Dubai is quite often associated with glitz, glamour and the need for a gilded purse...
But this month, Dubai’s annual Restaurant Week returns, inviting diners to experience ultra indulgent and award-winning restaurants at a fraction of their usual price.
From May 9 - 25, the best of the best Dubai restaurants have curated menus offering diners the rare chance to explore the city’s most celebrated kitchens, many of them recognised by Michelin for under Dhs250 per person. Over 100 restaurants are participating this year, each offering a two-course lunch for Dhs125 or a three-course dinner for Dhs250.
Whether you're craving creative street food, fine dining flair, or something in between, the 17-day festival is designed for anyone looking to eat well without breaking the bank. Although there are plenty of dining experiences to book as part of the summer edition of Dubai Restaurant Week, we think the highlights of this edition are the Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand awarded venues.
11 Woodfire
1 Michelin Star
At Villa 11 in Jumeirah, 11 Woodfire blends fire-cooked tradition with contemporary finesse. The Restaurant Week menu features starters like chlorophyll salad and bone marrow with curry leaves, and mains such as Atlantic sea bass with Kashmiri chili or lamb chops with a pimento rub. Dinner steps it up with dishes like French turbot and black Angus ribeye.
Michelin writes:
"The talented kitchen has the know-how to keep things simple, enhancing the skilfully cooked dishes subtly with well-judged seasoning."
Hoe Lee Kow
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Chef Reif Othman brings a Korean twist to Dubai Hills Business Park with Hoe Lee Kow, where contemporary BBQ meets traditional flair. Expect seafood yukhoe, lettuce salad and grilled sea bass for lunch. Dinner builds on the theme with jeju scallop, kimchi udon and the standout grilled bulgogi.
Michelin writes:
"The contemporary Korean eatery specialises in barbecue, with a nice selection of wagyu beef and a noteworthy marinated grilled salmon dish paired with gochujang sauce."
Indya by Vineet
Michelin Bib Gourmand
At Le Royal Meridien, Vineet Bhatia’s Indya offers vibrant Indian dishes full of colour and character. Lunch includes playful spins on gulabi puri chaat and butter chicken, while the AED250 dinner adds seekh kebabs, coriander fish tikka and chocolate golgappas.
Michelin writes:
"Street food meets sharing plates on the appealingly eclectic menu, with choices from the earth (vegetarian), land (meat) and sea. Colourful dishes, like the tandoori cauliflower roast, and lamb biriyani kofta, come in generous portions."
DUO Gastrobar
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Set in Address Grand Creek Harbour, DUO blends European technique with Asian flair in a stylish space. The lunch menu features tuna ceviche and duck ravioli, while dinner includes yellowtail with truffle and ribeye glazed with wasabi root.
Michelin writes:
"This place offers a good range of modern, flavourful dishes, where Asian influences and European accents are found in parallel. Their signature dishes are worth trying, especially the oxtail pie with Tallegio."
REIF Japanese Kushiyaki
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Chef Reif Othman’s restaurant continues to impress with skewers, truffle udon and Japanese street food favourites. Expect crispy baby squid and chicken katsu sando at lunch, or miso burrata and Angus claypot beef at dinner.
Michelin writes:
"The contemporary Japanese menu also covers a wide range of well-priced snacks, sushi and ramen, like their Tantamen ramen, raw salmon with crispy black rice and Wagyu steamed bun. Be sure to also save room for one of their creative desserts."
Revelry
Michelin Bib Gourmand
Located in Dubai Hills Estate, Revelry reimagines Indian cuisine with tapas-style plates and bold pairings. Lunch offerings include chicken tikka dim sum and roomali tacos, while the dinner menu features jackfruit momos and chettinad-spiced kebabs.
Michelin writes:
"The appealingly priced menu comprises a good range of well-crafted, balanced, and gently spiced contemporary Indian dishes, which combine tradition and modernity."
