6 of the best restaurants in Dubai this weekend: May 23 to 25
Dubai's dining scene doesn't take days off, but this week? It's really doing the most: New openings, new menus, unexpected chef collabs, lowkey glam pop-ups, and nights that don't end at dessert. These are 6 of the best restaurants in Dubai this weekend that deserve a spot on your radar (and in your camera roll). Banyan Tree Dubai: the culinary masters eight-hands dinner
What: A two-night eight-hands dinner series with four standout chefs across two iconic Banyan Tree Dubai venues. Chef Alvin Leung (Demon Duck), Chefs Taka & Hisa (TakaHisa), and Executive Chef Jonathan Bouthiaux join forces for a rare multi-course collab blending Japanese precision, Chinese richness, and French technique.
Vibe: Refined, intimate luxury.
Menu: An eight-course experience featuring signature creations from each chef. Think Slow-Roasted Demon Duck, premium Wagyu, pristine sushi, and globally inspired dishes threaded with personal touch. Demon Duck dinner Priced at Dhs650/Dhs1,200 with wine pairing, TakaHisa dinner priced at Dhs3000.
When: Saturday 24 May at Demon Duck, and Sunday 25 May at TakaHisa.
Where: Demon Duck/TakaHisa, Banyan Tree Dubai, Bluewaters Island @banyantreedxb. Book here China Tang Dubai
What: The iconic London-born Cantonese restaurant makes its Middle East debut at The Lana Promenade.
Vibe: Opulent, Art Deco glamour meets 1930s Shanghai. Think mirrored ceilings, stained glass, intricate wallpaper, and a moody, elegant cocktail bar. Everything – down to the tea – is well thought-out.
Food: A refined take on Cantonese cuisine by Chef Li Zhenjun. Signature dishes include Xiao Long Bao, Sir David's Hot & Sour Soup, Whole Lobster with E-Fu Noodles, and the famous Beijing Duck – roasted in a custom oven and carved tableside. New Dubai exclusives include Foie Gras Cherries, Da Hong Pao Lamb Cutlets, and Honey-Glazed Beef Char Siu.
When: Open daily from 12pm to 11pm
Where: The Lana Promenade, Dorchester Collection, Marasi Bay Marina @chinatang_dubai ROKA Dubai
What: A laid-back Japanese-style family brunch with live stations, signature robata dishes, and a full-on kids' zone.
Vibe: Grown-up chill with a side of family-friendly energy – DJ on deck, toys on hand.
Menu: The menu features maki, nigiri, soups, robata grills, and plated mains – with a premium upgrade option featuring that famous black cod and beef fillet
When: Every Saturday, 12.30pm to 4pm
Where: ROKA, The Opus by Omniyat, Level 1, Business Bay @rokadubaiofficial ALAYA: flavours of Sayf
What: A limited-edition summer menu featuring Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes.
Vibe: DIFC glam with marble.
Menu: Dhs250 per person gets you cold and hot starters, one main, sides, and dessert. Think: creamy muhammara, crisp fattoush, za'atar calamari, grilled chicken, kofte, and maqlouba rice. End with apricot tart or pistachio ice cream with pomegranate.
When: Daily, 4pm to 8pm
Where: ALAYA, DIFC @alayadubai AURA Skypool x Chiva-Som: A wellness takeover in the sky
What: The world's highest 360° infinity pool partners with Thai wellness destination Chiva-Som for a three-day immersive wellness experience.
Vibe: chic, relaxed atmosphere high above Dubai, with stunning 360 views.
