Debuting the Michelin Guide in the Middle East, this revelation marks gastronomic history in Dubai. The restaurants featured span a multitude of cuisine types, from Asian specialities to fire-cooked creations and innovative fine-dining fare.
Two restaurants received two Michelin stars, namely Il Ristorante – Niko Romito and STAY by Yannick Alléno. Both these restaurants are helmed by veritable global superstars, each of which has a host of Michelin stars around the globe.
Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, set at the Bulgari Hotel on Jumeirah Bay Island, is the brainchild of celebrated, self-taught Italian chef Niko Romito, whose restaurant Reale at Casadonna in Castel di Sangro, Italy, holds three Michelin stars. Much like Reale, the chef’s Dubai restaurant also celebrates Italian cuisine, using the finest ingredients flown in from his homeland. Fish and pasta are the highlights of the menu.
STAY by Yannick Alléno, yet another incredible culinary outpost by master chef Yannick Alléno, focuses on a ‘less is more’ approach. Located within a colonial-esque building at One&Only The Palm, it brings sophisticated cuisine to the fore with French flair, much like the chef’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen set on the Champs-Élysées.
The one-Michelin-starred restaurants showcase the true diversity of Dubai’s culinary landscape, with Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and Mediterranean flavours taking centre stage. Starting off with 11 Woodfire, led by Malaysian chef-owner Akmal Anuar, which delights diners with dishes fire-grilled over oak, hickory and hay.
The iconic Burj al Arab is now also home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Al Muntaha, helmed by Saverio Sbaragli. Having trained at Alain Passard’s three-Michelin-starred Arpège in Paris, it comes as no surprise that the chef presents elegant French cuisine complete with Mediterranean nuances.
Armani/Ristorante, located within the Armani Hotel Dubai and overseen by Italian native Giovanni Papi, is a celebration of modern Italian fare. Expect classics with a twist, such as the Green Planet Risotto, a zero-waste dish, which showcases the chef’s dedication to sustainability.
Hakkasan, now a globally revered restaurant chain, is achieving great success in the UAE. Located at Atlantis The Palm, it follows in the footsteps of its sister restaurants, offering reimagined Chinese dishes, but at the same time, presenting some that are exclusive to Dubai.
Masahiro Sugiyama, a sixth-generation sushi master, has brought his expertise to Dubai at Höseki. With only nine seats, the intimate restaurant is located in the Bulgari Hotel and presents a bespoke omakase experience utilising fresh ingredients imported from Japan every day.
Ossiano, a striking restaurant with views of the underwater marine life at Atlantis The Palm’s aquarium, delivers fare that’s as extraordinary as its setting. Chef Gregoire Berger uses his childhood memories to inspire the dishes, which are creative, and teem with texture contrasts and refined flavours.
Globally renowned Portuguese chef José Avillez’s first international outpost, Tasca at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah, has been very well received by Emiratis. The menu brims with vibrant Portuguese dishes, all cooked in an open kitchen by a talented brigade of chefs.
Another internationally celebrated chef, Massimo Bottura, also has a restaurant in the UAE that has become a favourite with locals and travellers alike. Torno Subito, set within W Hotel – The Palm, boasts a retro aesthetic and serves classic Italian dishes.
Trèsind Studio rounds off the Michelin-starred restaurants in this year’s Dubai selection. Led by chef Himanshu Saini, the meticulously executed multi-course tasting menu is a riot of Indian flavour accented by herbs and flowers from the restaurant’s rooftop garden.
To see the full list as provided by the Michelin Guide, visit the website.