The 5 Best Restaurants in Dubai Mall
If you’re like us, finding a place to eat in Dubai Mall after going around can be a daunting task. With so many restaurants in one place, choice paralysis can quickly set in.
The options are endless, but not all of them can offer a great meal that we look for after enjoying the different shops here.
So we tried some highly recommended spots to give you our favorite restaurants in Dubai Mall!
How We Picked the Best Restaurants in Dubai Mall
Before we get right into our best restaurants in Dubai Mall, here are the factors we considered for our entries on this list:
1. Open Flame Kitchen
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Uniqueness | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
The Open Flame Kitchen, or OFK, is a popular destination in the Dubai Mall for its robata and parrilla grills. It’s definitely a great place for anyone looking for smoky, grilled meals for lunch and dinner.
Its menu consists of different types of meat such as our favorite, the Wagyu cheese steak slider. The tenderloin steaks served with the restaurant’s own rosemary portobello mushroom cream are also something that we keep coming back for.
We love how meat-focused it is, and how it remains true to utilizing the grill to bring out the smoky flavor of these cuts.
But it does not just end there, we also love how it pairs it up with classic sides to round out the meal.
However, given its popularity, you might encounter long lines at the restaurant. This gets worse as the fountain show, which the restaurant offers a view of, is about to start during dinnertime.
As for its interior and decor, the restaurant is rather sophisticated, bringing to mind a fine dining establishment.
This is all to support the open kitchen, of course, where the main sushi bar can be found in easy view of the diners. Watching these operate can be a show in and of itself.
However, besides the expensive view of the mall’s fountain, Open Flame Kitchen sticks to the well-known classics rather than offering something new.
Pros
- Serves delectable grilled meat dishes
- Sophisticated and polished restaurant space
- Offers a great view of the dancing fountain show
Cons
- Lines at the restaurant get long during dinnertime
- Nothing notably unique in the menu and in the ambiance
Customer Reviews
One of my favorite restaurants in The Dubai Mall
“One of my favorite restaurants in The Dubai Mall. High-quality and clean restaurant. The food is tasty and the service is perfect.” – Ahmed Alshamsi, Google Reviews
Liked everything about this restaurant
“Liked everything about this restaurant from the delicious food, good service, attentive staff to the good prices compared to the quality of food.” – Noora S, Google Reviews
2. Carluccio’s
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Uniqueness | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Specializing in all the best Italian classics, Carluccio’s aims to bring in its original chef’s motto– maximum flavor at minimum fuss– with its menu.
Its menu is a well-thought-out array of Italian dishes that we all know and like, so it was not that hard for us to fall in love with this restaurant the second we opened its menu.
We’re especially big fans of its tomato bruschetta for our appetizer, and then follow it up with its Margherita pizza — simple, yet excellently delicious. And we also love that all of its pizzas can be ordered gluten-free.
However, when it comes to the cohesion and the promise of Italian classics cooked and served with minimum fuss, pizza flavors such as BBQ Chicken, Chicken & Pepper seem quite out of place.
When it comes to the ambiance, Carluccio’s has made a space that feels quite relaxed, with warm colors and spots of greenery to break up the monotony a bit. The restaurant’s outdoor seating provides ample shade with its rather striking blue tents.
However, waiting times can be quite long here, especially if it’s during peak mealtimes. Despite that, the staff remains professional and takes the extra step to accommodate our request.
We even got staff to help us move our meals to the outdoor seating area when we wanted.
When it comes to uniqueness, while this Italian restaurant serves up some dishes outside of its cuisine, we feel like it does not match the intentions and goals of its original chef.
Pros
- Serves classic Italian food
- Accommodating and professional staff
- Relaxed and warm ambiance
Cons
- Some dishes on the menu feel out of place
- Its unique dishes do not match the restaurant’s cuisine
Customer Reviews
I enjoyed everything that we had
“Had a wonderful breakfast here at Carluccio’s Dubai Mall. They have a wide variety of breakfast menu and drinks, and I enjoyed everything that we had.” – Anatacio Acob, Google Reviews
The food, ambiance, and hospitality were to our total satisfaction
“My search for quality Italian food brought me to Carluccios at Dubai Mall. An amazing experience where the food, ambiance, and hospitality were to our total satisfaction.” – Bandana, Google Reviews
3. Huqqa
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Uniqueness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Combining great food with style and design to offer a unique experience, Huqqa immediately pulls visitors into a fine dining joint, with some interesting and creative dishes based on seasonal ingredients.
The menu provides a good balance of meat-based dishes, seafood, and even vegetarian options. We love to start with the seafood soup before moving on to its seafood spaghetti or grilled salmon fillet.
We also appreciate that this restaurant makes its desserts count as well, serving up a platter of seasonal fruits or decadent chocolate dishes.
When it comes to the ambiance, we like how it is intellectually trendy with an urban elite vibe to the space.
The seating is quite fancy as well. It really brings a chic, modern aesthetic and feel to its surroundings.
As the tables are quite close together though, we did think the place can get noisy during busier hours like lunch. Just for this, we think it’s still best to come in early, especially if you have a reservation.
The service is quite professional and accommodating. We love how the staff are quite knowledgeable about the menu.
