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Boca

Dubai

Championing produce and people

At a glance: Founded in 2014 and headed by restaurateur and sustainability thought-leader Omar Shihab, Boca is a homegrown, DIFC-based restaurant serving modern Spanish-inspired cuisine.

What makes it special? Flying the flag for sustainability and local produce, Boca was one of the first restaurants in Dubai to serve UAE-grown Dibba Bay oysters. The team works with several local farms to source herbs and produce, including strawberries and tomatoes, and has strong relationships with desert foragers who supply them with several varieties of native plants. 

On the Pass

Patricia Roig

Connection and community: Boca also leads the way when it comes to looking after its people and celebrating diversity. The restaurant regularly hosts activations that highlight female chefs and bartenders, as well as educational events to support Dubai’s growing sommelier community. It also uses the space to help raise awareness of current events and social issues.

Team players: Head chef Patricia Roig and sommelier Shiv Menon have levelled up the authenticity of the menu. Highlights include tortillitas de camarones and kokotxas de bacalao, prawn fritters and cod cheeks, as well as the diversity and creativity of the beverage programme, including cocktails such as Pimientos del Padrón made with tequila, raspberry and padrón pepper soda. 

Pioneering practices: In 2023, Boca became the first restaurant in the region to release a carbon emissions report. Though it was an arduous process, Shihab hopes to show the way for other restaurants to follow suit so that real waves in the sustainability movement can be created across the region.

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