Upscale in Dubai

11 Woodfire ★ 4.5

11 Woodfire is chef owner Akmal Anuar's one Michelin star villa conversion in Jumeirah 1, Dubai, grilling everything over oak, hickory and hay.

Jamavar Dubai ★ 4.4

Jamavar Dubai in the Opera District, Downtown Dubai, holds one Michelin star for regional Indian cooking, with a weekday lunch and all day menu.

Julith Coffee and Roastery ★ 4.4

Julith Coffee and Roastery is a roaster and brew lounge in Al Quoz, Dubai, where head roaster Serkan Sagsoz brings a Turkish Barista Championship background.

TipTell the barista what flavours you like before ordering, the pour over bar builds the cup around your answer.

Hutong ★ 4.3

Hutong in DIFC, Dubai, recreates a Northern Chinese dining hall for Peking duck, with a lunch, dinner and Thursday night dark brunch service.

OrderPeking duck, Hot and sour soup

NAC (North Audley Cantine) ★ 4.3

NAC brings the Mayfair cafe of the same name to Al Safa in Dubai, serving an all-day French bistro menu at H Residence on Al Wasl Road every day.

TipBook ahead for the weekend, when the all day menu draws a brunch crowd.

Mokha 1450 ★ 4.3

Mokha 1450 is a luxury coffee boutique on Al Wasl Road in Al Bada'a, Dubai, roasting rare single origin lots from Ethiopia, Yemen and Cuba too.

TipBeans come from women owned farms, ask the counter for the current Yemeni Sabree if it is on the shelf.

Shang Palace ★ 4.2

Shang Palace on the first floor of the Shangri-La Dubai serves Cantonese cooking and a carved whole Peking duck on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.

OrderPeking duck, Dim sum

Kairos Coffee Assembly ★ 4.2

Kairos Coffee Assembly roasts Ethiopian and Colombian single origin lots on the UAE's first zero emission Bellwether roaster in Al Quoz, Dubai.

TipThe Bellwether roaster sits behind white glass by the bar, so you can watch a batch while you drink.

Al Mandaloun ★ 4.1

Al Mandaloun has served Lebanese mezze in DIFC's Gate Village since 2005, a Dubai room built for a business lunch or a shisha evening outside.

OrderShish tawook with garlic sauce, ordered alongside a round of hot and cold mezze.

TipIn cooler months the outdoor lounge between the DIFC towers is the draw, with shisha and mezze late into the evening.

Kalpaka A Malabar Restaurant ★ 4.1

Kalpaka A Malabar Restaurant cooks Kerala coastal seafood inside the Regent Palace Hotel in Al Karama, Dubai, with a lunch and a late dinner service.

OrderKarimeen pearl spot fry with kappa tapioca and a Malabar prawn curry.

TipLunch and dinner are separate services, with a break in the afternoon.

tashas Marina Mall ★ 4.1

tashas overlooks the marina from Dubai Marina Mall, a South African-founded cafe in Dubai known for its glass cake counter and terrace tables.

TipBook ahead for a window table; the marina view is the reason regulars keep coming back here.

Honeycomb Hi-Fi ★ 4.1

Honeycomb Hi-Fi sits on the 2nd floor of Pullman Dubai Downtown, billed as the region's first listening bar, with vinyl, izakaya food and a record shop.

TipWeekly listening sessions with resident DJs draw a crowd, so check the schedule before choosing your night.

tashas Marina Mall ★ 4.1

tashas Marina Mall draws a weekend brunch crowd to its glass cake counter and terrace tables inside the Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Marina, Dubai.

OrderThe rooibos iced tea with a weekend brunch plate

TipBook ahead for a window table; the marina view is the reason regulars keep coming back here.

Lulu and the Beanstalk ★ 4.0

Lulu and the Beanstalk pairs a bookshop of over 1,000 rare books with a cafe and bar inside ICD Brookfield Place in DIFC, Dubai, closed on Sundays.

TipIt shifts from cafe to bar after dark; come in the afternoon to browse the rare books.

Delizie Caffe Gourmet ★ 3.9

Delizie Caffe Gourmet serves Italian breakfast and lunch at Dubai Harbour Yacht Club, Dubai, with views of the Dubai Marina skyline and Ain Dubai.

TipTake the outdoor terrace, which looks over the yachts in the harbour.

The Penthouse ★ 3.9

The Penthouse tops FIVE Palm Jumeirah on the 16th floor, a rooftop lounge and nightclub with a terrace that looks across to the Marina skyline.

TipIt opens at 17:00, well before the club crowd, so come for sunset on the Marina terrace.

CE LA VI ★ 3.9

CE LA VI spans the 54th floor of the Address Sky View hotel in Downtown Dubai, combining a restaurant, sky bar and pool deck above the skyline.

TipThe terrace looks straight onto the Burj Khalifa, so ask for it when you book.

Bahri Bar ★ 3.9

Bahri Bar looks out from the Jumeirah Mina A'Salam hotel in Dubai over the waterways of Madinat Jumeirah, pouring Silk Route spiced cocktails.

TipCome for sunset: the bar pairs its Silk Route cocktails with live music and burgers in the evening.

Alma Bar ★ 3.9

Alma Bar sits inside Sucre on the DIFC Podium Level in Dubai, a Soho-born cocktail room with live bands, resident DJs and digital art behind the stage.

TipLive music starts at 21:00 on Wednesdays.

VNTG ★ 3.9

VNTG pours more than 350 wine labels at the JW Marriott Marquis hotel in Dubai's Business Bay, a grape and cheese society off the all-day eatery.

