Where to eat in Dubai Media City: plus the best place to stay and things to do

From cheese nights to concerts, bakeries and terrace bars – this is your guide to one of Dubai's most buzzing business areas

Media City is home to some of Dubai's brightest young creatives. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Walking distance from Dubai Marina is Dubai Media City, a hub of offices, businesses and studios. As more companies set up shop in the area, more cafes and restaurants are now on hand to feed the hungry office workers ...

From breakfast to dinner: where to eat in Dubai Media City

Because Dubai Media City is a hub of offices and studios, there is a lively 9-to-5 cafe scene. Very few will require a booking during the day, but one of the more popular options is Circle Cafe (1) in the CNN Building. Order a super bowl (Dh54), which is proof that healthy food is certainly not boring. It is packed full of hummus, edamame, kale, falafel, avocado, roast pumpkin and more.

Next door is Urban Bistro (2), another busy option. Open until 10pm, it is a laid-back cafe, often frequented by people looking for a place to work. The menu is ever-changing, but you cannot go wrong by ordering the oven-baked lime salmon (Dh72) or the chilli prawn and tomato spaghetti (Dh52). Other great picks for quick eats are Panifico (3), Pita Pit (4) and Pascal Tepper (5).

For dinner, a visit to Media One Hotel (6) is the best option, with gastro bar Qwerty and pan-Asian eatery Mr Miyagi's inside. Mr Miyagi's and neighbouring bar Cobra Kai turn into lively nightspots, as do terraces Coco Lounge and Garden on 8. In the hotel's lobby, Cafe M has a cheese and grape offering from 7pm until 10pm, Tuesday to Thursday.

The map of all our top picks:

Where to stay

The aforementioned Media One Hotel is a quirky city hotel, where the cost of an overnight stay starts from Dh428.

Alternatively, there is Arjaan by Rotana – Dubai Media City (7), which starts at Dh404, and Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City (8), from Dh417. Inside the latter is Italian spot Certo, pub Icon and bar Tamanya Terrace.

The best things to do in Dubai Media City 

As mentioned, this is a very office and studio-focused area. But a wander around the nearby park and ponds (9) is a relaxing way to spend a lunch break.

More active Dubai Media City visitors can do a spin session at Surge Body Fitness (10) in Concord Tower, or try Mojo Reformer Pilates (11) in the same building.

Where to shop

There are mini-marts aplenty in Dubai Media City. You can't do a weekly shop, but they're handy for lunch supplies or snacks. Find Circle K (12) in Building 7, the All Day Mini Mart (13) in the GBS Building and Bakemart (14) in Thuraya Tower.

Plus ... there are concerts 

It won't take visitors long to realise that the park in the middle of Media City doubles up as a concert venue in the shape of Dubai Media City Amphitheatre (14).

Most recently it hosted Party in the Park, with Fatboy Slim, Lighthouse Family and Richard Ashcroft all on the bill. In upcoming months, British artist Dido is coming to Dubai for the first time, playing the Amphitheatre on December 13.

And early next year, expect to see Lauryn Hill, Lionel Richie and One Republic at the 2020 Dubai Jazz Festival, which takes place at the venue from February 26 to 28.