It’s no secret that Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, is well acquainted with the UAE’s bustling food scene. From fine-dining establishments to burger joints, he’s been spotted supporting many restaurants in the UAE.
Here are some restaurants Sheikh Hamdan has eaten at over the years.
L'Amo Bistro Del Mare
In May, Dubai's Crown Prince had a leisurely weekend lunch at L'Amo Bistro Del Mare, which recently opened at Dubai Harbour Yacht Club and is helmed by Italian hospitality company Mine & Yours Group.
While we don't know what Sheikh Hamdan feasted on, the restaurant is famed for fine-dining seafood dishes such as saffron risotto with langoustine and Oscietra caviar; Wagyu alla Griglia; Margherita pinsa; and an elaborate plateau royale, a selection of langoustine, red and violet prawns, Italian oysters, scallops, and spaghetti Mancini with pecorino cheese and sea urchin.
SushiSamba
In January, Sheikh Hamdan was spotted with football royalty, as he posted a photo of himself with Portuguese athlete Cristiano Ronaldo at SushiSamba in Dubai.
"Dubai loves you back," Sheikh Hamdan captioned an image of the pair alongside six other diners at a table overlooking the city's skyline at the restaurant on the 51st floor of The St Regis Dubai, The Palm. We can't be sure of what the group ate, but the multifaceted menu blends Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian influences, making it a firm favourite with Dubai diners.
Sheikh Hamdan also shared a photo of the two of them at Aura Skypool, the world's highest 360-degree infinity pool, located on the 50th floor of The Palm Tower.
11 Woodfire
In January, the Crown Prince also gave his stamp of approval to new restaurant 11 Woodfire. After he stopped by, the restaurant put up a post documenting the visit: "Thank you for visiting us HH @faz3 it was our honour and pleasure to serve you."
The swanky spot is helmed by chef Akmal Anuar, of 3Fils, Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori fame. Located in a villa on Jumeirah Beach Road, it "celebrates earth's natural bounty and community" with a theme that centres around a warming fire. It's why the menu is brimming with dishes prepared using various techniques of grill cooking and an array of wood types. Some examples being the Wagyu kebabs with fresh bread and truffle, Australian T-bone steak, king crab with lemon butter, and sea bass with a salted crust and tamarind.
Adrift Burger Bar
Within the Expo 2020 Dubai site, celebrity chef David Myers's Adrift Burger Bar racked up quite the clientele. In October, Sheikh Hamdan was spotted at the six-month pop-up restaurant known for its burgers and shakes.
Adrift Burger Bar was first launched by Myers in California in 2020. The new Dubai pop-up keeps most of the California menu intact, so guests can expect dishes such as the Adrift burger, the Earth burger and the Good Morning burger, as well as the famous DM burger (a must-try, says Myers). Other intriguing dishes include curry leaf fries and chocolate miso caramel milkshake.
Caviar Kaspia
In October, Sheikh Hamdan stopped by Parisian hot spot Caviar Kaspia, which opened doors in DIFC last year. The restaurant shared a picture of the Crown Prince of Dubai with a caption stating they were "delighted to welcome him".
Caviar Kaspia first opened its doors in 1927 in Paris and is considered to be an institution and a celebrity favourite, having welcomed the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce and Jay-Z, Emily Ratajkowski and the Hadid and Kardashian sisters over the years.
The newly opened Dubai branch is a "natural extension of the Parisian space" complete with a lounge and terrace area. As the name suggests, many dishes on the menu come loaded with caviar, including eggs, toast, pasta and the famed Kaspia baked potato.
Czn Burak
The restaurant by celebrity Turkish chef Burak Ozdemir, better known as CznBurak, opened in Downtown Dubai in December 2020, and Sheikh Hamdan was among the first to dine there.
Specialising in dishes that seamlessly blend meat, rice, vegetables and spices all thrown into one massive cauldron, the chef is known for doing everything in a larger-than-life manner, all the while staring straight into the camera with a grin (that's become part of his social media appeal).
