The holiday season is about gathering around the table with loved ones to share delicious meals, and Abu Dhabi’s vibrant dining scene has plenty to offer – even for those on a budget. Whether it’s a relaxed Christmas Eve dinner or a lively Christmas Day brunch, the capital is brimming with affordable options below the Dh500 mark. Here are our top picks.
For Dubai celebrations, our guide of pocket-friendly options can be found here.
Christmas Eve
Urban Kitchen
The restaurant in Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi will serve an expansive buffet featuring a carving station of classics, from roast turkey lamb rack to veal tonnato with quail eggs, beef rib-eye and salmon Wellington. Seafood lovers can indulge in lobster, prawns and crab, with sides such as roast beetroot and blue cheese salad. The buffet also includes dishes from other cuisines, such as Japanese, Arabic, Indian and Thai. Desserts on offer include panettone to Christmas cake.
December 24; 7pm-10.30pm; from Dh245 per person; Al Muroor Road; 050 760 3425
Villa Toscana
At this Tuscan style restaurant in The St Regis Abu Dhabi, diners can indulge in a four-course meal which includes dishes such as sea bass ceviche with Amalfi lemon and mango gel and fresh handmade tagliolini in prawn bisque for starters. Main course options include slow-cooked Wagyu beef fillet and cured amberjack. For desserts, Caprese cake with chestnut cream and banana-passion fruit gelato will be served.
December 24; 7pm-midnight; from Dh450 per person; Al Bateen; 02 694 4553
The Terrace on the Corniche
For a buffet with a view, diners can head to this restaurant, also part of The St Regis Abu Dhabi. Dishes include fresh oysters, prawns, razor clams, plus an array of salads and cheeses. There's also a live rotisserie with golden roast turkey with chestnut stuffing, complemented by seafood platters and turkey charcuterie. Other mains include beef Wellington and persillade-crusted sea bass.
Christmas-themed desserts will be served too, such as gingerbread creme brulee, Christmas pudding and Buche de Noel. A saxophonist and vocalist duo will provide entertainment.
December 24; 7pm-midnight; from Dh300 per person; Al Bateen; 02 694 4553
Sevilla
The restaurant in Al Raha Beach Hotel is serving a buffet on Christmas Eve, with an extensive spread of starters, salads and festive treats such as a traditional roasted turkey. Save space for a Christmas pudding and other themed desserts.
December 24; 7pm-11pm; from Dh225 per person; Al Raha; 056 545 0274
Sidekicks
Apt for families with young children, the restaurant at The WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton will host a buffet spread with live cooking stations. A dedicated children's station is on site too, with dishes such as mini burgers and sweet potato fries. Special appearances from Warner Bros characters will add to the festive cheer.
December 24; 6.30pm-10.30pm; from Dh199 per person; Yas Island; 02 815 0000
Benihana
Those looking for Japanese food can head to this Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi restaurant, known for its live teppanyaki cooking. Seats directly face a team of theatrical chefs, preparing everything from sushi and sashimi to makimono and steaks. No minimum spend is required for diners in this a la carte meal.
December 24; 6pm-11pm; no minimum spend; Al Zahiyah; 02 697 9000
Shang Palace
Another Asian meal is on offer at the restaurant in Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, which will serve a curated menu with Chinese classics by chef Qiguo Su and paired with seasonal beverages. The USP is a traditional gongfu tea ceremony, which will be performed by the hotel's resident tea master during the meal. Younger guests can enjoy a visit from Santa Claus too.
December 24; 6pm-11pm; from Dh288 per person; Khor Al Maqta, Qaryat Al Beri; 02 509 8555
The Foundry
The restaurant in Southern Sun will serve a seven-course set menu for Christmas Eve, starting with an amuse-bouche of caviar blini with creme fraiche, followed by an appetiser of foie gras terrine with spiced fig compote. Other dishes include lobster bisque with tarragon foam, seared black cod with miso glaze, beef tenderloin with truffle jus and dark chocolate fondant with spiced orange sorbet.
