Author: Sam Allcock

Jun’s, the multi-award-winning Downtown Dubai restaurant, has launched a new 10-course tasting menu by Chef Kelvin Cheung. Priced at AED 560 per person, it draws on his Chinese heritage, North American upbringing, classical training and life in the Middle East. A full vegetarian tasting menu is available for AED 490 per person, with its own interpretation of every course. The menu travels through Belgium, Chicago, Hong Kong, Mexico, the Philippines and Palestine, following Chef Kelvin’s memories. Some courses return to the food he grew up eating, while others start from a person, a place or a small detail that stayed…

The AI-powered platform combines intelligent document capture, automated compliance workflows and three decades of ECM expertise to help UAE businesses go paperless without compromise. Infasme, a leading provider of enterprise document management solutions, and Fotopia Technologies, a pioneer in document digitisation and ECM across the MENA region, today announced the launch of Digitizeme, a next-generation DMS platform built specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises in the UAE. The platform addresses a gap that has long frustrated the UAE’s SME market. While large enterprises have had access to sophisticated document management tools, smaller businesses have generally had to choose between expensive,…

Dubai is known for skyscrapers, supercars and skyline views. Some of its best tables have nothing to do with any of that. Step through the door at these six restaurants and you could be in a Greek taverna, a Lake Como villa or a countryside garden. Here’s where to go when you want a night out that feels like a trip. 1. Bâoli: A Tropical Asian Garden Bâoli, at J1 Beach, is set among lush greenery and feels like a hidden jungle retreat. Lantern-lit tables, warm wood and a Japanese-inspired menu give it a tropical, far-from-the-city mood. Come at sunset,…

There’s a particular kind of luxury in having a five-star beach club mostly to yourself — and that’s exactly what Playa Pacha Dubai is offering with its Monday to Thursday complimentary beach access. The Offer From Monday through Thursday, entry to Playa Pacha’s beach is free — both for ladies and gents. No cover charge, no minimum spend to walk in. The club is open daily from 10am until sunset, so you’ve got a full day to work with: breakfast by the water, a long lazy lunch, an afternoon swim, and a sunset drink to close it out. Compare that…

Dubai’s business lunch scene has quietly become one of the city’s best-kept secrets — a chance to impress a client or squeeze in a proper meal between meetings without blowing the afternoon budget. Here are five standout spots, all offering excellent midday menus for under AED 200. 1. The Guild — ICD Brookfield Place, DIFC AED 119 Tucked into the DIFC’s striking Brookfield Place tower, The Guild offers a business lunch with a choice of starter and main from a rotating selection of dishes. It’s a strong pick when you want somewhere smart enough for a client meeting without going…

There’s a particular kind of restaurant that doesn’t just feed you — it tells you a story while it does. Three by Eva, tucked into a restored villa on Al Wasl Road, is exactly that kind of place. The Space Walking in feels less like entering a restaurant and more like being let into someone’s home — which, as it turns out, is precisely the point. The villa’s rooms unfold into distinct pockets: a bakery corner, a coffee bar, a dessert station, and an open kitchen where the day’s bread is clearly the star of the show. Nothing about the…

Dubai is about to get very busy again. From brand-new restaurants and hotels to beach clubs making their comeback, major attractions returning for the season, and entirely new destinations landing across the city — here’s everything you need to know, with links to follow each one. New Restaurants Now Open Gymkhana — DIFC The two-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant from London’s JKS Restaurants opened its UAE debut on 1 September at Gate Village, Building 7. Spanning two levels and a terrace for up to 137 guests, the ground floor holds warm lantern lighting and booth seating around an Indian-marble bar, while the…

A low-impact luxury escape is heading for Hatta. Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas opens its doors to first guests on 28 September 2026, marking the experiential hospitality brand’s debut in the UAE. Set within Hatta Resorts, the property backs onto the dramatic Hajar Mountains and looks out over the turquoise waters of Hatta Dam. Rates start from AED 1,200 per night. Accommodation comes in the form of 50 bespoke Airstream Caravans — 13 Ridge Caravans and 37 Peak Caravans — offering views across either the valley or the lake. Interiors draw on the surrounding mountains, built around shades of sand,…

A family-run deli serving charcoal-grilled classics, shawarma off the spit, and Lebanese comfort food until 6am Lebanese comfort food is landing on Sheikh Zayed Road. Bayroot Deli opens its doors on September 12, bringing a modern spin on the classic Lebanese deli to the city. Set inside Aspin Commercial Tower, the two-floor, 56-seat space is built to flex — quick lunch, leisurely dinner or late-night craving, all covered. With doors open from 11am to 6am daily, it’s shaping up to be a go-to for anyone hungry after hours. The menu leans hearty and varied: charcoal-grilled and flame-cooked meats, mezze, sandwiches,…

Got a head full of trivia nobody asked for? September is the month to finally cash in on it. Dubai’s quiz scene is buzzing with trivia rounds, music bingo and live games across the city — and the prizes make it worth showing up. Round up your sharpest friends and grab a table. Here’s where to go. Monday Madness at Fibber Magee’s Kick off the week right with trivia, live tunes from Chad Sycamore and a round of music bingo that could land you an AED 1,000 cash prize. Quiz Night at BoCaSu This dog-friendly Al Quoz spot turns Mondays…