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What's On
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- What's On
5 new restaurants in Dubai you'll want to try this June
Written by: Lana Du 1 hour ago Dubai's always got something new cooking, and June is no exception. This month, there's an exciting lineup of new restaurants in Dubai to explore. From classic Greek dining to innovative Cantonese cuisine, here are 5 new restaurants in Dubai to check out this June. Click through the gallery 3 of 12 The iconic London-born Cantonese restaurant makes its Middle East debut at The Lana Promenade. Opulent, Art Deco glamour meets 1930s Shanghai. Think mirrored ceilings, stained glass, intricate wallpaper, and a moody, elegant cocktail bar. Offering: A refined take on Cantonese cuisine by Chef Li Zhenjun. Signature dishes include Xiao Long Bao, Sir David's Hot & Sour Soup, Whole Lobster with E-Fu Noodles, and the famous Beijing Duck, roasted in a custom oven and carved tableside. New Dubai exclusives include Foie Gras Cherries, Da Hong Pao Lamb Cutlets, and Honey-Glazed Beef Char Siu. Timings: Opening daily 12pm to 11pm Location: The Lana Promenade, Dorchester Collection, Marasi Bay Marina Contact: (0)4 295 7464. @chinatang_dubai The newest name at Pier 7, Elaia brings a laid-back take on Mediterranean dining with a menu made for sharing. Expect dishes like crispy zucchini, melitzanosalata, grilled octopus, and salt-baked red snapper, plus wood-fired pizzas and a solid wine list. Inside, the space is low-lit, warm, and spacious, with Marina views if you're sitting outside. Offering: Mediterranean sharing plates, seafood, wood-fired pizzas, fresh breads and dips, curated wines. Timings: Daily, 12pm to 1am Location: Elaia, Pier 7, Dubai Marina Contact: (0) 4 576 2389 . @elaiadubai Just launched on the upper floor of Bla Bla Dubai in JBR, Replay is a new karaoke lounge built for Dubai's summer nightlife. With seven private themed rooms, a main lounge with a DJ booth, and over 80,000 songs across 20+ languages, it's made for post-brunch hangouts, group celebrations, and special nights out. The menu features salmon tacos, dynamite shrimp, truffle pizza, and more. Offering: Private karaoke sessions are priced at Dhs45/hour (2+ hours) or Dhs55/hour (1-hour bookings). Timings: Open daily from 5pm to 3am Location: Replay, Bla Bla Dubai, JBR Contact: (0)4 584 4111. @replaydubai This June, Dubai gets two new spots that take dining and nightlife up a notch. Geisha is a Pan-Asian lounge with a live sushi bar and crafted cocktails. After 11PM, the vibe turns up with live bands and DJs. Just steps away inside the restaurant, Opal Room is a hidden speakeasy offering a low-key, intimate escape as the night unfolds. Opening June Location: 16th floor of Emirates Financial Towers in DIFC Culinara Social Dining is one of the newest arrivals on Dubai's culinary map. Set 100 metres above the city in The Link at One Zaabeel, this sky-high food hall brings together 12 of the region's most exciting chefs, homegrown concepts, and indie favourites, all under one roof, in a buzzing, beautifully designed spot. Timings: Open daily from 12pm to 11pm, Coffee and breakfast available daily from, 7am to 11pm. Location: The Link, One Zaabeel, 24th Floor. Contact: Images: Supplied/ Instagram > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
What's On
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- What's On
5 of the best restaurants in Dubai this weekend: May 30 to June 1
No plans? You do now… Outside is cancelled 'til further notice, but Dubai is in its glow-up era anyway. The temps are rising, but so is the lineup – which makes these 5 of the best restaurants in Dubai worth leaving the house for. Save this list. Above Eleven When the rooftop isn't enough, there's the rhythm. Ritmo Arriba is Above Eleven's new weekend vibe – a moody late-night line-up of Peruvian-Japanese favourites, pisco cocktails, and a live three-piece Latin band to turn up the tempo. On the menu? Think ceviches, bao, tartares and grilled anticuchos served in style, with cocktails that lean classic or fruit-forward (hello mango & mandarin). Offer: Ritmo 211 oriced at Dhs211 for three dishes and three drinks, Ritmo Libre priced at Dhs311 for three dishes and two hours of free-flow drinks Timings: Fridays & Saturdays, 8pm to midnight Location: Above Eleven, Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah Contact: (0)4666 1407 . @aboveelevendubai Elaia, Pier 7 The newest name at Pier 7, Elaia brings a laid-back take on Mediterranean dining with a menu made for sharing. Expect dishes like crispy zucchini, melitzanosalata, grilled octopus, and salt-baked red snapper, plus wood-fired pizzas and a solid wine list. Inside, the space is low-lit, warm, and spacious – with Marina views if you're sitting outside. Offering: Mediterranean sharing plates, seafood, wood-fired pizzas, fresh breads and dips, curated wines. Timings: Daily, 12pm to 1am Location: Elaia, Pier 7, Dubai Marina Contact: (0)52 503 6910. @elaiadubai Antika Antika has relaunched its signature brunch – this time at its new home inside 25hours Hotel, and with an updated vibe. Expect a spread of hot and cold mezze, raw seafood and meats, grilled mains, and classic desserts like Kunafah – plus live music, belly dancers, and