Highlights: Lunch in the Sky: A Taste of Chiva-Som
A wellness-inspired three-course menu crafted by Chiva-Som's Chef Touch Vongsatitsart and AURA's Chef Craig Best, priced at Dhs225 per person, Dhs175 for free-flowing rosé
A wellness-inspired three-course menu crafted by Chiva-Som's Chef Touch Vongsatitsart and AURA's Chef Craig Best, priced at Dhs225 per person, Dhs175 for free-flowing rosé Sunrise Yoga + Breakfast
Hatha yoga and breathwork led by AURA's Emilse and Chiva-Som's Kamlesh, followed by a nourishing breakfast, price at Dhs280
When: May 22 – 24
Where: AURA Skypool, Palm Jumeirah @auraskypool.dubai
Also read
7 best restaurants in Dubai to make you feel like you're on holiday
Your bar twin: Some of the best bars in Dubai for every personality Hakkasan Dubai
What: One Michelin star Hakkasan Dubai introduces the Pearl tasting menu and a new cocktail selection, featuring modern Cantonese cuisine, seasonal influences, and creative mixology.
Vibe: Sleek, sophisticated, modern luxury feel with intimate lighting.
Menu: Standouts include the pearl tasting menu golden 'Yuan Bao' dumpling with king crab and caviar, Abalone & Sea Cucumber Dumpling with prawn and peppercorn vinaigrette, Stir-Fry Fresh Water Scampi over crisp mantou, Braised Australian Wagyu Short Rib with salted plum & pineapple, Hokkaido Scallop Fried Trio Rice, and Sauteed White Asparagus with morel mushroom and vegan XO sauce. Cocktails include Hakkasan Tea Ceremony: Jasmine vodka, pear liqueur, peach, almond, Hakka 2.0: Lychee, sake, coconut, and, Forget Me Not: Mango-infused gin with house-made pepper liqueur.
When: Available now, daily, 6pm to 11.30pm.
Where: Hakkasan Dubai, Atlantis The Palm @hakkasandubai
Images: Supplied/Instagram
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UAE Moments
3 hours ago
- UAE Moments
Read Your Daily Chinese Horoscope July 25th, 2025⭐
Chinese zodiac, or shengxiao (/shnng-sshyao/ 'born resembling'), unlike the general zodiac, is represented by 12 zodiac animals. In order, they are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. OX DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 You may work against your own interests today. You could be so critical and analytical that you don't do much at all. Paying attention to detail is good, but don't lose sight of the bigger picture. SHEEP DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 Your relationship may be suffering from routine. Sign up for a class together, you can both learn something new. Painting, swimming, dancing, cooking, rock for it! RAT DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 You may be inclined to finish a project today. You'll work hard now so you can play just as hard later. Make sure you don't leave any loose ends at work so you can really enjoy yourself tonight. SNAKE DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 This is a good time to move forward with plans to remodel, redecorate, or redesign some part of your home. Start by calling interior designers or contractors to get the project moving. DRAGON DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 You might want to reinvent yourself. Whether it's a new hairstyle or wardrobe, a change appeals to you. Think about a mental makeover too. Working on the inside helps you feel better about the outside. TIGER DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 Today calls for quiet contemplation rather than sudden moves. This is especially true in romance, where a constant battle for control could be damaging an otherwise strong and rewarding bond. RABBIT DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 If stress at work or home is making you anxious, seek the support and help of friends. You often take on too much, but friends and family are more than willing to help bear the load if you ask. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for tarot readings, love, health, career, and Chinese horoscopes delivered to your phone daily! HORSE DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 This could be a tough time for you financially if you haven't been careful about saving. Perhaps today is a good day to start thinking about a new financial plan if you haven't already started. MONKEY DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 Perhaps you've been thinking about yourself too much lately and ignoring the needs of your friends and family members. Try focusing on helping others today rather than helping yourself. ROOSTER DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 You may receive some good news or a gift today. You could be promoted or receive some kind of recognition at work. Enjoy your good fortune! More: How The Fall Equinox Will Impact Your Zodiac Sign DOG DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 You may have to think outside the box to appeal to your audience. Use your imagination. If your old ways of thinking aren't doing the trick, perhaps it's time for a new perspective. PIG DAILY CHINESE HOROSCOPES JULY 25, 2025 This is an excellent time for a social gathering, whether you plan and host it or not. You should have a fun time no matter what's on the agenda if you're with your friends.
