Friday Brunch in Dubai – Where to go?

Friday Brunch is the highlight of the week in Dubai. People gather at the city’s restaurants to relax and unwind with good food and great cocktails. Most brunches in Dubai are all inclusive (also alcohol), so even though the prices seem steep, it’s usually a good deal, but make sure you come hungry and thirsty. For Friday Brunch, a table reservation is crucial, if you want a table at the most popular restaurants, and for most the places mentioned below, you will have to call in weeks in advance to secure your spot.

Friday brunch typically starts around 2pm, which is a bit later than we’re used to in Denmark. Even though I don’t think any of the places have a dress code (other than the standard Dubai smart casual), most people dress up as if they were going out clubbing.

Some places do the Friday brunch as a buffet, but I prefer when the food is served at the table, which is also the case for the restaurants featured here.

Most of the brunches mentioned here are around 300-500AED with alcohol, but please contact the restaurants for exact prices and conditions.

The Rib Room at Zabeel Saray

There are two Rib Rooms in Dubai, but I like the Zabeel Saray one the best. You can choose between different brunch menus, and while I’ve forgotten the name of the one I usually go for, I can tell you that it includes oysters, lobster and steak, and that’s all you need to know, isn’t it?

The brunch at The Rib Rib Room feels more like an ordinary sit-down dinner and the crowd also tend to be a bit more mature than at the other places, but this doesn’t mean that The Rib Room doesn’t know how to throw a party. Come buy Friday at around 4pm and you will most likely feel like you’re at a downtown bar around midnight. The food is delicious, the portions are generous, and the staff among the friendliest I’ve encountered.

The Rib Room, Zabeel Saray, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, Tel: +971 (0)4 453 0444

Asia Asia

Asia Asia is probably the hardest place to get a reservation for brunch in Dubai Marina, which explains why I’ve only been there twice. I’ve wanted to go back forever, but I haven’t managed to call in well enough in advance to score a table. This makes me a bit ambivalent of sending even more people their way, making it even harder to get a table in the future:)

You order from what seems like a full menu of pan-Asian dishes, and the food is really, really good. The dark interiors and the crowd of 20-30-somethings also makes Asia Asia the most party-ish brunch of the ones mentioned here, so dress up and wear heels.

Asia Asia, 6F Pier 7, Dubai Marina, Dubai, The Spice Route Brunch Friday 2pm-5pm