a DJ that keeps the afternoon going. Offering: A Levantine brunch with mezze, grilled meats, seafood, desserts, and live entertainment Packages: brunch is priced at Dhs320 (Non-Alcoholic), Dhs450 (Arak & Spirits), Dhs495 (Premium with Prosecco, Beer & Spirits). Timings: Saturdays, 2pm to 6pm Location: Antika, 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central Contact: (0)507359177. @antikadubai China Tang The iconic London-born Cantonese restaurant makes its Middle East debut at The Lana Promenade. Opulent, Art Deco glamour meets 1930s Shanghai. Think mirrored ceilings, stained glass, intricate wallpaper, and a moody, elegant cocktail bar. Offering: A refined take on Cantonese cuisine by Chef Li Zhenjun. Signature dishes include Xiao Long Bao, Sir David's Hot & Sour Soup, Whole Lobster with E-Fu Noodles, and the famous Beijing Duck – roasted in a custom oven and carved tableside. New Dubai exclusives include Foie Gras Cherries, Da Hong Pao Lamb Cutlets, and Honey-Glazed Beef Char Siu. Timings: Opening daily 12pm to 11pm Location: The Lana Promenade, Dorchester Collection, Marasi Bay Marina Contact: (0)4 295 7464. @chinatang_dubai Tatel The Entre Amigos Brunch at Tatel is stylish, buzzy, and full-on Spanish. Starters include crispy Andalusian-style squid, garlic shrimp, chicken croquetas, ceviche with mango and sweet potato, and a cold cuts + cheese board. Mains include creamy seafood rice or beef tenderloin with chimichurri. Desserts go big: Basque-style cheesecake and a rich chocolate cake with sea salt. Offer: Valencia package (non-alcoholic) priced at Dhs355, Madrid package (with Cava) priced at Dhs455, Dubai package (with Champagne) priced at Dhs725. Timings: Every Saturday, 2 pm to 6pm Location: TATEL, Downtown Dubai, Hotel Boulevard, Autograph Collection Contact: Tel: (0)4 215 2121 @ Images: Supplied/Instagram
Euronews
13-04-2025
- General
- Euronews
‘An ecocide': How olive oil giants are using a mega dam to take over Portugal's growing region
ADVERTISEMENT Standing under an enormous olive tree, José Pedro Oliveira gently caresses its gnarled trunk. 'It is more than one thousand years. Maybe older than Christ,' he says. Located near Serpa, in the gently rolling hills of Alentejo in southeastern Portugal, his 30-hectare olive grove is part of a mosaic of oak and fruit trees, pastures and agricultural land that has been passed down through generations. From his family, Oliveira inherited his surname - which means 'olive tree' in Portuguese - and the traditional landscape of montado , an agrosilvopastoral system that combines production and nature conservation. 'Many of these trees are thousands of years old, but they are still bearing fruit. It's a living museum,' he says with pride. Every year, visitors come to marvel at the monumental trees and to study the grove's 17 different local olive varieties. Related Toxic dust and stressed seals: What the shrinking Caspian Sea could mean for people and nature 'Their determination is heroic': Portuguese youth mount fresh climate lawsuit against government Super-intensive olive plantations have taken over Oliveira has preserved a diverse landscape that is becoming increasingly rare in Alentejo, as super-intensive monoculture olive plantations expand, replacing traditional orchards. 'It's a staggering contrast. The only thing they have in common is that it's the same species,' he says. Unlike his rain-fed olive grove with trees that have deep roots and a long lifespan, irrigated plantations can have up to 2,500 trees per hectare that are planted in uniform rows and last only a few decades. These monoculture plantations use highly productive dwarf varieties adapted to mechanisation, achieving very high yields. However, they rely on irrigation, heavy machinery and agrochemicals, which lead to soil erosion and biodiversity loss. The artificial lake feeding Portugal's olive oil empire Across Alentejo, the uniform hedgerows of olives stretch as far as the eye can see. The area's irrigated plantations have expanded rapidly in the last two decades with the supply of water from the Alqueva reservoir , the largest artificial lake in Western Europe. Built with public funds, the dam was designed to bring economic growth to one of the continent's poorest and driest regions. But the irrigation has mostly benefited large corporate groups profiting from super-intensive olive plantations. According to EDIA, the public company managing the Alqueva reservoir, more than 80 per cent of its water is used to irrigate intensive olive and almond plantations. In 2024, it provided water to 74,059 hectares of olive groves, mostly super-intensive hedgerows. A few large companies like Elaia, De Prado and Aggraria - some of the world's biggest olive oil producers - control the majority of the region's irrigated land. The construction of the Alqueva dam on the Guadiana River, first proposed by dictator António de Oliveira Salazar in the 50s, flooded 25,000 hectares of land, destroying ecosystems and submerging the village of Luz as well as dozens of archaeological sites. The Alqueva dam has helped Portugal become one of the world's top exporters of olive oil. André Paxiuta More than one million trees were felled. A few old trees were transplanted before the flooding, and now adorn gardens and squares