites like scones.
6
Try Michelin-starred meals in Dubai
Experience fine dining at its best with Jubilee Gastronomy at Expo 2020 from October to December 2021. Relish innovative dishes as Michelin and ‘50 Best’ awarded chefs from across the globe present an array of their best creations at intimate, limited-edition Chef’s Table pop-ups every Tuesday.
7
Embark on a new Frying Pan Adventure
Head off on a foodie journey through the atmospheric alleyways of Bur Dubai and Deira in search of clues to solve puzzles with delicious culinary rewards along the way. That's what's in store for those who sign up to Frying Pan Adventure's latest tour, the Old Dubai Food Scavenger Hunt. Make your way from one eatery to the next, unravelling brain teasers en route, while savouring two appetisers, a sit down meal featuring a signature dish, and two desserts during the evening. Meanwhile the experienced guide will be serving up insights about the city's history and its culinary heritage. Join in on a scheduled trip or book a private tour for up to five people.
8
Satiate your sweet tooth with a BRIXJourney
Under the stewardship of chocolatier and pastry chef Carmen Rueda Hernandez and chef Grégoire Berger, BRIX is back from a summertime break and is offering up a choice of two ‘Journeys’ that fans can embark on. The dessert bar, situated in the charming Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, has incorporated savoury elements into the sweet-leaning tasting menu for the first time too. Designed as a multi-sensory experience, pick up your boarding card (literally) then head off on a multi-course ‘Fire & Ice’ or ‘The Escape’ sugar-filled flight. Ideal for those who love sweet treats.
9
Float towards the Bubbalicious Friday brunch
It's long been one of the city's most popular offerings and The Westin's Bubbalicious brunch is now back, promising an even bigger and better upgrade. The sprawling feast is spread over the hotel's three restaurants – Mina’s Kitchen, Baba and Sui Mui – with the al fresco terrace letting you soak in the perfect outdoor weather. Stilt walkers, musicians and magicians add to the upbeat vibe while live stations serve up an array of international fare from just AED450 per person.
10
Shake up your winter with Black Tap
Three new CrazyShakes are coming to burger specialists Black Tap this winter from 5 to 31 December. Indulge in gravity-defying, Instagram-worthy concoctions like the National Day version, done up in colours of the UAE flag and topped off with a slice of red velvet cake. The Thanksgiving CrazyShake features a slice of pumpkin pie and is smothered in mini-marshmallows, while the Festive one is suitably sprinkled with glitter. Teamed with new additions to the savoury menu – including a wagyu truffle hot dog, smokehouse turkey salad and the steakhouse burger – this is sure to be a crowd-pleasing choice.
11
Enjoy Sublimotion at Mandarin Oriental
It’s become a social media sensation thanks to its audio-visual mastery and interactive performances but this 10-course molecular gastronomy menu, that was originally launched in Ibiza to great acclaim, delivers on the taste front too. Projections are beamed into every aspect of the purpose-built dining room at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Dubai, with the finest ingredients placed before patrons by celebrity chef Paco Roncero. The stage has been set for two seatings daily, at AED5,000 per person.
12
Try al fresco artisanal eats at Ripe by the Bay
As the sun goes down, explore 100 stalls and peruse the organic ingredients, fresh harvest and homegrown crafts on sale at Ripe Market. The newly launched Ripe by the Bay, held in association with Expo 2020 Dubai, has found a home by the waterfront at Dubai Festival City Mall and kicks off as dusk falls. Splash out on keepsakes while tucking into the various food trucks, carts and stalls that'll be selling their wares at this outdoor spot every night of the week.
13
Head for the great outdoors with al fresco dining
The cooler weather sees Dubai’s outdoor venues and terraces reopen for guests. Whether you are looking to dine under the stars with views of the Burj Khalifa at Roka, enjoy poolside Provençal dining at Drift Beach, perch in the leafy courtyard at Dubai International Financial Centre’s Indochine or LPM Dubai, or take in The Pointe’s dancing fountains while eating at Samakjé, there are a host of pretty places with great views across the city to enjoy.
14
Let Massimo Bottura serve you his signature hits
If you're a foodie, then you won't want to miss the chance to meet three Michelin starred chef Massimo Butturo as he serves up his exquisite signature dishes at Torno Subito at W Dubai - The Palm. Experience this limited-time dinner curated by one of the world’s top restaurateurs at his first restaurant outside of Italy. Journey to the 1960's Italian Riviera as you taste tradition in classic dishes created using the finest and freshest ingredients amid a casual al fresco setting. Sample a special sharing menu featuring a flavourful wild cod in seafood sauce, delectable risotto cooked in blackfish soup and slow-cooked artichokes. Top of your meal with a delicious fusion dessert with hints of dark, milk and salted caramel chocolate. This exclusive offering will be available for three nights only at AED690 per person, so make your reservations today to avoid disappointment.