What's On
15 hours ago
- What's On
10 of the most unique restaurants in Dubai
Design has to work first. Form follows function, sure – but the best spaces are built to spark a mood, a memory, an emotion. Studies show that well-designed environments can boost dopamine and lower stress levels. Which is probably why some restaurants feel different the second you step in. Every element plays a part, nothing is random and everything is connected. That's where storytelling lives – in the details. Here are 10 of the most unique restaurants in Dubai where the design speaks first. Click through the gallery 3 of 12 Image: Okku website/Instagram Image: Salmon Guru website Kira A stunning Japanese-Mediterranean fine-diner with serene elegance and gold accents. The space is highlighted by gold sculptural details and a striking chandelier that serves as the centerpiece of the space. Clean lines, shrine-like seating, a sakura-lit walkway and Burj Al Arab views make the vibe calm yet upscale. The open robata kitchen adds energy by night, while neighbouring LITT spins that to nightlife. Location: KIRA, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab Hotel, Jumeirah Street Times: Sun–Wed 12pm–1am | Thu–Sat 12pm–2am Contact: (0)4 328 1665 | @kirarestaurant Sexy Fish Dubai's Sexy Fish is an underwater-inspired art gallery thanks to Martin Brudnizki Design Studio and Damien Hirst centrepieces – think octopus sculptures, fish‑lamp ceilings, glowing mosaic floors, coral walls and Murano‑glass pillars. The vibe is high‑glam Japanese seafood with a late‑night lounge atmosphere. Location: Level 11, Innovation One, DIFC, Dubai Times: Mon–Sat 12pm–1am | Sunday 6pm–2am Contact: (0) 4 381 9000 | @sexyfishdxb Amelia Steampunk meets Art Deco high above Downtown Dubai, in a moody lounge that nods to Amelia Earhart's airborne spirit. Expect a dramatic, aviation‑inspired bar topped with a vintage propeller, high ceilings, gear‑driven depths and textured leather booths. Upstairs mezzanine dining evokes a submarine‑like vibe under custom arch ceilings and emerald accents. It's immersive storytelling through design. Location: Amelia Restaurant & Lounge, Address Sky View, Downtown Dubai Times: Daily 7pm–3pm Contact: (0) 4 328 2805 | @ Ossiano Underwater elegance in Atlantis The Palm's aquarium-adjacent dining room. Floor-to-ceiling fish tanks create a deep-sea ambience. Dark tones, soft lighting and ocean views give it a surreal, immersive vibe – like dining inside a luxurious aquatic world. Location: The Palm, Atlantis The Palm Times: Daily 6pm–12am Contact: (0)4 426 0770 | @ossianodubai Duomo Palatial Italian under a 15 m vaulted ceiling at The Dubai Edition. With yellow Chesterfields, faux cathedral façade, digital ceiling projections and intimate banquettes, it channels Milan's Duomo with Dubai's skyline. Location: Duomo, The Dubai Edition, Downtown Dubai Times: Daily 7am–11am, 12:30pm–1am Contact: (0)4 602 3399 | @duomodubai Okku A refined address for Japanese cuisine on Palm Jumeirah, blending classic sushi, sashimi, and Wagyu kushiyaki with theatrical flair. The design nods to Japan – think lantern-lit corridors, stone walls, yakisugi wood panels, 3D-printed Samurai statues, LED jellyfish art, a sleek sushi bar and lively lounge. Location: Okku, Marriott Resort, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Times: Tue, Wed–Fri 7pm–3am | Sat 1pm–6pm, 8pm–3am | Sun–Mon Closed Contact: (0)4 666 1566 | @okkudxb Zenon Located in the Kempinski Central Avenue at Address Dubai Mall, Zenon is a multi-sensory Mediterranean‑Asian fusion restaurant powered by AI. Enter beneath golden anodised aluminium chain ceilings that curve across the space, shifting in the lighting as digital art screens around you react to live Dubai-based data. The holographic host, immersive LED panels, live DJs and high‑tech AV create a futuristic yet elegant setting that balances mythology-inspired sculpture with soaring tech‑driven