across Alentejo, standing as the last remnants of a vanished landscape. Susana Sassetti, director of Olivum, an association representing olive producers with about 50,000 hectares of olive plantations, says that it was thanks to the Alqueva dam that Portugal became one of the world's top exporters of olive oil. Since the dam became operational in 2002, olive oil exports have increased 12-fold in volume and 18-fold in value, reaching about €900 million annually, she says. ADVERTISEMENT The intensification of olive oil production has been driven by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) incentives and a global rise in olive oil demand. From 2007 to 2020, Portugal's olive sector received over €1 billion in agricultural subsidies. EDIA's president, José Pedro Salema, says the dam has an important strategic role in ensuring the region's water supply, and has created jobs and attracted investment. However, the highly mechanised intensive plantations rely mostly on seasonal and poorly paid migrant labour. The dam has not stopped rural depopulation. Between 2011 and 2021, Alentejo lost over 52,000 residents, the largest population decline in Portugal. ADVERTISEMENT Related Steel walls and barbed wire fences: How the rise of tough EU borders is hurting wildlife Dying for a glass of wine? South African farm workers fight EU's 'toxic trade' in pesticides The environmental impact of intensive olive plantations While Alqueva's irrigation system and intensive olive plantations have been very profitable for investors in the short term, there are growing concerns about the environmental costs. Scientists and environmentalists have warned that intensive olive farming in southern Portugal is transforming a once diverse landscape into monotonous rows of intensive plantations, damaging ecosystems and contaminating water and soil with agrochemicals . For Teresa Pinto Correia, a professor at the University of Évora who specialises in rural landscapes, public investments in the Alqueva dam have mostly benefited a small group of big companies and foreign investors. This has led to land concentration and an unequal distribution of water at artificially low prices. 'The price of the water should account for the infrastructure, which includes not only the costs of building the dam but also the irrigation channels, water transportation, and the electricity needed to pump the water over long distances and to higher elevations, which is very expensive.' But this is not reflected in the price paid by users, she explains. ADVERTISEMENT The dam represents the largest public investment made in agriculture in Portugal's modern history, at a cost of €2.5 billion. EDIA plans to expand irrigation to cover an additional 470 square kilometres, a project that will also be financed with public funds. A newly planted olive plantation in Brinches, Portugal. André Paxiuta 'A lot of the companies [using Alqueva's water] are investment funds focused on profit and completely detached from the territory. They are not thinking about passing on a sustainable future to the next generations' says Pinto Correia. She worries that these profits are being made at the expense of Alentejo's natural resources, with little oversight or regulations. ZERO, a leading environmental organisation in Portugal, has condemned the unchecked spread of monoculture plantations in Alentejo. Pedro Horta, ZERO's policy officer, has documented many environmental violations and infractions, including the destruction of vital water networks, damage to protected areas and priority habitats, as well as harmful agricultural practices that are causing soil erosion and degradation. ADVERTISEMENT 'Given the scale of the transformation of the landscape, we can call this an ecocide,' says Horta, pointing out that super-intensive plantations have led to significant biodiversity loss and environmental destruction. A report published by EDIA found that intensive hedgerow plantations support only half the number of species found in traditional olive groves. Another study , by a team of researchers from different Portuguese universities, shows how the expansion of super-intensive agricultural systems is drastically reducing diversity and shrinking bird communities in Mediterranean olive orchards. Related Spain, Italy, Portugal: Which European countries are most vulnerable to drought? Climate change is exacerbating water stress For many, the current trajectory is unsustainable in a region increasingly affected by drought and extreme weather events. A study by the consulting firm Agrogés predicts that climate change will increase water demand for irrigated olive groves by 5 per cent to 21 per cent, while average annual inflows to the Alqueva reservoir are expected to decrease by 5 per cent to 10 per cent by 2050. ADVERTISEMENT 'We won't have enough water,' says Pinto Correia. She fears that the simplification of ecosystems in homogeneous landscapes will make the region even more vulnerable to climate change . Resting in the shade of an ancient olive tree that has endured centuries of drought, storms and natural disasters, José Pedro Oliveira is confident that unlike irrigated plantations, his rain-fed olive grove will continue to bear fruit for generations to come. This project was supported by Climate Arena.