TipAsk the sommelier for the daily flight of three 75ml pours rather than committing to a bottle on a first visit.

Bread Street Kitchen ★ 3.9

Bread Street Kitchen is Gordon Ramsay's Saturday brunch at Atlantis The Palm in Dubai, serving British classics in a warehouse style dining room.

OrderThe British classics from the brunch menu, with the kids' entertainment if you bring children

TipThe Saturday brunch runs 12:30 to 16:00 and is pitched at families, with events to keep children entertained.

S Bar ★ 3.8

S Bar sits on the 71st floor of SLS Dubai in Business Bay, pouring cocktails behind floor to ceiling windows, with a non-alcoholic menu and afternoon tea.

TipGo for the afternoon tea seating first, then stay on for cocktails once the sun drops behind the towers.

Attiko ★ 3.8

Attiko sits on level 31 of W Dubai Mina Seyahi hotel in Dubai Marina, a high energy rooftop for sundowners that runs into a late Dubai night out.

TipFloor to ceiling windows frame the Palm Jumeirah; come for sunset before the DJs take over.

Above Eleven ★ 3.8

Above Eleven sits 14 floors up at the Marriott Resort on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, a Bangkok-born rooftop pairing Nikkei fusion food with cocktails.

TipAsk for a rail seat facing the Marina rather than the bar side, since the purple-lit terrace is the main draw.

Luna ★ 3.8

Luna sits on level 8 of the Four Seasons Hotel DIFC, an Adam Tihany designed rooftop lounge with Burj Khalifa views and the Churchill Club cigar room.

TipThe Churchill Club cigar lounge sits just off the main terrace if you want a quieter corner after a drink.

The Red Leopard Room ★ 3.8

The Red Leopard Room hides behind burgundy curtains off the W Dubai Mina Seyahi lobby, a House of Negroni speakeasy tracing the drink to modern twists.

TipAsk the bartender to start with a classic Negroni before moving on to the contemporary twists, so the comparison makes sense.

Soirée ★ 3.8

Soirée pours biodynamic and natural wines in the Opus building in Business Bay, Dubai, with more than 50 selections by the glass alone at the bar.

TipWednesday is wine and cheese night; the room is built like a Manhattan parlour around a chimney and an art deco bar.

Vintage Cheese & Wine Bar ★ 3.8

Vintage runs a cheese and wine bar on the first floor of the Wafi Pyramids, pairing a long cheese display with hams, terrines and a sommelier-picked list.

TipGo on fondue night or flight night, the weekly offers that show the cheese counter and the wine list at their best.

19 Sixty-Four by McGettigan's ★ 3.8

19 Sixty-Four by McGettigan's pours sommelier-led wine tastings and flights at Souk Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, built around wine, not a side list.

TipStart with the Wine 101, three sommelier-picked wines for AED 99, served from 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday.

The Agency ★ 3.8

The Agency at Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai is a lounge for wine, crafted cocktails, premium cigars and live jazz evenings on Sheikh Zayed Road.

TipEvenings bring live jazz, so book a table if you want to sit.

Toro Toro ★ 3.8

Toro Toro runs its Sunset Brunch on Saturday afternoons at Grosvenor House in Dubai Marina, with Pan-Latin plates and churrasco cuts at the table.

OrderThe churrasco grill cuts of chicken, lamb and beef

TipThe brunch ends at 17:30; the afterparty that follows is a separate two hour drinks package.

Privilege ★ 3.7

Privilege at SLS Dubai is a 75th floor rooftop pool and nightclub venue in Dubai's Business Bay, home to two infinity pools set 325 metres up.

TipDaytime access is a different ticket to the Wednesday and weekend nightclub, so check which session you are booking.

Asia Asia ★ 3.7

Asia Asia occupies level 6 of Pier 7 in Dubai Marina, Dubai, an Ancient Spice Route styled restaurant and bar with a terrace over the yacht bay.

TipBook the terrace for the view over the Marina; weekend afternoons bring a Saturday brunch.

Barfly by Buddha-Bar ★ 3.7

Barfly by Buddha-Bar tops the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah hotel, a neo-baroque Dubai rooftop pairing Asian fusion plates with signature cocktails.

TipThe rooftop looks over the Palm Jumeirah land and seascape; come for sunset.

Trader Vic's Madinat ★ 3.7

Trader Vic's Madinat has poured Mai Tais at Souk Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai since 2004, a Polynesian room with live music and tiki carvings inside.

TipThe Cuban band plays most evenings, so ask for a table near the small stage rather than the quieter back room.

Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar ★ 3.7

Blush Wine and Cocktail Bar at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort in Dubai Marina pours over 110 wines by the glass on a Coravin system, around a Gin Tree bar.

TipAsk the team about the Coravin list if you want to try a rare bottle without committing to the whole thing.

Salero Tapas and Bodega ★ 3.7

Salero Tapas and Bodega pours Spain's regional wines alongside tapas at the Kempinski Mall of the Emirates hotel in Dubai's Al Barsha district.

TipA singer and guitarist play from 20:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and flamenco dancers from 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bistro Des Arts ★ 3.7

Bistro Des Arts overlooks Dubai Marina with a 1970s Parisian look and a garden style terrace, pouring a French wine list by the carafe and bottle.

TipThe garden vibe terrace over the Marina water is worth requesting ahead of the indoor bistro seating.

Vera Versilia ★ 3.7

Vera Versilia pairs Tuscan coastal cooking and a crudo counter with a curated list of coastal wines at the Kempinski Mall of the Emirates hotel in Dubai.

TipAsk about the unlimited wine pours offer and the chef-led crudo experience.