There is a certain element of theatricality expected of luxury dining—a fact that the top fine dining restaurants in Dubai understand all too well. Delve deeper within the city’s culinary gems and you’ll find gourmands from around the world flocking to Michelin-approved menus served against jaw-dropping panoramas. Cancel all your weekend plans and head to the top dining experiences in Dubai that the world has its eye on.
What is fine dining?
- Fine dining is often mistaken simply as a luxury culinary experience—but that would be a great disservice, as though to call the sun a shining orb in the sky.
- Instead, fine dining attempts to whisk gourmands away into an immersive world where every ingredient unfolds like poetry.
- Presentation, service and ambiance all unite to create a mellifluous melange for a meal unlike any other.
- The element of luxury is further heightened by a sense of intimacy, with many fine dining restaurants in Dubai only accepting a limited number of guests for creating an unparalleled experience.
What is the fine dining dress code for ladies?
- Before you Google “fine dining restaurants near me,” it is helpful to understand the dress code required for the occasion.
- While you needn’t go black-tie only, most fine dining places in Dubai adhere to a strict dress code.
- Flip flops, sneakers and casual footwear are all frowned upon. Instead, you’ll want to allow your quest for fine dining dress ideas to be guided by elegant sheath dresses, cocktail gowns and chic jewelry.
- Why? At its core, fine dining is an occasion that transcends the ordinary and as a consequence, dressing the part can help create an immersive experience for all patrons.
What is the most expensive restaurant in Dubai?
- A quick sweep of the culinary landscape in Dubai and you’ll know that there is no dearth of restaurants waiting to take home this crown.
- You have the royal gold biryani at Bombay Borough priced at AED 1,000 while a single scoop of the black diamond ice cream at Scoopi can set you back by AED 3,000.
- More exclusive experiences, like the infinity dinner at The Link, offer up an intimate evening for twenty guests only at AED 15,000.
Does Dubai have Michelin restaurants?
- In a city that is synonymous with superlatives, the dining scene is nothing to scoff at either.
- Dubai plays host to a wide array of Michelin-starred restaurants, ranging from Trèsind Studio and STAY by Yannick Alléno’s commendable round-up of two Michelin stars each.
- A host of restaurants have also swept in one Michelin star apiece—Orfali Bros Bistronomy, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Ossiano—with their mastery over the world of gastronomy.
- Ready to experience the best fine dining dishes that Dubai has to offer? Step right this way towards our edit of the most unforgettable dining experiences in the city.
In the quest for Michelin restaurants in Dubai, Trèsind Studio unfailingly dominates conversations—and it isn’t hard to see why. Having received its second Michelin star in 2023, Trèsind is one of the top fine dining Indian restaurants in Dubai that explores the finer nuances of regional cuisine through a distinctly nostalgic lens. For a Friday night unlike any other, draw up a chair at Dubai’s best fine dining restaurant and lose yourself in the delicacies that the Deccan Plateau, Thar Desert, coastal plains and the Himalayan mountains have to offer.
Don’t leave without: Sinking a spoon into the charred lobster tail swimming in a bed of corn and tamarind curry.
Book reservations here or visit Trèsind Studio – St. Regis Gardens – The Palm Jumeirah – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9715 889 51272
STAY by Yannick Alléno
One&Only The Palm isn’t known to do things by half measure—and STAY by Yannick Alléno is no exception. Doused in contemporary spirit, guests can choose to draw up a seat under a glittering canopy of crystal chandeliers or snag a table outdoors when the weather is kinder. On the two Michelin-starred menu is a roster of elaborately prepared multi-course meals. Titled ‘emotion’ and ‘experience’, the menus tip their hats to the magnanimity of dining as an event in its own right.
Don’t leave without: Sampling the blue lobster civet, doused with pomme anna and topped off with lovage oil and coral powder. This is classic French cuisine—elevated to daring new heights.
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Book reservations here or visit STAY by Yannick Alléno – One&Only The Palm – Crescent Road (West) – The Palm Jumeirah – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 440 1010
What does fine dining at the world’s tallest tower look like? Expect stop-and-stare panoramas of Downtown Dubai. The refined flavors of contemporary French cuisine to be enjoyed at leisure as you float among the clouds. Art Deco-inspired flourishes wherever the eye can see—vivid pops of burgundy, gleaming marbles and mosaics—plucked right from the pages of a 1920s novel. This is luxury dining at its finest.
Don’t leave without: The gilded finishes in the menu are not to be missed—whether you are sipping on a gold cappuccino for the ‘gram or digging into a 24-karat gold burger.
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Book reservations here or visit At.mosphere – 57XF+J8R Burj Khalifa – 122nd Floor – Downtown Dubai – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 888 3828
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Dubai
In the quest for unforgettable meals prepared by the top fine dining chefs in Dubai? Dinner by Heston Blumenthal’s Dubai chapter will undoubtedly top your list of luxury dining experiences in Dubai. Laying claim to one prestigious Michelin star, chef Blumenthal would like to whisk you away to medieval Britain with historically inspired dishes.