When it comes to uniqueness, not a lot of restaurants in Dubai Mall can pull off a high-end seafood restaurant quite like this one, especially in terms of offering a menu that is based on seasonal ingredients.
We’re also big fans of how the style and design of the space are a highlight because this is not often the case.
Pros
- Serves high-end dishes based on seasonal ingredients
- Knowledgable and professional staff
- The ambiance and design are very well curated
Cons
- Tables are positioned too close together
- It can get too noisy during peak mealtimes
Customer Reviews
Food is tasty and very creative
“Nice place, with indoor and outdoor terrace. In the evening you can enjoy Fountains shows from the terrace. The food is tasty and very creative. Looks nice and tasty!” – Angela Prylypa, Google Reviews
The food was delicious and the service was excellent!
“The food was delicious and the service was excellent! Reservations get a first-line table with an amazing Dubai Fountain to show😍, so make sure to reserve a table first.” – Enisa En, Google Reviews
4. Logma
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Uniqueness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Known for its freshly prepared authentic Arab Khaleeji food, Logma serves breakfast specialties that not a lot of people outside of the UAE actually know a lot about.
The menu shines a light on less popular dishes that are just as flavorful and tasty as your typical shawarma and shakshouka. We love its Balaleet and grilled Halloumi.
Of course, it doesn’t just serve breakfast. We’re big fans of how complete its menu is with its expansive lunch and dinner items featuring several salads and rice-based dishes.
Unfortunately, the service here can be often inconsistent. We had a great experience with the staff the first time, but the second time around, they were not as accommodating and inviting.
However, when it comes to its ambiance, it keeps us coming back for more. The view of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain, especially during dinner is such an amazing addition to the space.
On top of that, the restaurant feels modern and chic without it feeling cold. We love its use of color on the throw pillows and framed art on the walls, too.
Its most unique selling point, the fact that it promotes Arab Khaleej breakfast food, is why we love eating here. We literally cannot find the kind of food it serves anywhere else in the Dubai Mall.
Pros
- Serves authentic Arab Khaleei food
- Has an amazing view of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain
- Beautifully decorated space
Cons
- Inconsistent service
Customer Reviews
It has been an amazing dinner experience!
“It has been an amazing dinner experience! Nadir the restaurant Captain has been such a darling! When he got to know it was my birthday and saw my fractured arm, he quickly made the necessary arrangements so that I get the fountain view! Not only is the view fabulous, but the food is also absolutely delicious! I highly recommend this place and a big shout out for their attentiveness, and wonderful service, making it such a memorable birthday for me!❤️ wish I can give this place 10 stars!” – Gina Lee, Google Reviews
By far one of my favorite restaurants in Dubai!
“By far one of my favorite restaurants in Dubai! Service was awesome, the food was delicious and so good 🤤, and the ambiance makes you feel very comfortable. We ordered a lamb dish (forgot the name), Moroccan tea, and salad. 10/10 would def recommend to anyone who’s considering dining here.” – Abbey Gautama, Google Reviews
5. Asma
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Uniqueness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Asma is a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant that approaches its cuisine with a contemporary perspective, elevating well-known classic dishes and street food.
We love starting our meals with a serving of its Tandoor Lafa or its Al Quds bread that comes with a selection of delicious dips, ranging from hummus to chicken liver to beetroot.
We usually follow our appetizers here with beef skewers or kebab pita, or if we’re looking for something lighter, we get the green prawns and octopus.
We’re also big fans of the fact that the food here is served the way it was intentionally made, for sharing, making it a great spot for when you have your loved ones with you at the mall.
As for its service, the staff has been nothing but professional, efficient, and knowledgeable about its menu.
However, we have never gone to Asma without having to wait for at least 30 minutes before getting seated. We wish that it has a more efficient system employed to help the crowds of customers coming in every mealtime.
Despite that, the ambiance and the decor of the restaurant make the wait worth it. The space feels high-end and luxurious, yet cozy and warm with its lighting and wooden accents.
And the elevation of Arabic street food makes for more than a unique and intriguing prospect for a nice lunch at the Dubai Mall.
Pros
- Serves contemporary and elevated Middle Eastern classic dishes
- Knowledgable and professional service
- High-end and warm ambiance
Cons
- Waiting times can be really long
Customer Reviews
Strongly recommend it for any occasion
“This restaurant is creative with the conventional Arab cuisine. The fusion was super delicious and the staff was amazing despite the crowd. A heads-up though, you may have to be put on the waiting list with a 30min wait period since the restaurant is always fully occupied and honestly I now know why. Keep up with the great food 👍” – علي محمد اليافعي, Google Reviews
It’s a nice dessert shop
“This restaurant has been in Dubai Mall for a while, it seems to attract a lot of Arabs for its varieties of Middle Eastern and Egyptian food, the qualities and taste of food are good as well as the reasonable presentation.
The service is fine, the staff are always vigilantly looking after customers’ attention, they are polite and their attitude is pleasant.” – M. Ahmed, Google Reviews
FAQs about Restaurants in Dubai Mall
We hope this helped you find your favorite restaurants in Dubai Mall. Also, if you’re looking for other restaurant recommendations, then check out these articles: