For years, chefs in the UAE and foodies have lamented the lack of a Michelin Guide in Dubai. Until now.
In a ceremony at Dubai Opera on Tuesday, it was announced that 11 restaurants had been awarded stars; nine with one each and two with two stars.
Here's an introduction to each of these world-renowned hot spots.
11 Woodfire
Number of stars: one
The swanky spot is led by chef Akmal Anuar, of 3 Fils and 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 on 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.
In January, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, also gave his stamp of approval. 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."
Open Monday-Friday noon-midnight, Saturday-Sunday 10am-midnight; Villa 11, 75B Street, Jumeirah 1; 04 491 9000; www.11woodfire.com
Al Muntaha
Number of stars: one
Located in one of the world's most famous hotels, Burj Al Arab, Al Muntaha offers fine dining in an inimitable spot. French and Italian cuisine by chef Saverio Sbaragli, who trained under chef Alain Ducasse, is served on the 27th floor of the sail-shaped property, with spectacular views and a romantic setting.
On the menu is everything from carpaccio to langoustine royale, and bluefin tuna tataki to Australian Angus.
Open daily 12.30pm-2.30pm and 7pm-10pm; Burj Al Arab, Umm Suqeim 3; 04 301 7600; www.jumeirah.com
Armani/Ristorante
Number of stars: one
The world's tallest building is where you'll find Armani/Ristorante, which is in Burj Khalifa's Armani Hotel. The contemporary Italian spot boasts chic decor, with a choice between a la carte or a signature tasting menu.
Burrata, foie gras, oysters and caviar are some of the finest ingredients on the menu, alongside dishes such as linguine pasta with clams and Sardinian mullet roe emulsion, butter-poached blue lobster and braised lamb shank with crispy polenta, to name a few.
An exclusive chef's table experience is also on offer.
Open Saturday-Thursday 6.30pm-11.30pm, Friday 6pm-11pm; Armani Hotel Dubai, Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard; 04 888 3666; www.armanihoteldubai.com
Hakkasan
Number of stars: one
The world-famous Cantonese restaurant moved locations in 2018 and has thrived in its new home at Atlantis, The Palm. Its familiar decor — the dark woodenpanelling and intimately arranged seating — is still around, as are many of its signature dishes.
It focuses on authentic Chinese food using modern cooking techniques and top-quality ingredients. Some of its most famous plates include the crispy duck salad, grilled Chilean sea bass, dim sum and Wagyu short rib, to name a few.
Its Abu Dhabi outpost, which is located in Emirates Palace, was listed as No 25 on the Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list.
Open Tuesday-Sunday 6pm-11pm, closed Monday; Atlantis, The Palm, Palm Jumeirah; 04 426 2626; www.hakkasan.com
Hoseki
Number of stars: one
Despite its minimalist setting, the nine-seater Japanese restaurant Hoseki is all luxury. It offers a traditional omakase set-up, where the customer lets the chef decide what dishes to serve, and uses quality seafood, which is sourced directly from Tokyo’s well-known Tsukiji fish market.
During dining, chef Masahiro Sugiyama — whose family history in sushi-crafting goes back more than 150 years — bases his courses on the preferences of the guests at the counter. Aside from the unique dining experience, there’s also the view, with the intimate dining room looking out over the Dubai skyline.
It recently came in No 44 on the Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list.
Open Thursday-Sunday from 1pm, Wednesday-Sunday from 6pm; Hoseki, Bulgari Resort Dubai; 04 777 5433; www.bulgarihotels.com
Ossiano
Number of stars: one
Ossiano is known around the globe as Dubai's "underwater restaurant". Located in Atlantis, The Palm and seating 50 guests, it takes diners 10 metres down to the bottom of one of the world’s largest aquariums.
Chef Gregoire Berger has launched a nine-step menu guided by his respect for seasonality, terroir and sea foraging. All ingredients are sustainably sourced from the oceans or within 50 kilometres of a coastline. From a delicate whelk shell served on a bed of sand and filled with umami dashi, to Brittany brown crab, fragrant kari gosse and bouillabaisse essence, dishes also highlight Berger’s love of telling stories through food.
Open daily 6pm-10pm; Atlantis, The Palm, Palm Jumeirah; 04 426 2626; www.atlantis.com
Tasca by Jose Avillez
Number of stars: one
Situated on the sixth floor of Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Tasca by Jose Avillez is a relaxed Portuguese spot that fuses the best of what Dubai has to offer: gleaming Burj Khalifa views through the floor-to-ceiling windows to one side, and a glimpse of the glittering Arabian Gulf across a pool-speckled terrace from the other.
The menu is contemporary with small, sharing plates on offer, and the cuisine predominately takes inspiration from the chef's native Portugal, where his portfolio of restaurants — spread across Lisbon and Porto — includes Cafe Lisboa and Cantina Do Avillez.
Such influences can be found in the chef's chicken peri-peri, named after the chilli pepper found across Africa and adopted by the Portuguese in the signature dish's spice blend. Tasca is also swimming in fresh seafood, from cod and octopus to red shrimp and lobster, which is brought to the city from Portugal and cooked in the restaurant's open kitchen. Carnivores and vegetarians are catered for, too.
