Is there a dessert more synonymous with summer than ice cream? We think not.
As temperatures soar here in the UAE, and on the occasion of International Ice Cream Day (which is July 20 annually), we have rounded up The National newsroom's favourite scoops.
Salted saffron with luqaimat at Mina Creamery
Mina Creamery specialises in a constantly revolving menu of seasonal and local flavours including halwa, gahwa, aseeda falooda and karak chai. The business came to life as part of an incubator within MiZa, Abu Dhabi, before becoming an online store. But it will soon return to MiZa with a brick-and-mortar shop opening at the end of August.
The best flavour? It might be the salted saffron with luqaimat. While we wait for the MiZa shop to open, you can order online on a Wednesday for Thursday pickup or delivery, 500ml pots cost Dh50.
Laura Koot, managing editor
Mango softie at Salt
The only thing that makes the long summers bearable for me is the promise of sweet and juicy mangoes, especially the ones that come from India and Pakistan, and all of the desserts that are made with mango during this season.
One of my favourites is the mango softie from Salt (Dh35) – a light and refreshing no-frills dessert – which essentially feels like slurping on frozen mango pulp. It's served at various Salt locations in the UAE (including Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah's Marjan Island and Kite Beach in Dubai). I love that it is not too sweet and tastes just like eating an iced mango. Served swirled up in a cup and topped with fresh mango pieces, this dessert may be simple, but it really hits the spot.
Aarti Jhurani, features sub-editor
Terry's Orange at Scoopi Cafe
Scoopi Cafe is known for making very fresh ice cream using liquid nitrogen. There is a time, a good few years ago, when I documented myself trying its jet-black activated charcoal ice cream, topped with edible 23K gold leaf (all in the name of work). Left with black teeth and unsure what gold tastes like, that wasn’t my favourite, despite its surprisingly fresh citric taste.
However, at the Time Out Market Dubai venue, I have been known to indulge in a few scoops of the brand's made-to-order sweet treats. My order depends on my mood, but it’s always in a waffle cup and at the moment the Terry's Chocolate Orange-inspired flavour (Dh45), creamy and indulgent with a summery dash of orange, is my go-to.
A few years ago, Scoopi made a name for itself serving Dubai’s most expensive ice cream at Dh2,999. The Black Diamond ice cream was a sundae made with vanilla bean ice cream from Madagascar, saffron from Iran, rare black truffles from Italy and edible gold. That no longer seems to be on the menu, but the charcoal and gold scoop is, at Dh100 a pop.
Farah Andrews, head of features
Yoghurt honeycomb and sea salt (and more) at Hapi
Not to be hyperbolic about it, but this is the best ice cream anywhere in the world, not just the UAE. You can enjoy it at Hapi's spot in Al Khazan Park in Dubai or you can order it on Deliveroo.
If I’m going to a dinner party, I always bring three tubs with me – choco orange almond, mango sorbet, and yoghurt honeycomb and sea salt (Dh32 for 480ml). I love watching people react to trying it for the first time, because they all make the same face. Like they’ve just seen the light.
The raspberry cheesecake flavour is great too. It’s all great. Try them for yourself and you can thank me later. Added bonus: the artisanal ice cream is made in small batches with all-natural ingredients, and no artificial additives, preservatives or stabilisers.
Nasri Atallah, editor of The National's Luxury magazine
Avocado gelato at J.Lato
Located in Abu Dhabi's Zayed Port, J.Lato scoops up the most delicious avocado gelato (from Dh21). Not only does it rhyme, but this perfectly creamy confection is the ultimate dessert for a savoury-leaning palate. I guess the consistent queue at the counter is all the evidence required to confirm the other flavours have fans, too.
Laura Koot, managing editor
Horlicks soft serve at Creme
I discovered the soft serve at Creme after an epic dinner nearby. I was after something sweet but relatively light, and the guy behind the counter at the cult cookie spot from Soho, London didn't hesitate. “Try the soft serve,” he said. It was smooth, creamy and deeply nostalgic. The flavour took me straight back to my teenage cereal addiction: Corn Flakes, Honey Smacks and Weetabix. When I asked what I was tasting, he just smiled and told me it's Horlicks.
