Bistros, trattorias and the everyday places where Abu Dhabi actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Abu Dhabi actually eats.
Abu Kaabi Kabab Restaurant & Grills has served Syrian and Arabic grills in Al Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi, since 1975 and won an Urban Treasures award in 2023.
OrderThe quarter-kilo mixed grill, up to three cuts from AED 46 on the 2026 menu, with hummus at AED 17.
TipSandwiches are the cheap way in: kebab at AED 10, tikka and shish tawook at AED 14 each, against grill plates from AED 34.
Al Sultan Restaurant & Grill serves Lebanese mezze, grills and seafood in Al Danah, Abu Dhabi, and was honoured as an Urban Treasure in 2023.
OrderHot and cold mezze with a mixed grill, the specials What's On names in its April 2025 list.
TipThe restaurant has since opened other branches, so check you have the Al Danah room, whose phone number is +971 2 641 2511.
Al Dhafra Restaurant has served Emirati seafood and grills since 1993, moving from Mina Zayed to Heritage Park on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.
OrderGrilled seafood or a mixed grill platter, the two dishes What's On picks out for Al Dhafra in April 2025.
TipThe same operator runs three floating restaurants, Liwa, Toufan and AlFalah, which its own site presents as lunch cruises on the Gulf.
Taste of Kerala cooks home-style Kerala breakfasts, fish molee, beef ularthiyathu and six kinds of biryani on Old Passport Road, Al Danah, Abu Dhabi.
OrderFish molee or beef ularthiyathu with ghee rice, then a biryani from the six-kind list.
TipBreakfast plates of idly, dosa, appam and puttu with kadala curry sit beside the lunch spread, and the room opens at 06:00 most days.
Payyannur Restaurant serves nool parotta, thattu dosa with veg stew and Kerala-style biryani on Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street in Abu Dhabi, from 06:00.
OrderNool parotta and thattu dosa with veg stew, then the fish mango curry or the Kerala-style biryani.
TipOrder several plates for the table: Gulf News reports one group of six covered shrimp starters, fish mango curry, idiyappam and parotta.
Thalassery Thattukada serves Malabar parottas, beef curry, potthu kaal and mutton biryani from a small room near Big Mart in Al Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi.
OrderPotthu kaal, the bone cracked at the table for the marrow, with Malabar parottas, then the mutton biryani.
TipStart with a kadak tea, as Gulf News does, then order parottas, beef curry and potthu kaal; the tables gradually fill up by evening.
Dampa Seafood Grill serves Filipino boodle-fight seafood in Al Mariah Mall on Fatma Bint Mubarak Street, Abu Dhabi, with platters of shrimp, crab and mussels.
OrderA mixed seafood platter of shrimp, crab and mussels, or the Cajun shrimp, eaten with disposable gloves.
TipWhat's On notes platters arrive on paper with disposable gloves, so the meal suits a group sharing one large seafood platter.
Asyak Grill cooks Persian charcoal grills at Zayed Port in Al Mina, Abu Dhabi, with koobideh, hamour barg and mixed grill platters made for sharing.
OrderKoobideh or the marinated hamour barg, the two dishes the restaurant names on its own site.
TipWhat's On describes super-sized grills designed to share, so one mixed grill platter suits a table of friends.
Aroy Dee Thai Restaurant serves Thai street food such as pad Thai and curries on Electra Street in Abu Dhabi, with a bigger second room at Mushrif Mall.
OrderPad Thai, which Best Bites calls the national favourite, or the red curry with roasted duck.
TipBest Bites puts a meal for two under AED 120 and says the Mushrif Mall room is bigger, with floor seating as well as tables.
Desert Lotus serves Thai curries, larb and sushi on Al Rahah Street at Al Bandar in Abu Dhabi, with a waterfront terrace and a Thai owner and chef.
OrderMango sticky rice, which Best Bites orders on every visit, with the panang curry or the signature Bua roll.
TipBest Bites calls the terrace gorgeous when the weather is on your side; bookings are taken on 056 583 5591.
Qian Zhou Hot Pot serves buffet-style Chinese hotpot from AED 49 in the old cinema building on Najda Street, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, with a BBQ option.
OrderThe individual hotpot at AED 49 with the buffet counter, or hotpot with BBQ at AED 69, plus tax.
TipIt takes cash only and charges extra for food waste, so take only what you will finish from the buffet counter.
Fonda Colombiana serves empanadas, arepa de choclo and patacones con carne desmechada from a colourful villa on Al Mihtham Street in Al Manhal, Abu Dhabi.
OrderEmpanadas, arepa de choclo with cheese and patacones con carne desmechada, as Best Bites advises.
TipSeating runs from inside with air conditioning to outside among hammocks, and the restaurant takes reservations on WhatsApp.
Rempah Indonesian Restaurant Khalifa City serves bebek goreng surabaya, nasi goreng with satay and ikan pecak betawi in Abu Dhabi, with a branch menu.
OrderBebek goreng surabaya, the crisp herb-marinated duck The National picks, or the nasi goreng special.
TipThe two branches do not share menus, so the Khalifa City dishes named here may not appear on the Airport Road list.