The restaurant has earned quite a reputation over the year, thanks to its hearty fare, live presentations by staff, and surprise appearances by the chef himself.
Fika
In November 2019, Fazza, as he's affectionately known, was snapped at Fika, which opened its doors at Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
The restaurant posted a picture of the encounter on its Instagram handle, saying: "It was a pleasure to welcome HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (@faz3) for lunch today."
Fika, which serves wholesome, simple food, is the brainchild of prolific Dubai chef Izu Ani, and this is not the first time Sheikh Hamdan has been spotted at an Ani establishment.
In November 2018, Ani posted a picture of the two together after Sheikh Hamdan visited his Greek restaurant Gaia in DIFC. Sheikh Hamdan has also been spotted in the chef's Izu Brasserie and The Lighthouse in Dubai Design District.
Al Ustad Special Kabab
This one’s something of an institution in bustling Bur Dubai. Started by the late Mohammed Ali Ansari, the restaurant is now handled by his sons. The walls of the unassuming space are plastered with pictures of famous faces who have visited the restaurant and sampled its kababs over the years – from Emirati blogger Khalid Al Ameri and Bollywood actor Salman Khan to Sheikh Hamdan, of course.
Ammos
After being spotted in Gaia, Sheikh Hamdan had residents wondering whether he was a fan of Greek food when he was also seen at Ammos at Rixos Premium Dubai JBR in March 2019. The restaurant took to Instagram to share a picture of its head chef and Sheikh Hamdan at the restaurant, calling it "a great honour".
Salt
In 2014, food-truck sensation Salt Dubai was launched by two Emirati entrepreneurs and it made quite the buzz with its creative #findsalt campaign. Featuring a limited but much-lauded menu of sliders, shakes and fries, the Kite Beach hangout became a favourite of many, including Sheikh Hamdan.
Avli by Tashas
Another Greek restaurant that got a visit from Sheikh Hamdan, this one is the brainchild of South African restaurateur Natasha Sideris, who founded the Tashas Group. She was snapped alongside Sheikh Hamdan when he visited Avli in Four Seasons Hotel Dubai DIFC only a few days after its early 2019 launch.
Masti
With a menu by chef Hari Nayak, Masti Dubai is known for its reinterpretation of Indian cuisine (think butter chicken pizza and saag paneer lasagne), in a colourful, quirky setting. And it must be doing something right as Sheikh Hamdan visited the establishment in February 2018, according to a post on La Mer’s Instagram handle.
10 BB Social Dining
Located in DIFC, this cosy nook is hailed by many as a hidden gem. The brainchild of Alex Stumpf (the head chef behind Peyote), BB features Middle and Far Eastern cuisine, including edamame hummus and baos, some of the dishes that Sheikh Hamdan enjoyed during his 2018 visit.
Flow
It’s a cafe inspired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, so it came as no surprise when the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai was spotted getting a cuppa there along with his son in 2018. Located in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the cafe is known for its organic, wholesome bites and peppy staff.
Basta! By David Myers
Courtesy of chef David Myers, Basta! prides itself on being a Roman trattoria, Florentine steakhouse and Neapolitan pizzeria rolled in one, and in 2018 it secured a rather important customer.
Sheikh Hamdan has been spotted at the joint repeatedly, once even posing for a picture with Myers.
She Burger
Sheikh Hamdan was seen paying tribute to yet another home-grown brand when he stopped by She Burger in January 2018. Founded by Shaikha Eissa, this casual eatery has a number of burgers with quirky names (Gone in 60 seconds or Mad Cow, anyone?).
Nammos Dubai
In December 2019, Sheikh Hamdan made a stop at Nammos, soon after it opened. The Greek eatery posted a picture of Sheikh Hamdan, alongside Ibrahim Samy, founder of Nammos World, and Mohammad Akif Raza. "We are very honoured to have had HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, visit us today," the post read.
