The eclectic Chino-Latino restaurant from St Martin’s Lane in
London made its
way to Abu Dhabi in 2015. Here, Asia de Cuba’s alfresco deck and
cool cabanas make the most of its beachfront location. By day, dine
on a marriage of Asian and Latin flavours against a backdrop of
white sand, blue sky and bluer sea. Expect zesty ceviches, salads,
small plates, signature wok dishes and Asian paella, washed down
with crafted cocktails or botanical virgin “cleansers”. Come
weekend, the atmospheric bar draws the city’s beau monde with
rhythm-pumping DJs and bottomless brunches.

It’s easy to see why this seafood restaurant is such a catch.
Amble along the shore to this bright, modern dining spot in which a
floor-to-ceiling window offers vistas across Al Reem Island and the
sea beyond. Finz’s menu showcases the region’s freshest seafood
prepared in a Mediterranean style – the salt-baked sea bass for two
is a signature. Yet it’s the nibbles that steal the show here. Try
oyster tartare with cucumber, brown-butter scallops or the chilled
lobster and crab cocktail with grilled avocado.

This Latin American newcomer made a huge buzz when it opened in
2016. Drawing inspiration from Peru’s Pacific Coast to Argentina’s
plains, BU!’s menu offers a broad spectrum of dishes: wagyu tacos
with smoked avocado, octopus adorned with passion fruit and
habanero syrup and chipotle-chocolate molten cake. Little wonder
the restaurant’s name derives from the Spanish “buenisimo”. The
food is served up in stripped-back, relaxed, industrial setting
with neon slogans, communal tables and a sprawling terrace. Head to
BU! in the evening, when a live band puts a Latino twist on
everyone’s favourite tunes, and on Thursday for the South
American-themed Lunar Street Eats brunch. Expect unlimited ceviche,
arepas and churros. Arrive hungry.

In a desperately modern city, it’s unusual for a restaurant to
stick around for more than a few years. Having opened in 2010,
Michelin-starred Hakkasan ranks among the city’s veteran
restaurants – but that’s not to say there’s anything old fashioned
about either the food or the location. Tucked in the sprawling
Emirates Palace, amid touches of millennial pink, marble and (real)
gold, Hakkasan offers an intimate, moody setting with refined
Chinese cuisine. Signature dishes include Peking duck with caviar,
Szechuan-style french beans and grilled wagyu beef with king soy
sauce. And while you’re at the Palace, head to
Le Café for a cappuccino sprinkled with 24-carat gold. Modesty
is so overrated.

If Abu Dhabi is an epicurean’s fairground, Bord Eau is as one of
the main attractions. A go-to for fine French gastronomy, the
restaurant offers an opulent setting in the Shangri-La Hotel, where
floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the Grand Mosque. Making use of
ingredients imported directly from France, the seasonal menu sings
with authentic, perfectly executed plates of escargot, frogs’ legs
and soupe de poisson. If you’re in the mood for splashing out, we
recommend trying the five-course blind tasting menu. And when the
waiter asks if you’d like to see the cheese trolley, say yes.

Abu Dhabi’s restaurants take visitors on an adventure across the
world, from fine French dining to Cuban-style street food. With
such globe-spanning options, it’s easy to overlook the city’s own
dishes. Luckily, restaurants such as Al Fanar are bringing Emirati
cuisine out of the home kitchen and onto our plates. Immerse
yourself in a stage-set old UAE neighbourhood – all barasti booths
and mud-brick rooms – and dig into traditional dishes such as
deyaya nashef (spiced chicken) mopped up with ma khoboz wagafi (a
fluffy flatbread). Those with a sweet tooth should hold out for
luqaimat – fried dough balls drenched in date syrup.

Don’t expect to grab a pint of semi-skimmed at this grocer. The
Australian emporium for gourmands has five branches across the UAE
capital (and counting), each offering great coffee, gourmet
groceries – including a cheese room – and freshly baked patisserie.
Hungry hipsters flock here to lap up inventive, organic salads and
artisanal sweet treats against a palette of earthy woods and
stainless steel. Pick up some of Jones’ own-label coffee and
chocolate or some design-forward kitchen accessories as a
memento.

With branches across the world, this high-end Japanese
restaurant won’t be news to any foodie worth their salt. Nestled
within Abu Dhabi’s business district, the award-winning Zuma offers
Izakaya-style dining in which sharing dishes are steadily brought
to the table throughout the meal. It’s an informal yet elegant
affair, marked by quality ingredients, bold flavours and
understated presentation. Book ahead to enjoy roasted lobster in
ponzu butter, miso-marinated black cod or wagyu beef fresh from the
robata grill.

A mandatory stop for lovers of Lebanese cuisine. Widely
considered one of the city’s best restaurants, the award-winning Li
Beirut has revolutionised traditional Levantine dishes. Signatures
include foie gras kebbeh, zaatar-crusted rack of lamb with truffled
sweet potato and a decadent chocolate globe infused with Arabic
coffee and rose. Each course is expertly paired with libations
hailing from Beirut, making it oh-so easy to linger over the mezze
while sinking into the restaurant’s plush leather chairs.

In Abu Dhabi’s cooler months – October
to March
– when temperatures peak around a more manageable 30 degrees, the
city’s dining scene moves outdoors. And that’s exactly the time
you’ll want to visit Atayeb. It sits within the Yas Viceroy hotel,
the architectural gem of Yas Island, which hovers over land, water
and the Yas Marina Formula 1 circuit. Pull up a chair on the chic
terrace and tuck into Levantine cuisine while the desert sun
reflects off the mirrored building and onto white
yachts bobbing on the nearby marina. We recommend trying one of
Atayeb’s signature tasting menus themed around earth and fire,
water and nature.