Din Tai Fung serves steamed soup dumplings, crispy wontons and kung pao chicken on two levels of The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, daily.
OrderSteamed soup dumplings with the kung pao chicken, both named in What's On's July 2026 list.
TipWhat's On advises arriving early and hungry for The Galleria branch, the only Abu Dhabi room on the chain's locations list.
Bua Thai Cafe is a Michelin Bib Gourmand Thai room at Yas Bay Waterfront in Abu Dhabi, with steamed hagao, chicken green curry and mango sticky rice.
OrderSteamed hagao and the chicken green curry, then mango sticky rice, the dishes the Michelin Guide names.
TipMichelin suggests taking a terrace seat in cooler months and booking ahead, especially at weekends; the cafe opens from 12:00.
Al Ibrahimi Restaurant serves Pakistani mutton kabab, lamb chops and curries at Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi; the chain was named an Urban Treasure in 2022.
OrderThe mutton kabab or the lamb chops, which Best Bites singles out as perfectly seasoned.
TipBest Bites says it beats most food-court offers at Al Wahda Mall; the Electra branch has outdoor seating for cooler weather.
Tikka Tonight serves Pakistani BBQ platters, chicken boti and chapli kabab at its Madinat Zayed branch in Abu Dhabi, open daily until midnight or later.
OrderThe BBQ platter with marinated chicken boti and chapli kabab, ordered as several dishes to share.
TipBest Bites picks the Madinat Zayed branch over the chain's other rooms because it is quick and parking outside is usually easy.
Bonna Annee serves Ethiopian injera platters with shiro, misir wot, gomen and beef tibs in Al Zahiyah, Abu Dhabi, open daily from 10:00 to midnight.
OrderThe vegetarian platter on injera, with a side of beef tibs, as Best Bites recommends.
TipBest Bites says staff will explain the dishes and that a shared platter suits mixed groups of vegetarians and meat eaters.
Al Mrzab is a Michelin Bib Gourmand Emirati and Kuwaiti restaurant on Airport Road in Abu Dhabi, with majlis seating and photos of old Abu Dhabi on the walls.
OrderThe chicken machboos at about AED 61, then cooked-to-order khanfaroush drizzled with local honey.
TipIt runs on walk-ins and queues, and Michelin advises expecting a wait; seating splits between private cabins, majlis and regular tables.
Meylas is a Michelin Selected Emirati restaurant at Al Muneera, Abu Dhabi, begun as a food truck by Shaikha Al Kaabi and grown into an all-day eatery.
OrderThe machboos at AED 56 and the saffron balaleet at AED 35, both priced in tbreak's 2026 guide.
TipMichelin lists Meylas among Abu Dhabi's best breakfast spots; it opens at 08:30, and the chefs cook in an on-view kitchen.
Villa Mamas is a Michelin Selected Khaleeji restaurant in Abu Dhabi from Bahraini chef Roaya Saleh, serving chicken machbous and hummus with lamb cubes.
OrderThe chicken machbous and the hummus topped with lamb cubes that the Michelin Guide names.
TipVilla Mamas states that 20% of the restaurant's profits go to the Emirates Red Crescent.
Al Farah is a Michelin Selected Middle Eastern restaurant on Khalidiyah Street in Abu Dhabi, popular for breakfast, with manaqeesh and fresh oven bread.
OrderManaqeesh and the fresh bread coming straight out of the oven, the two things Michelin notices as you arrive.
TipExpect a queue of people collecting manaqeesh orders; the Michelin Guide lists Al Farah among the best breakfast spots in Abu Dhabi.
Kopitiam by Chandy's is a Michelin Selected Malaysian restaurant on Al Falah Street in Abu Dhabi, run by owner Chandy, with roti jala and daily specials.
OrderRoti jala, which the Michelin Guide says is always worth ordering, plus the blackboard specials.
TipA blackboard of daily specials supplements the short menu, and Michelin notes the kitchen is visible from the dining room and spotless.
Berenjak is a London-born Persian kebab house that opened in 2026 in The House villa in Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, cooking over a mangal across two floors.
OrderThe koobideh kabab, with kashk-e bademjoon and black chickpea hummus, the signatures FACT lists.
TipBerenjak is set in a standalone villa across two floors, with a four-seat chef's table beside the open kitchen and mangal.
MYNT is an Indian restaurant on Salam Street in Al Zahiyah, Abu Dhabi, serving tandoor dishes, curries, seafood and biryani from across India.
OrderThe murgh makhani, gosht khada masala and the daab chingri, Gulf prawns cooked with coconut and mustard.
TipFACT magazine singles out the Masala Jhinga Poppers as a crowd-pleaser and calls the chicken dum biryani and malai pista kulfi comforting bookends.
Taparelle is a Michelin Selected restaurant in Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, marrying French and Italian cooking in a room with locally sourced pottery.
OrderThe scallop Grenobloise, the oxtail ragu or the crispy charred sea bass named by the Michelin Guide.
TipFully licensed, it opens at 07:30 and closes at 23:00, or midnight on Friday and Saturday; Michelin says its Saturday brunches are a must.
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