6 days ago
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