Don’t leave without: Embarking on a joyful promenade through the 1300s with this contemporary interpretation of a medieval elderflower cheesecake.
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Book reservations here or visit Dinner by Heston Blumenthal – Atlantis The Royal – Crescent Rd – Palm Jumeirah – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 426 2444
Looking for fine dining with a sea view in Dubai? Ossiano will do you one better with floor-to-ceiling windows that open into the prized aquarium at Atlantis, The Palm. With one Michelin star to its credit, the nautically-inspired menu focuses on weaving a rich narrative with every bite.
Don’t leave without: Slicing a fork through the smoked salmon—now reimagined as a crystal sphere bathed in plankton sauce.
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Book reservations here or visit Ossiano – Atlantis, The Palm – Crescent Rd – The Palm Jumeirah – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 426 0770
Borrowing cues from the Bvlgari Hotel in Milano, Niko Romito’s Il Ristorante infuses a slice of Italian heritage into the culinary landscape of Dubai. Counted among the most coveted Michelin Guide restaurants in Dubai, Italian flavors assume the spotlight here—grounded in chef Romito’s signature no-frills simplicity.
Don’t leave without: Trying your hand at the season’s speciality. The classic ravioli: made by hand, piped with tender braised oxtail and cooked in classic Roman style.
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Book reservations here or visit Il Ristorante – Niko Romito – Jumeirah 2 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 777 5622
On the quest for Japanese fine dining in Dubai? Zuma might just have the answers that you seek. Having first opened doors in 2008, it has since inspired a slew of big-ticket culinary names to train their focus on DIFC. Zuma, however, continues to stand heads and shoulders apart from the competition with its innovative take on contemporary Japanese cuisine as one of the best Asian fine dining restaurants in the city.
Don’t leave without: Finding a spot by the glass-paneled sushi counters for an immersive approach to the cuisine. Depending on who you are dining with, there is also an intimate lounge, geometric bar and a formal dining room to be considered.
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Book reservations here or visit Zuma – 8 Al Mustaqbal St – Trade Centre – DIFC – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 425 5660
A cross between an urban majlis and a hidden garden, Ninive manages to deliver the best of worlds. Strands of Arabic, Gulf and North African cuisines all work their way into the menu here—reviving lost culinary traditions from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Morocco and beyond. Looking to expand your horizons? For the season, Ninive is offering a chef’s selection set menu highlighting classic delicacies from the region.
Don’t leave without: Treating your tastebuds to a flavorful tagine stew that will arrive at your table in handcrafted crockery unique to the venue.
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Book reservations here or visit Ninive – Jumeirah Emirates Towers – Emirates Towers Hotel – Sheikh Zayed Rd – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 326 6105
What happens when three brothers with a passion for gastronomical art unite to revisit their Syrian roots? Orfali Bros Bistronomy has the answers. The menu at this Michelin restaurant in Dubai—the brothers picked up their first star this year—serves as a showcase of all that’s new and modern and yet, familiar and nostalgic as the trio revive the culinary traditions they grew up with, now elevated to poetic proportions.
Don’t leave without: Experiencing the legend of the imam who fainted at the unforgettable taste of aubergines—served here with a contemporary twist.
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Book reservations here or visit Orfali Bros Bistronomy – D92 – Jumeirah – Jumeirah 1 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 259 2477
From London, New York and Miami to Las Vegas and Mykonos, La Petite Maison (LPM) has been winning over palates and patrons around the world. Landing in the bustle of DIFC, the French restaurant instantly makes its presence known—slicing through the industrial chaos of the area to deliver the enviable ease of a stolen Côte d’Azur reprieve.
Don’t leave without: Treating yourself to a mouthful of the tarte tropézienne à la fleur d’oranger that will linger on your mind long after you have left.
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Book reservations here or visit La Petite Maison (LPM) Dubai – Gate Village No, 8 – DIFC – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 439 0505
From the house of Salvatore Ferragamo, a modern interpretation of Tuscan cuisine lands in the turtle lagoon of Jumeirah Al Naseem. Ingredients are ferried over directly from the sunny landscapes of Tuscany—honey, olive oil and select vegetables hail from Il Borro’s own organic farm—giving a whole new dimension to the farm-to-table movement.
Don’t leave without: Inviting the specialties of the season to your plate at one of the top fine dining Italian restaurants in Dubai—like this steamed seafood salad crafted with authentic ingredients from the Tuscan countryside.
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Book reservations here or visit Il Borro Tuscan Bistro – Jumeirah Al Naseem – 906 Jumeirah St – Umm Suqeim 3 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 275 2555
Counted among the top 15 fine dining restaurants in Dubai with a view, Alici offers up Italian seafood coupled with the irresistible coastal charm of its interiors. Feel the breeze of Bluewaters Island rifle through your hair as you pause in between sumptuous courses to stare at the azure waters from a terrace seat during the colder months of the year.
Don’t leave without: Checking out the hype around the restaurant’s seafood fare—shipped fresh daily from Italy and served in innovative ways.
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Book reservations here or visit Alici – Bluewaters Island – Dubai – United Arab Emirates, +9714 275 2577