Christmas is a time that centres around family, friends, fun and an abundance of food. Nearly every restaurant across the country is offering at least one celebratory meal this weekend in honour of the festive tradition, so there is no shortage of options.
While there are plenty of good options from established venues, why not treat yourself to something new – and try a Christmas feast at one of the notable restaurants that opened this year? Stacie Overton Johnson has scoured a mountain of Christmas meal offers to serve up our top picks from 10 newcomers.
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Abu Dhabi
Roberto’s
Executive chef Francesco Guarracino and his team will serve a Christmas Eve dinner as well as Christmas Day lunch and dinner at Roberto’s in the capital. Guests can choose from a five-course or seven-course menu, with or without beverage pairing. Be prepared for some inspired dishes, including Wagyu beef tartare with foie gras, raspberry gel and beef jus; homemade ravioli filled with capon and clarified broth; baked turbot with artichoke, truffle and courgette; and Guarracino’s take on roasted turkey with porcini mushrooms and polenta.
• December 24, 7pm to 1am; December 25, noon to 4pm and 7pm to 1am. Dh350 for five-course lunch or dinner; Dh500 for seven-course lunch or dinner, without pairings. Call 02 627 9009.
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Abu Dhabi
JW Steakhouse
For an intimate celebratory pre-Christmas dinner, check out JW Steakhouse at the new Marriott Hotel Downtown Abu Dhabi. It has a festive five-course menu, with dishes that include cream of roasted guinea fowl, a turkey and duck feast and a traditional Christmas pudding.
• December 24, from 6pm. Dh365 with soft drinks. Call 02 304 7777
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Abu Dhabi
Crust
If you haven’t tried it yet, Christmas day is the perfect time to try the brunch at Crust at the Four Seasons Hotel on Al Maryah Island. This family-friendly brunch (which we have tried and loved) includes a range of well-executed dishes, complete with a mini-brunchers menu for the kids. There is also a playroom, overseen by trained staff, which includes toys, a bouncy castle, face-painting, movies and more. Entertainment at the Christmas Day brunch will also include carol singers and a visit from Santa.
• December 25, from 12.30 to 5pm. Dh300 includes soft drinks. Call 02 333 2222
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Abu Dhabi
Bu
Bu, the Pan-Latin restaurant in The Hub at the World Trade Center Mall, Abu Dhabi, is serving festive dishes until December 31. Bring your friends to share seasonal dishes from across South America, including: turkey with sweet dry chilli adobo, green beans and corn; caramelised apple with carrot chips, walnuts and hibiscus flower; and a chocolate tart with hazelnut dulce de leche and corn ice cream. Bu also has a takeaway turkey feast with which you can take home a 6kg cooked turkey with all the trimmings for Dh900. It serves four to six people and must be ordered 48 hours in advance.
• Until December 31. Call 02 666 8066
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Abu Dhabi
The Dining Room at Jannah Burj Al Sarab
The Dining Room at the capital’s new Jannah Burj Al Sarab hotel in Mina Street is hosting a five-day Christmas celebration from tomorrow until Christmas day. The restaurant will be decked out in festive decor, and executive chef Wafi Halimi has designed a three-course menu featuring modern French and Mediterranean fare, including foie gras with sautéed apple and caramelised onion, and roast turkey or veal with honey-glazed carrots.
• December 21 to 25. Dh250, including unlimited Christmas mocktails. Call 02 652 6777
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Dubai
The Artisan by Enoteca Pinchiorri
This new Italian restaurant in DIFC offers an eight-course set menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, for both lunch and dinner. It includes Italian dishes with a festive twist, including double agnolotti filled with guinea fowl and burrata, and seared, marinated sea bream with sweet beetroot purée. If eight courses is too much, a four-course spread will also be available, along with the à la carte menu.
• December 24 and 25. Dh400 for four courses, Dh600 for eight. Call 04 338 8133
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Dubai
Miss Lily’s
Don’t miss the festive Jamaican brunch at Miss Lily’s in the Sheraton Grand hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road. Available from December 23 to 25, it includes a fixed-price menu – comprising a jerk corn starter, a choice of appetiser, and two sides paired with your choice of roast leg of lamb, prime rib roast or jerk turkey breast for your main. Don’t miss the pumpkin cheesecake for dessert.
• December 23 to 25, noon to 4pm. Dh320. Call 04 354 4074
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Dubai
Scape Restaurant and Bar
For a holiday dinner with a side order of stunning views, check out Scape Restaurant and Bar at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The vast, open-air terrace is a posh spot to spend a festive afternoon or evening with friends and family. The restaurant will serve a three or four-course festive lunch, or a four-course dinner from Christmas Eve until Boxing Day. If you would rather just enjoy the stunning view of the sunset, you can get a choice of three drinks, two drinks with one tapas or one drink and two tapas for Dh220 from 5pm to 8pm.
• December 24 to 26. Lunch from noon to 3.30pm; Dh360 for three courses, Dh420 for four. Dinner from 6pm to 11pm; Dh420 for four courses. Call 04 301 7777
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Dubai
The Tap House
For a more casual affair, book the Christmas Day brunch at The Tap House, a new beachfront bar and restaurant at Club Vista Mare on The Shoreline, Palm Jumeirah. The kids can play on the beach as parents while away the hours in this chic, industrial space, which includes an expansive terrace. The brunch features dishes such as slow-cooked beef cheeks and vanilla-poached salmon. The tables even have built-in coolers to keep your drinks extra-cold.
• December 25, noon to 4pm. Dh195 with soft drinks, Dh120 for kids under the age of 12. Call 04 514 3778
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Dubai
Bazxar
For a memorable holiday feast, take in the vibrant, yet laid-back atmosphere at Bazxar in DIFC. This food hall-style restaurant has a three-course seasonal menu that includes roasted, honey-glazed turkey with gravy, stuffing, buttermilk mashed potatoes, sautéed brussels sprouts, roasted acorn squash, and pumpkin cheesecake and chestnut mousse with berry jelly.
• Daily until December 25, 7pm to midnight. Dh300. Call 04 355 1111
