New York City’s iconic restaurant Serendipity 3 is coming to Dubai

Rendering of Serendipity 3 at Dubai Festival City. Courtesy Al Tayer

Serendipity 3, one of New York City’s most iconic restaurants, is headed to Dubai. Al Tayer Group will open two branches of the famous restaurant at Dubai Festival City and City Walk this December — the first locations outside of the USA for Serendipity 3.

Serendipity 3 was founded in 1954 and quickly became a favourite spot to eat, see and be seen in the city. In those early days, Marilyn Monroe, Andy Warhol and Jackie Kennedy were frequent guests. Now, Cher and Beyoncé are just two of the famous faces you might find inside.

The restaurant serves up familiar fare on its extensive menu such as foot-long hot dogs, pastas, burgers, sandwiches and a host of breakfast dishes to start the day. In New York, there are 12 different kinds of omelettes — one with caviar. Many of the dishes have fun, whimsical twists to them. The Shake, Batter and Bowl is one half of a chicken, deep-fried, then roasted; there’s a caviar burger with sour cream and cucumber; something called a chocolate blackout cake; and — though we can’t be sure this will be on Dubai’s menu — the restaurant also holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s most expensive dessert. The Golden Opulence Sundae is made up of around 10 exquisite ingredients such as Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, Madagascar vanilla, 24K gold leaf, Venezuelan chocolate, gold dragees, truffles and dessert caviar. All for $1,000 (Dh3,672). If it’s on the menu when the restaurant opens in Dubai, it will surpass Scoopi Cafe’s Dh2,999 sundae for the most expensive ice cream dessert in the country.

Serendipity 3’s founder Stephen Bruce says: “This is an exciting chapter for Serendipity 3, to be launching our first overseas venture in the Middle East. Serendipity 3 has been an iconic New York City landmark for over 60 years. We hope that our outlets [in Dubai] will also become landmark destinations.”

Serendipity 3 has been featured in a handful of films including the 2001 movie Serendipity with actors John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. Yesterday (September 15) was the anniversary of the opening of the first Serendipity 3. The day has been declared "Serendipity 3 Day" by Bill de Blasio, the mayor New York City.

• For more information, visit www.serendipity3.com