15 Best Restaurants in United Arab Emirates

101 never fails to impress. You're bound to be surrounded by potential grooms popping the question, couples clinking champagne glasses, and tourists snapping shots of the New Dubai skyline. 101 is a lounge, tapas bar, and restaurant, so it fits most timetables, and also ticks plenty of tourist boxes. Views? Check: water and skyline views from Palm to Marina. Romantic? Check: bobbing pontoons, candlelight, smooth tunes, and intimate spaces. Exclusive? Check: boat trip from the other One & Only, or a long drive down the Palm crescent. Delicious? Check: smart cocktails and classy modern Mediterranean food and wine. Expensive? Check, but considering all the other advantages, worth it.

It's hard to experience genuine Arabic food and ambience in the depths of the Dubai summer, but this sprawling air-conditioned and covered courtyard works a treat. It sits at the center of a modern underground souk, an incongruously classy oasis in the midst of the flamboyant pyramids that make up Wafi Mall. There are marble floors and fonts, trickling water features, roses, shisha pipes, filtered natural light, and enormous authentic Arabic ovens delivering freshly baked khubz bread and kebabs. The menu provides an excellent spectrum of Persian, Gulf and Mediterranean dishes, but it's also a lovely place to sit with a couple of baklava morsels and a Moroccan mint tea. No alcohol served.

If you want an inexpensive feed oozing with local flavor, this heaving establishment is the place to go. Authentic Emirati food might be elusive, but the locals themselves admit to a love of Levant cuisine, and Aroos is often where you'll find them. Either sit out on the terrace with the fans or in with the a/c, and order from mezze, including some of the classics dips like hummus, muhummara, and moutabel, and then try sambousek, falafel, and fatayer for some hot nibbles. For mains, dig into their famous kebabs with a side of exotic Arabic salad, then finish up with sticky baklawa or belly-warming umm ali. Just watch your ordering—there is a plethora of tempting options and staff are prone to overestimate needs. No alcohol served.

The food isn't amazing, the service is nothing to write home about, but this is one of the most photo-worthy restaurants in the city of Dubai, and it won't cost you a fortune to sit and watch for awhile. Bayt al Wakeel is a heritage building, and their terrace leans over the water at the perfect position to watch the vibrant procession of abras between the souqs and creaking dhows on their way down to the customs yards. Order mint tea and a plate of mixed sambousek and refuel while you figure out which abra you need to catch to get yourself across the creek to the spice souq. If you have time, pop up to the rooftop to catch a front view over the creek mouth, and backward over the buildings of old Dubai. No alcohol served.

For a feast costing only around 35 dirhams, this is a great choice in the otherwise pricey Jumeirah district. As the name would suggest, the dum biryani is your best bet. Served in a terra-cotta pot, the dish is covered with pastry, which you must crack open to a rush of steam. They are usually enough to feed two, especially if you add some of their decadent dal makhani or butter chicken (great salads and chaat are also available as lighter options). The venue is clean and contemporary but tiny, and more diners take out than sit in. There are still pleasant places to sit, though, especially when the weather is not too hot and the terrace is open. No alcohol served.

There are two parts to Bussola, and both are well worth a visit. The first is the casual pizzeria, which rests on the rooftop capturing views of Palm Jumeirah, skydivers falling on the target at Skydive Dubai, and the illuminated dinner dhows that cruise the gentle bay in front. They serve delicious wood-fired pizzas, antipasti and salads in a convivial atmosphere, and it's possible to have a beer and share a pizza for around AED100. Downstairs is the fine-dining area, and one of Dubai's best Italian restaurants. Cuisine and the dress code are more serious, prices a little more uppity and the surroundings more sedate. Here look for very special homemade pasta, suckling pig and some luscious desserts.

This has been a favorite of expat families for many years. Not only is there a large terrace with Arabian gulf glimpses, but the kids (or young at heart) can decorate ceramics while they wait for their food. Service is friendly and varies in efficiency. The menu contains a long list of café basics, including salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, pasta, and some larger mains, and there's a kids menu, too (nuggets, hot dogs, and the like.)

Do note, in busy times, it can take up to 10 days to have your artwork fired after decorating it. If you are only in town briefly, make sure you check before you start.