December 24; 7pm onwards; from Dh299 per person; Tourist Club Area; 056 515 3388
Bait Al Hanine
The family-friendly restaurant in Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa is hosting a Christmas Eve buffet complete with live cooking and carving stations. Think grilled meats, smoked brisket and traditional turkey. Fresh seafood is also an option, as well as a range of Christmas-themed sweets.
December 24; 7pm-11pm; from Dh300 per person; Al Wathba; 02 204 444
Christmas Day
Garage
The popular B. I. G brunch at the W Abu Dhabi Yas Island restaurant is getting a festive makeover for Christmas Day. The menu includes seasonal dishes such as roast turkey, pumpkin-crusted lamb loin, rib-eye roast, beef medallions and Yorkshire pudding. A lavish cheese selection with fig jam, walnuts and cranberries, and desserts such as yule log cake and snowflake eclairs will also be available. Entertainment comes by way of dancers, a DJ, faux snow and a visit from Santa.
December 25; 1pm-4pm; from Dh450 per person; W Abu Dhabi Yas Island; 02 656 0000
Catch at St Regis
Seafood is the star at the festive brunch with live music in this restaurant at The St Regis Abu Dhabi. Dishes include lobster, crispy calamari, grilled prawns and sushi rolls. Meat-lovers can opt for roasted turkey and rib-eye carvings.
December 25; 1pm-4pm; from Dh500 per person; Al Bateen; 02 694 4553
Aqua
The restaurant at Rosewood Abu Dhabi has a buffet on Christmas Day, complete with a visit from Santa Claus. On the menu are classics such as turkey stuffing, grilled sea bass, lamb rump and cold cuts. There's a pie station, plus as desserts such as panettone, chocolate yule log, Christmas pudding and gingerbread cookies.
December 25; 12.30pm-4pm; from Dh390 per person; Al Maryah Island; 02 813 5550
Roots Bar & Kitchen
A festive brunch with a lively programme for families is on the cards in the Yas Acres restaurant. The multi-cuisine spread aside, there will be a photo booth, a visit from Santa Claus, a magic show, plus access to Little Acres Kids Club for face-painting and slime-making.
December 25; 12.30pm-4pm; from Dh320 per person; Yas Island; 050 757 4808
Valgerand
The Mamsha Al Saadiyat venue offers a taste of a Nordic Christmas. The set menu features dishes such as chicken liver mousse and cranberries, smoked salmon rosti and Estonian potato salad for starters. Mains include smoked boneless prime beef rib roast, grilled salmon with creamy sauce, roasted duck breast with cranberry sauce and charcoal-grilled cauliflower with romanesco sauce for vegetarians. For dessert, can choose among riskrem (Norwegian whipped cream and rice pudding) with cherry sauce, gingerbread cheesecake with cranberry sauce and Christmas chocolate and raspberry cake roll.
December 25; noon-11pm; from Dh200 per person; Mamsha Al Saadiyat; 02 444 6674
Stills
The restaurant in Crowne Plaza Yas Island has a Christmas brunch designed for families with small children. An international menu will be served, complimented by nostalgic Christmas music, plus a dedicated corner for little ones with games, activities and a visit from a gift-bearing Santa.
December 25; 1pm-5pm; from Dh295 per person; Crowne Plaza Yas Island; 02 656 3066
Niri Restaurant and Bar
The Japanese restaurant at Mamsha Al Saadiyat will serve a set menu on Christmas Day, featuring classic Asian dishes, such as ika karaage, sesame soya beef and different yakitori and sushi variants. Festive desserts are also available, such as Christmas cake and chocolate souffle. The restaurant's sakura tree will be decked out with decorations, and Santa Claus will make an appearance donning gifts for children.
December 25; noon-11pm; Dh300 per person; Mamsha Al Saadiyat; 02 546 8886
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 0 Wolves 2 (Jimenez 3', Saiss 6)
Man of the Match Romain Saiss (Wolves)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs
Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets
Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Honeymoonish
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