ambience. The feel is cinematic, curated, and entirely in dialogue with flavour, form and story. Location: Zenon, Kempinski Central Avenue (Ground Level), Address Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai Times: Daily 12pm–03am Contact: (0)4 837 7222 | @zenondubai 101 For an atmospheric dinner with a view, 101 is a clean, coastal space built over the water at One&Only The Palm. White tones, pale wood, and low-slung furniture set a calm tone for long terrace lunches, drinks at sundown, and low-lit dinners framed by the skyline. For something more intimate, book the private dining room enclosed within a curved, coral-inspired cocoon. Designed for up to 12 guests, it features customisable lighting and LED floors that ripple like water underfoot. Location: One&Only The Palm, West Crescent, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Times: Daily from 12.30pm–1am Contact: (0)50 332 6832 | @101_dxb Salmon Guru Neon lightning bolts, comic-style signs on walls, and a vibrant, colourful ceiling make this Business Bay bar feel like a pop-art dream. It's playful, bold and energetic – and totally Instagrammable. Location: Salmon Guru, The Opus by Omniyat – 803 Al A'amal St – Business Bay – Dubai Times: Mon–Fri 12:30pm–2am | Sat–Sun 5pm–2am Contact: (0)52 814 9537 | @salmongurudubai Aelia Aelia is a modern Mediterranean restaurant on the 63rd floor of One Za'abeel, offering stunning views of Dubai's skyline. The interior combines clean lines with warm textures – textured stone walls, natural wood, and plush velvet seating in earthy tones. Large windows flood the space with light by day and frame the city lights at night. Subtle Mediterranean touches like artisan tiles and sculptural lighting add character, while mood lighting shifts to suit every moment. Location: Aelia, One Za'abeel Tower, Business Bay, Dubai Times: Daily 7am–10pm Contact: 04 666 1617 | @aeliadubai
Broadcast Pro
18 hours ago
- Broadcast Pro
Tunisian mystery thriller film ‘Agora' to screen at Zawya Cinema
Slim's third feature fiction, the film focuses on a remote town in Tunisia where missing people return after many years. Tunisian filmmaker Ala Eddine Slim's latest feature, Agora, is set to screen at Cairo's Zawya Cinema with English subtitles, offering audiences a suspense-filled experience that blends mystery with social reflection. The screenings are scheduled for Thursday, July 24, at 4:30 pm, Saturday, July 26, at 7:00 pm, and Tuesday, July 29, at 7:00 pm. A French-Tunisian co-production, Agora is backed by the Red Sea Fund and produced by Julie Viez's Cinenovo in collaboration with Slim's Exit Productions. The film secured 80% of its $743,000 budget, underscoring strong international interest in the project. Agora explores a mysterious phenomenon in a remote Tunisian town where people who had gone missing for years suddenly return. These returnees stir tensions among families and the wider community, prompting local police inspector Fathi and his doctor friend Amine to investigate. The situation becomes increasingly strange and complex, particularly with the arrival of Omar, a police inspector from the capital, who attempts to unravel the mystery. Slim describes Agora as a reflection on the past, resurfacing painful memories and societal failures. The film delves into themes of family and community conflict, and the tension between urban life and nature. Slim emphasises the symbolic significance of the city's public square, where key decisions about the returnees are made. The film also features a visual narrative with special effects and makeup, blending elements of a thriller and investigative story. Slim, who also produced the film, sees Agora as a continuation of his previous works, exploring recurring motifs such as the city, the forest and animals. The film addresses contemporary issues such as economic, social, health and security challenges, mirroring the complex realities of today's Tunisia.
