6 of the best restaurants in Dubai this week: July 7 to 10
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KIRA's new Bar Bites menu is all about light, seasonal plates made to share – perfect for a mid-summer catch-up or a laid-back dinner. Designed around the crossroads of Mediterranean and Japanese flavours, the offering moves from crisp Padron peppers and tahina-miso aubergine to spicy tuna rolls, rock shrimp tempura, and wagyu skewers off the robata grill. Pair it all with a house cocktail (like the nutty Parmigiano Sour or the saké-forward Saké-Lini) and settle in for a refreshingly casual, quietly refined moment at the bar.
Location: KIRA, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab Hotel
Times: Sunday to Wednesday 12pm – 1am, Thursday to Sunday 12pm – 2am
Contact: (0)4 379 7977. @ kira restaurant
Reservations: kira -restaurant.com Hanaaya, Jumeirah Mina Al Salam
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Tortuga is back – and for the summer only. The cult Mexican spot has returned as a seasonal pop-up at Jumeirah Mina A'Salam, taking over a corner of Hanaaya with all the hits: sizzling fajitas, chimichangas, street corn, and of course, tacos. It runs daily from lunchtime through to late evening, but Tuesdays are the big one. Expect favourites like carne asada with cheese crust and taquera salsa, or the crispy Baja-style fish with chile arbol emulsion. It's loud, laid-back, and full of flavour – just how it should be.
Location: Hanaaya, Jumeirah Mina A'Salam
Times: Daily, 12:30pm to 10pm
Cost: Taco Tuesdays priced at Dhs150 (unlimited tacos) or Dhs250 (with 3 drinks)
Contact: 800 323 232 jumeirah.com J ou Jou Brasserie
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Available Monday to Friday, La Pause is a three-course midday menu guided by Chef Gioia's refined Italian sensibility. Starters include dishes like ricciola hamachi with espelette vinaigrette or a crisp artichoke salad, followed by mains such as fregola alla norma, oxtail ravioli, or Provençale sea bream with mussel jus. To finish, there's a standout chocolate and olive oil slice cake by Chef Nicolas Lambert – indulgent, buttery, and just the right amount of sweet.
Location: Jou Jou Brasserie, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
Times: Monday to Friday, 12:30pm to 5:30pm
Cost: Dhs165 per person, Add Dhs120 for two beverages
Contact: (0)4 270 7950 @joujoudubai Jamavar
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Jamavar has launched Spice & Spirits – a new four-course tasting menu where every dish is matched with a cocktail that does more than just sit pretty on the side. It's all about contrast and balance: smoky prawns with apricot palomas, rich butter chicken offset by a kaffir-lime-spiked daiquiri, and dessert paired with an espresso martini laced with saffron. Available from June 19, guests can choose between vegetarian or non-veg options – both deeply rooted in Indian culinary heritage but reimagined through flavour-pushing drinks. The setting? Intimate, warm, and already MICHELIN-starred less than a year since opening.
Location: Jamavar, Address Residences Opera District, Downtown Dubai
Times: Daily from 12pm to 12am (from 12:30pm on weekends)
Cost: Dhs395 per person
Contact: 04 553 7852. jamavarrestaurants.com. @jamavardubai Magadan
Seafood lovers, this one's calling your name. Magadan's Aphrodisiac Time is a daily ritual built around fresh oysters and free-flowing house wine. Here, it's unlimited oysters and house wine – simple as that. It's relaxed, easy, and ideal for a sunset session on Palm West Beach that feels a little indulgent, in all the right ways.
Location: Magadan, Radisson Beach Resort, Palm West Beach
Times: Daily
Cost: Dhs225 per person
Contact: (0)52 101 1075. @magadandubai North Audley Cantine
Images: Supplied
The French bistro everyone in Dubai keeps returning to just launched a fresh all-day breakfast menu. North Audley Cantine (NAC) in Al Safa is now serving breakfast from 9am to noon, Monday to Thursday – perfect for whether you're starting early or craving some comfort food later. Expect light, fresh, and flavourful dishes like shakshuka poached eggs, Turkish eggs, and scrambled eggs with Monterey jack and jalapeño mayo in a brioche bun. Can't pick just one? The NAC Breakfast Plate has a little bit of everything. If you're after something green, try their signature kale and cabbage salad with parmigiano, pine nuts, golden raisins, and honey za'atar dressing. Sharing plates also make a comeback with favourites like honey sweet potato, popcorn chicken with spicy mayo, crushed burrata, and chicken sliders with sriracha mayo. For dessert, choose from crushed milk chocolate cookies with frosties soft serve, speculoos French toast with raspberries and clotted cream, ricotta pancakes with dulce de leche and banana, or a daily pastries basket – perfect alongside your coffee.
Location: H Residence, Al Safa
Times: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 12pm
Contact: (0)43791774 @nacdubai
Reservations: nacdubai.com
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