Open Sunday-Friday 12.30pm-3pm and 6.30pm-11pm, Saturday 12.30pm-4pm and 6.30pm-11pm; Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Jumeirah Beach Road; 04 777 2231; www.mandarinoriental.com
Torno Subito
Number of stars: one
From the bold monochromatic stripes at the entrance, to the sunshine yellow tiles, glossy teal counters and pink-washed ceilings, the entire place is a fusion of perky hues that shouldn't work together, but somehow do.
Massimo Bottura's first restaurant outside his native Italy, based in W Dubai — The Palm, evokes 1960s charm fused with beachside allure and chic diner-style vibes. Candy-coloured booths and glowing neon signs are paired with nostalgia-dipped Hollywood-esque graphics.
Complementing this lighthearted sense of fun, the menu is decidedly playful. Dishes such as Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart, Snails in the Vineyard or the Crunchy Part of the Lasagne, reflect Bottura’s sense of joyous creativity.
Open Sunday-Thursday 12.30pm-3pm and 6.30pm-11.30pm, Friday-Saturday 12.30pm-11.30pm; W Dubai on The Palm, Palm Jumeirah; 04 245 5555; www.tornosubitodubai.com
Tresind Studio
Number of stars: one
Tresind Studio is a chef’s table experience from sister restaurant Tresind. Having started out by serving just 20 guests in a room tucked behind the main restaurant in the voco Dubai hotel, it has now branched out on its own, with a 8,000 square foot space, with indoor and outdoor seating, at Nakheel Mall.
The brainchild of chef Himanshu Saini has been winning rave reviews for serving modern Indian molecular gastronomy.
Saini’s elevated take on the cuisine includes a 16-course set menu which changes its theme every couple of months and is a dining experience like no other.
Most recently, it came in fourth place on the Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list, and won the Art of Hospitality Award.
Open Tuesday-Sunday 6pm-midnight, Monday closed; Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah; 058 895 1272; www.tresindstudio.com
Il Ristorante — Niko Romito
Number of stars: two
Il Ristorante — Niko Romito is a celebration of Italian culture in the heart of upscale Dubai. Located at Bulgari Resort, the elegant restaurant infuses Italy's heritage, cuisine and sense of hospitality. Fabulous views across the Arabian Gulf are on offer, as well as sophisticated interiors and fine ingredients.
Niko Romito, a chef already lauded by Michelin, merges modern and classical Italian dishes on a menu that's renowned for its simplicity and consistency.
Dishes include King crab with Oscietra caviar and potatoes, Italian milk-fed veal with tuna sauce, linguine pasta with lobster and red prawns, and roasted squid with carrot sauce, vinegar and taggiasca olives, to name a few highlights.
Open daily 6pm-11pm, brunch Saturday 1pm-4pm; Bulgari Resort Dubai, Jumeirah 2; 04 777 5433; www.bulgarihotels.com
Stay by Yannick Alleno
Number of stars: two
Yannick Alleno is a world-renowned chef with three Michelin-starred restaurants under his belt, including three for Alleno Paris — now he can add Stay by Yannick Alleno to the list.
The moody yet elegant French restaurant, which is located at One&Only The Palm, describes its offering as an "epicurean experience of menus curated especially for you".
This is more of a silver service experience, where white tablecloths, vaulted ceilings and dramatic chandeliers set the tone for a meal to remember.
Classic techniques meet contemporary ideas here, and an a la carte menu is served, alongside seasonal tasting menus. There's a focus on seafood and meaty mains, with ingredients from lamb to turbot and foie gras, but also vegetarian and vegan options.
Open Tuesday-Sunday 7pm-11pm, closed on Mondays; One&Only The Palm, Palm Jumeirah; 04 440 1010; www.oneandonlyresorts.com
Michelin's Green Star
Lowe
A home-grown dining concept, Lowe offers a contemporary, experimental menu featuring seasonal produce all cooked naturally on fire. It has been given the first and only Green Award by Michelin in Dubai, which is for its efforts in sustainability.
An open kitchen concept centres around a charcoal grill, rotisserie and wood-fired oven. Part of the Nasab creative community and co-working space, Lowe specialises in rustic, accessible, relaxed dining, offering dishes such as burnt aubergine dip with seaweed zaatar, torched Hokkaido scallop and bottarga toast, and spiced lamb dumplings with sour cream, pine nuts, chickpeas and smoked chilli butter.
It was also listed No 23 on the Mena's 50 Best Restaurant list, as well as receiving the Sustainable Restaurant Award.
Open Wednesday and Thursday 6pm-11pm; Friday-Saturday 8am-4pm and 6pm-11pm; Sunday 8am-4pm; Koa Canvas, Al Barari, Wadi Al Safa 3; 04 320 1890, www.lowe-dubai.com
Scroll through the gallery below to see more from the Michelin Guide Dubai event:
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Aregentina/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlans/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (Serbia/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (Netherlands/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Alisson (Brazil/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands/Juventus), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (South Korea/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (Brazil/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (France/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Brazil/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (Eengland/Manchester City), Joao Félix(Portugal/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (Austria/Chelsea), Ellen White (England/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (Sweden/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (France/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(England/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (Netherlands/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (Netherlands/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