Close to the Karama shopping district, many like to come here for thali, a south Indian meal involving bottomless refills of vegetarian curries, rice, and condiments, but we suggest you opt for their superb appams (lacy, bowl-shape rice crepes), and dip them in a mild and coconut-flavored prawn moilee. Other favorites include pandan chicken, mango fish curry, and frappes. Service is not perfect—you may have to ask for things several times, but the food makes it worth it. No alcohol served.

The original Fumés (there are now two in the city), this location is in Pier 7, a swanky tower overlooking the Dubai Marina, with seven restaurants serving seven different cuisines on seven levels. They are licensed to serve alcohol, which is done either in the bright and lively restaurant, or at the dark and brooding garage-style bar. The menu is varied, with fried foods partnered with piquant Asian flavors, pulled beef brisket, and banoffee pie. Drinking is a pleasure here—reasonably priced, with plenty of cocktails and mocktails to sample. Staff are casual and usually fairly friendly—just watch for busy times (Thursday and Friday night) when the service can't quite keep up with the crowds. Look for great business lunch and brunch deals; it's possible to eat here for less than AED50.

This hole-in-the-wall mainly offers take-out and home delivery, but it's possible to snag a seat, whether inside or at benches around a grassy area. Sausages are halal and gourmet, made of either chicken or Angus beef, and start at 17 dirhams, then go up at 1 dirham per topping. The menu is fairly simple but there are also some pasta dishes, hearty sides, and churros for dessert. It's one of the cheapest places to feed the family in the Dubai Marina if you don't want to go with an international chain, with a family deal coming in at around AED100. No alcohol served.

The Lime Tree Cafe was probably the first modern Western café to open in Dubai (2001), and although its popularity paved the way for many other similar establishments, many retain this as a favorite. Pop in for free-trade organic coffee and tea, and order superfluous salads, cakes, and other items by sight at the counter. Service is efficient and easy; its a great place for a quick, no-fuss bite, or to grab some home-made treats to take with you. No alcohol served.

Million-dollar views and fine dining without pretension, it's no surprise chef Jason Atherton's Marina Social is quickly becoming one of the most popular restaurants in Dubai. The menu is pure London, fun and fresh, with an emphasis on ingredient quality. There's an adjoining bar, and early suppers are also available if you just want a quick bite. If the food wasn't enough to get you in, then the views will. Social's terrace is smack in the middle of the Dubai Marina, and is definitely one of Dubai's top outdoor eating areas. Alcohol served.

Senara is not flashy, trendy, or glamorous, but it's a lovely and quiet place to sit and watch the sun go down over million-dollar yachts at one of Palm Jumeirah's many marinas. The interior is contemporary Moroccan in feel, and the outside is supercasual: benches, umbrellas, and a sea breeze, with fish-and-chips and ice-cold beers being the order of the day. Service is casual and friendly, but nothing happens too fast in this part of the world. There's not much around Senara; it's in a sleepy cove and hides behind a complex that looks a little like a cell-block, but it's perfect for those who want to enjoy the Palm (and some great food) without the pomp and ceremony.

Positioned a short walk from Umm Suqueim seashore, Surf Cafe is always packed with smiling patrons refueling after some serious beach activity. Sand on your shoes is not a prerequisite though, and you'll also find school mums enjoying a veggie breakfast, travelers chowing down one of the only good steaks in Dubai for under 150 dirhams, and families heading in for some kid-friendly yet healthy food. Offerings include a range of burgers, salads, and sushi, great coffee and smoothies, and plenty of superfoods for those who need more than starch and caffeine. The atmosphere is clean, wholesome and lively, and service friendly, if a little slow during busy hours. No alcohol served.

It’s a little hard to decide on a favorite in the Radisson Blu Dubai Creek—Shabestan (Iranian), Fish Market (fresh seafood), and Al Mansour dhow (dinner cruise), are also very tempting. But Yum! has earned a place at the top of our list. There is plenty of pan-Asian food available, and though it's not winning any gourmet awards, it definitely fulfills the promise of its name. The service is fairly efficient and the open kitchen is a treat to watch. For a licensed restaurant, the food is very reasonably priced—look for their soups and Singapore noodles, most of which are around 50 dirhams or under. Alcohol served.