Restaurant Abu Dhabi - The 10 best restaurants Abu Dhabi in 2024

Practical information : Eating out Abu Dhabi

Timetable

In general, nothing opens before noon and lunch is usually around 1pm, dinner around 9pm. It is very rare that restaurants close during the week and the rush is at its peak between Thursday night and Saturday night.

Budget & Tips

To eat on a budget, head to the old Abu Dhabi neighborhoods or to Al Ain or Liwa where you will find many kebabs and shawarmas. Alternatively, in the different areas of Abu Dhabi city and its malls, you will also manage to find some food trucks and restaurants that are not too expensive. The best thing to do is to go for non-alcoholic meals, because then the price can double. If you want to experience all the delights of Abu Dhabi's gastronomy, choose restaurants at lunchtime rather than in the evening: gourmet lunch menus are available for around 30 euros. Between 4pm and 6pm, it's often happy hour with two-for-one drinks! The range of great restaurants in Abu Dhabi is stratospheric but so are the prices in the evening!

What costs extra

Normally all menus indicate at the bottom of the page a 5% tax surcharge on all meals and tips are optional and at the discretion of the customer. There are no water carafes in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, so water is charged, but not bread.

The local way

You are always asked when you sit down if you want sparkling or still water, cold or room temperature, with a lemon or not. The kitchen is naturally very spicy. Even if you like chili peppers, don't take on the many Indians here: "little spicy" in Abu Dhabi could be translated as "very spicy" in French!

To be avoided

If you take Arabic coffee, take it with your right hand and not with your left. The left hand is considered impure. If you are not happy with the service or the quality; avoid raising your voice at all costs. Name calling is not acceptable. For Emiratis, it is important to remain calm in any situation.

Kids

Children are king in Abu Dhabi and families are welcome in most restaurants. However, up to the age of 21, the consumption of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited.

Smokers

Smoking and non-smoking areas are generally available in the vast majority of restaurants and smoking is permitted on the terrace and outside.

Tourist traps

There are few tourist catchers in Abu Dhabi. If sometimes the touts are in the middle of the street, they never insist much. On the other hand, cruise ships generally offer buffets that are more than average by Abu Dhabi standards.

The best restaurants Abu Dhabi

CIPRIANI

CAFE ARABIA

AL FANAR

SHAMYAT RESTAURANT

GARAGE

AL FANAR RESTAURANT & CAFE

SHISH SHAWERMA

TOKYO GRILL

CHAGH KABAB

NOLU'S

THE THIRD PLACE CAFE

CATCH

JOSE BY PIZARRO

ANTONIA

BURRO BLANCO

BUTCHER & STILL

COYA

PARADISO NICOLE ET PIERRE

BEIRUT SUR MER

HAKKASAN

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