Horlicks, for the uninitiated, is a classic malted milk drink, somewhere between a health tonic and a comfort ritual. That's exactly what this soft serve tastes like. You can get it topped with cookie crumble, but I'd recommend having it plain to be swept up in those nostalgic flavours. Servings start at Dh32.
Saeed Saeed, features writer
Crema dal 1947 at La Romana dal 1947
One of the original flavours at this Italian gelato chain – and definitely my all-time favourite – the crema dal 1947 is available at La Romana outlets at The Galleria Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, plus Dubai Hills Mall and Bluewaters.
It includes traditional Italian custard cream enhanced by vanilla extract and natural lemon zest. However, when it comes to ice cream, I like to go over the top, so my version comes with a classic batter crepe with Nutella and berries (from Dh41).
Zoya Thomas, digital platforms editor
Founder's Favourite at Cold Stone Creamery
I first tasted Cold Stone Creamery when it arrived in the UAE in 2007, a year after I moved here, and it’s been one sweet relationship ever since.
Founded in Arizona, US, by Susan and Donald Sutherland (no relation to the Hollywood actor), the brand's appeal is customisability, allowing you to mix ice-cream flavours as well as other toppings, from gummies and graham crackers to brownies and chocolate bars.
Whenever I am struggling to decide which mix I want, my go-to is Founder's Favourite (from Dh24). As the name suggests, it's a favourite of the brand's founders, and comprises sweet cream ice cream, mixed with pecans, brownie, fudge and drizzled with caramel sauce. I usually add Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and chocolate chip cookie dough to mine for the ultimate treat. Available at locations across the UAE.
David Tusing, assistant features editor
Love Potion #31 at Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins has its American headquarters in my home state of Massachusetts, but I rarely ordered it back when I was in the US. It wasn’t until one day when I tried the Love Potion #31 flavour in Abu Dhabi that it became my go-to ice cream. Luckily for me, it is available year-round in the UAE versus being just a seasonal option in the US, where it is usually found around Valentine's Day.
Love Potion #31 is rich and indulgent, made with white chocolate and raspberry ice creams swirled together, with a ripple of raspberry and generous chunks of chocolate-flavoured hearts filled with raspberry. It may sound like a lot – creamy, fruity and chocolatey all in one bite – but it's mostly sweet with a bit of tartness for balance.
An added bonus is that the single kids' scoop cup starts at Dh11, making it great value. Available at locations across the UAE.
Evelyn Lau, assistant features editor
Ashta with pistachios at Bachir
While adding crunchy pistachios to Bachir's wonderful Ashta (clotted cream) ice cream is optional, the nostalgic flavour of rosewater is guaranteed to hit your senses from the first bite.
A Lebanese brand, which launched in 1936, Bachir brought its well-loved flavours to the UAE in 2022. I was with my Lebanese friends, who insisted I try its signature Ashta, with pistachios and a dollop of whipped cream on top. Trying it transported me to my grandma's garden in Jordan, eating ice cream with her in the summer heat.
Hala Nasar, social media journalist
Lazy cake at Mama Booza
A rich mix of premium dark chocolate with chunks of lazy cake (sharing pots cost Dh69), this ice-cream flavour from Mama Booza elevates a childhood dessert and turns it into something even better. Every bite takes me back to my family home, when I would reach for my mom's lazy cake rolls after every meal.
It’s a balanced treat that isn’t too sweet, but still hits the spot when I’m craving something indulgent. The chunks of lazy cake are a flavour bomb – fudgy, chocolatey and super-satisfying. The combo of creamy ice cream and chewy cake bits gives it the perfect texture. Mama Booza is available at Kitchen Park in Wasl Port Views in Dubai, or for delivery via Deliveroo.
Fatima Al Mahmoud, foreign affairs reporter
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
BABYLON
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Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
Brief scores:
Toss: India, opted to field
Australia 158-4 (17 ov)
Maxwell 46, Lynn 37; Kuldeep 2-24
India 169-7 (17 ov)
Dhawan 76, Karthik 30; Zampa 2-22
Result: Australia won by 4 runs by D/L method
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
All about the Sevens
Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales
HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
Prophets of Rage
(Fantasy Records)
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
