After another bumper year of openings, the United Arab Emirates capital is further strengthening its standing as one of the Middle East’s most sophisticated dining destinations.
When considering a visit to the UAE, it’s true that many international travellers’ minds first turn to Dubai, that flashy, futuristic hub for global hospitality. But nobody should be surprised that the country’s more bashful capital delivers when it comes to world-class dining.
Prosperous, hugely multicultural and blessed with a climate that (for much of the year) allows for long, indulgent outdoor lunches and brunches and late-night seaside dinners on breezy terraces, the city has many of the key ingredients needed to develop and sustain a diverse and progressive dining scene. As these key new openings from 2024 show, that’s exactly what’s happening.
José by Pizarro
@josebypizarro 
Londoners who have long frequented Spanish chef José Pizarro’s Bermondsey restaurants may feel a sense of deja-vu upon entering José by Pizarro. Though it occupies an altogether sunnier setting – in the shimmering, seaside Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers hotel – it’s inspired by José Tapas Bar and Pizarro Restaurant in the UK and channels their informal, unfussy character.
The food is just as good, too. Traditional Spanish meatballs and cuttlefish make for a memorable surf’n’turf option; zingy prawn fritters are tempered with dollops of aioli, and live singing adds to the date-night atmosphere on paella Thursdays. Whenever you visit and whatever you order, consider pairing it with one of the restaurant’s sherries - its collection is one of the finest in the city.
Strawfire
@strawfireabudhabi 
You can take the moniker literally. Within the stately Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental hotel, Australian chef Ross Shonhan’s Strawfire was named after ‘warayaki’, a culinary technique from Japan’s Kochi prefecture where food is cooked over straw fires. Prepared on an open grill, signature meat dishes are intensely flavourful and smoky, but there’s a generous selection of sushis, too Shonhan also makes a genuine effort to operate sustainability, with most veg coming straight from the in-house organic garden or Emirati farms.
The drinks menu delivers cocktails inspired by Japanese nature and some top-tier sakes. Plus, the décor is dazzling. Look out for intricately detailed, beautifully delicate silk paintings and the world’s largest synthetic Shimenawa rope, which comes in at more than 7 metres in length and a hulking 830 kilograms.
Ryba
@ryba.ae 
Though its name is Russian (and means ‘fish’), seafood restaurant Ryba is Emirati at heart. Well-travelled and lauded local chef Faisal Mohamed Alharmoodi has drawn inspiration from around the world, but a liberal use of ingredients and spices from nearby suppliers suffuse his dishes with a feeling of home. It helps, of course, that the fish market at Zayed Port is just minutes away - you’ll notice the freshness in dishes like the generous lobster biriani, served with spiced saffron rice, or the makes-everything-feel-better blue crab soup, studded with bonus servings of mussels and calamari.
Mr Kim
@mrkim.ae 
After opening elegant French fine-dining favourite Les Dangereux in the city back in 2023, the Korean American chef James Soo Yong Kim brought a taste of Seoul to Abu Dhabi in 2024. Strikingly designed with austere, almost industrial interiors and two mammoth monochrome street art-style murals (of a Korean tiger on one wall, and a falcon opposite), the address drastically differs from its predecessor stylistically and atmospherically.
It’s a place for friends gather for the best possible wagyu, sizzling bibimbap and punchy kimchi stew. Though red meats are a speciality, carnivores should also order a round of the moreish Korean fried chicken. Crispy, juicy and sozzled in the restaurant’s signature sauces, it has all the makings of a cult classic.
Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard
@bordeaubynicolasisnard 
Best known for his celebrated work at Burgundy’s Auberge de la Charme, French chef Nicolas Isnard’s first UAE venture draws equally from his Gallic roots and global outlook. Within the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri hotel, the handsome dining room is a special, date-worthy spot with its double-height arched windows and glittering chandeliers.
Bord Eau supplements its a la carte offering and a particularly extensive wine list with two prosaically named set menus: ‘French Classics’ and ‘Travels Around the World’. The former presents an elevated take on Isnard’s home favourites – think a snail ravioli seasoned with parsley and garlic; the latter zips from Mexico to Indonesia and beyond with its zesty seabass and guava ceviche, vibrant cod laksa with yuba crips, and more.
Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori
@golffishabudhabi
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Although Dubai’s Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori was only inaugurated in 2021, it immediately drew such acclaim that there was always a chance a sister restaurant might open in Abu Dhabi. That’s happened, with the highly anticipated Marina Mall address now serving established favourites like the earthy tori ramen and foie gras-inflected wagyu sliders alongside impeccable sushi and beautifully presented desserts such as ‘cigars’ of matcha cheesecake topped with parmesan and almond.
Studded with greenery, the restaurant’s airy interiors provide a suitably glossy backdrop for all this loveliness – and there’s every reason to believe chef Akmal Anuar has another hit on his hands.
Soraya
@sorayaabudhabi 
Persian cuisine takes centre stage (but isn’t the whole story) at Yas Mall’s Soraya, brought to you by the team behind London’s Pachamama Bar + Kitchen. Hearty, full-bodied dishes designed for sharing, including some top-tier khoresht stews and the signature chicken joujeh tempered with saffron and yoghurt, are big draws.
Come dessert, however, and the menu goes international. Alongside the baklava ice-cream sandwich with walnut and orange blossom, or the dark-chocolate cheesecake topped with kunafa crumble, look out for the obscenely creamy burnt Basque cheesecake, fancy millefeuille and giant profiterole stuffed with burnt butter and salted caramel.
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Already widely recognised throughout his homeland for his role as a judge on Masterchef India, Kunal Kapur is rapidly building his profile in the UAE through his Pincode restaurants in Dubai and now Abu Dhabi. This latest address, at The Galleria at Al Maryah Island, is one of the most charmingly designed eateries in the city, with its colourful jumble of vintage photographs, handsome antiques and shelves laden with curious knick knacks.
Those elements frame a homely, nostalgic and unpretentious dining experience and pan-Indian menu that might feature indulgent butter chicken biryani, crispy corn cutlets and delicately seasoned lamb za’atar gilafi seekh.
The upcoming edition of Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants, will be announced on Tuesday 28 January 2025. To keep up with the latest announcements, follow us on Instagram, find us on Facebook, visit us on X and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
