With restaurants opening almost everyday, it’s not easy to decide where you’ll be having dinner tonight. Dubai alone saw the arrival of so many eateries in the last trimester of 2022, it’s barely possible to keep up. To make it somewhat easier to navigate between the new and our fav OGs, here’s a list of where things have never gone wrong for us, from food to service.

By Cynthia Jreige

Indochine on Instagram

INDOCHINE

One of DIFC’s favourite, Indochine has managed to become a destination for many occasions whether you’re on a cute first date, having dinner with the fam or celebrating with the gals. Cocktail selection is not your typical G&T while the food has maintained an excellent standard since the opening already 5 years ago.

Amongst our favourites, the spicy squid salad, the vegetable summmer rolls, the sea bream carpaccio and our number 1, the typhoon shelter prawn have not failed to disappoint the many times we had them. Service, was always very friendly while the setting and ambiance will make of your night one to remember.


INDOCHINE
Level 2, Precinct Building 3 – Gate District – DIFC – Dubai
+971 4 208 9333
Bookings: indochinedxb.com



 

The Typhoon Shelter Prawn

AL HALLAB BAB AL BAHR

This is probably one of these restaurants you’d overlook if you’re hoping to have a hip, fancy night with your favourite cocktail in hand. This Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid blvd spot is rather perfect to enjoy delicious food, Lebanese seafood to be precise, with fresh ingredients and some interesting variations like a shrimp shakshuka that are well executed with no fuss. You can even indulge in some delicious sushis.

Their desserts are the perfect ending to a great meal, especially the karabige (small pistachio maa’moul to be had with natef). It’s also very fairly priced for Dubai.




AL HALLAB BAB AL BAHR
29 Burj Dubai Boulevard – Moh’d Bin Rashed Blvd – Downtown Dubai – Dubai
+971 4 456 2881

Al Hallab Bab Al Bahr on Instagram

Al Hallab Bab Al Bahr on Instagram

MAISAN 15

If you wanna make sure you’ll spot the JDEED team, head to Maisan 15 on a weekend for brunch; 95% chances of finding us having what is only the best acai bowl in town. Why the best you ask? Because it’s really not too sweet, it’s perfeclty frozen and the home-made granola and home-made peanut butter you can top it with are just the most delicious we’ve had.

The house bread, burgers and “Croque Maisan” will make you regret you skipped the gym this morning, but is so worth it that oh well, you’ll surely have two more bites. Not to be skipped, the pistacchio latte that we order hot with almond milk- this drink is out of this world.



MAISAN 15
36JW+229 – Al Barsha – Al Barsha South – Dubai
+971 4 244 7291

Maisan 15 on Instagram

Maisan 15 on Instagram

AMONGST FEW CAFE

Another JDEED’s favourite, Amongst Few Cafe is the perfect spot for vegans and non vegans-alike (because they’ll never realize they’re eating plant-based.) Where to even begin? The fluffy pancakes, the “yard” breakfast , the gyros, the avocado toast that here takes another meaning… All that served in the coolest ambiance, with the friendliest staff and the option to go check out some cool sneakers, buy a copy of JDEED at the store or even get groomed at the barber shop right above..Amongst Few is a way of life more than just a cafe.


AMONGST FEW
Bahwan Complex – Villa #3 – 966 Al Wasl Rd – Umm Suqeim 1 – Dubai
+971 4 236 0031

Amongst Few Café on Instagram

Amongst Few Café on Instagram

EM SHERIF SEA CAFE

One of our favourite Beirut restaurant is now open at The Rosewood in Abu Dhabi and the news alone made us so happy we had to run and try it.
Gorgeous set-up, super professional and kind staff, Em Sherif standard food (aka the best, let’s settle the debate right now), we were convinced. We tried the seafood moghrabiyeh, which as surprising as it sounds was just as delicious as you could imagine it to be. 

The Sea Cafe Beirut remains our number one for the shrimp hummus (you can however have shrimp mouttabbal here) but we will definitely return as everything we had was just top notch.


EM SHERIF SEA CAFE
Rosewood Hotel – Al Maryah Island – Abu Dhabi Global Market Square – Abu Dhabi
+971 2 626 2895

Em Sherif Sea Cafe Abu Dhabi on Instagram

AOK KITCHEN 

During our first visit to Riyadh, we headed to KAFD (the city’s financial district) and took the escalator down to AOK, the famous London eatery that landed in Saudi last year. The place is chic but still laid back and the menu is so appealing we had a very hard time choosing. The gnocchis and pancakes will have to be our favorite and, we mean it, these pancakes were in the top 3 of the best we ever, ever had – they’re just something else.

We particularly loved AOK for its parti-pris to not use refined sugar and to limit to the minimum the use of gluten and dairy which doesn’t compromise the incredible flavours at all. Staff was also very kind, which is always a plus. And to make everything even better, they recently added the iconic London tea-time on the menu, the perfect way to spend an afternoon with your family and friends.




AOK KITCHEN
KAFD Al Aqiq, Riyadh 13519, Saudi Arabia
+966 9200 25304

AOK Kitchen Saudi on Instagram

AOK Kitchen Saudi on Instagram

WILD AND THE MOON

With several locations across Dubai, Wild And The Moon is the perfect place to grab a super healthy meal presto. Everything there is vegan and gluten-free and the offering is different than what most of this type of places usually serve. Here the dishes are funky – grilled cheese sandwich, “rawliflower” salad, mango rolls… with incredible flavours and nutrients that are good to your body and mind.

The home-made almond/coconut milk gives the cappuccino a super interesting and delicious taste and we love to have it with a peanut-butter and chocolate bite for the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. The restaurant also offers detox programs, starting with a one-day cleanse, in case you’d want to reset your organism after a heavy end-of-the-year.




WILD AND THE MOON
Alserkal Avenue, DIFC and Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Boulevard next to Souk Al Bahar

Wild & The Moon AE on Instagram

Wild & The Moon AE on Instagram

MEZYAN

This Hamra spot is known by locals and tourists alike to serve some of the best food in Beirut for incredibly affordable price. A mix of Moroccan, Lebanese and Armenian cuisines, the dishes are so perfeclty balanced in flavours. Come hungry as the portions are huge – we truly recommend not to miss the grilled halloumi, the rikakat, the “zaalouk”, the fattoush, the hindbeh, the chicken and eggplant and finally the vegan apple pie.
You’re also in for a fun night at Mezyan, with cool tunes played in a warm and half-lit ambiance.





MEZYAN
Rasamny building, Street, Hamra – Beirut Lebanon
+961 71 293 015

Mezyan by @Ferpatatas on Instagram

Have you tried any of these restaurants? Let us know your comments on our Instagram!