The best Dubai Marina restaurants

Characterized as one of the best-established modern districts in town, Dubai Marina emerges as the home to some of Dubai’s latest and most captivating attractions where tourists can enjoy many delightful diversions like boutiques, restaurants, and markets located along Dubai Marina Walk. The relatively new attraction in Dubai also offers dhow trips that set sail from the Dubai Marina Yacht Club. The marina area has been built with several kilometers of walkways which look particularly impressive when illuminated at night, perfect for a moonlight walk after a romantic meal.

Following are some of the best restaurants at Dubai Marina that you should not miss when you stay in Dubai.

Buddha Bar, Dubai Marina

Buddha Bar Dubai is the largest restaurant among its other branches worldwide regarding its size. The two-storied building is located in the heart of Dubai Marina that features a huge dining room with strikingly enormous red and gold chandeliers. The large floor-to-ceiling bay windows let the customers enjoy the magnificent view of the Marina along with a bar at the entrance offering customers drinks before and after their meal. The restaurant has a very sophisticated and classy ambiance, and dining area is dominated by the brand’s famous four-meter high Buddha statue.

The menu is rooted in Asian flavors offering a wide variety of dishes from Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine. The lemongrass beef salad is just a perfect starter including some light ingredients like papaya, cherry tomatoes and roasted peanuts. You can also have delicious dumplings, Japanese sushi, spring rolls, tempura or sashimi. As a main course meal, Thai green chicken curry served with jasmine rice is highly recommended. The meal portions are generous, and you should not miss an opportunity to dine in this modern and lavish restaurant where sublime dinning awaits you. Buddha bar is also a perfect place for late night parties after dinner as the chilled-out beats turn to livelier house lounge music later.

Indego by Vineet

Located at the Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, the famous dining sensation by Vineet Bhatia is a highlight of the area. The talented Chef has spent hours in the kitchen perfecting each of his recipes to offer a gastronomic sensation at all his restaurants spread across the world. The restaurant is a great place to appease your taste buds with the unique and lovable flavors, and to get an authentic palette that reflects the diverse and vibrant Indian food culture.

At Indego, you will love the simplicity of the décor, and the minimalism helps to bring out the stunning bronze statues of Nataraja. The relaxed environment with a calm and inviting ambiance will allow the food to take the center stage. The warm lighting and accents in reds and browns manage to boost your craving, as does the aroma of freshly prepared spices and exotic Indian dishes. The restaurant also provides prompt service, and the servers are available immediately to answer your inquires.

The extremely talented Chef, Vineet Bhatia employs a variety of textures and traditional spices to provide a culinary sensation with his signature dish, the tandoori salmon appetizer, which comes drenched in honey marinade and grainy mustard. The exceptionally tender tandoori chicken breast is a notable example of the chef’s commitment to authentic cuisine, which comes simmered in buttery tomato sauce complemented by a saffron pulao. For the dessert, the truly dazzling chocolate samosas will offer the perfect finale to an exemplary Indian styled supper.

Indego manages to be fancy yet accessible and is the right place if it’s Indian style seafood you are craving for. The complex and refined food that pairs ingredients imaginatively make the restaurant a must visit.

Gulnaz Restaurant & Cafe

The restaurant is located at Point Tower building in Dubai Marina offering its customers a huge variety of Uzbek, Kazakh and Russian dishes. Gulnaz restaurant and café is an all-day dining restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as it remains open from morning till midnight.

The outside appearance of this restaurant may not be that impressive but as soon as you enter the place, it feels like you’re actually in Uzbekistan because the interior is a true depiction of Uzbek and Kazakh style. The restaurant is very bright and beautiful featuring high roofs decorated with vibrant chandeliers with a huge wooden staircase leading towards smoking area. The walls are decked up with murals and paintings showing up ancient times in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia giving the restaurant a dramatic effect.

For the food, the signature salad known as Almaty has a very unique taste, which is prepared using meat, fresh vegetables, apples and homemade mayonnaise. Another special dish called Tandir Samsa could be described as samsa stuffed with lamb and baked in tandir and the Plov Bayram is known to be the pride of Uzbek cuisine made with rice, carrots and lamb using a special pot. Gulnaz, with a very peculiar environment and a unique-styled cuisine, is the place for you if you have a taste for Arabic, Uzbek or Russian cuisine, and probably you may not find a similar place to dine in.

Abd El Wahab – Dubai Marina

The restaurant offers the best hospitality service in town with friendly waiters who make sure that you have a quality time there and the food is served in no time which assures efficiency of the staff. Abd El Wahab is known to be one of the best restaurants in the area as it has become a trademark of Lebanese cuisine. Not only the outside view is mesmerizing, but the inside is even better with interior decorated with brass adornments, glass decorations featuring a lavish oriental look. The traditional Narguileh hookah adds to the delightful experience which makes “Abd El Wahab” a perfect place to enjoy a delicious meal.

The restaurant features the original and traditional Lebanese cuisine such as Lebanese Mezze. The main course menu includes fish as the main ingredient, and there is also a choice of two different dishes daily. The menu card has many choices but the “pre-labneh” with fresh bread is highly recommended and the delicious lamb cubes of grilled meat served with grilled tomato and onion. You can also go with a menu of old favourites such as Sojok, Hommos, and Chicory Salad, or you can be adventurous and try the Baby Octopus Provencal or the Grilled Birds with pomegranate and lemon juice. You can also enjoy their desserts in outdoor seating area while appreciating the fabulous view of dancing fountains and sweeping views of the marina.

Alexandra Dhow Cruise

Used commonly in the Middle East for trading and pearl diving, a dhow is an iconic traditional wooden vessel, one of which named Alexandra Dhow became the first boat that began its operations in Dubai Marina as a cruiser in 2009. Alexandra, a 120 ft. traditional Arabic dhow starts at Berthing location in West Bay and continues to cruise through entire Dubai Marina canal and complete its trip in front of Palm Island. Considered to be the most romantic trip in the fascinating landscape of Dubai, you can enjoy a two-hour relaxing tour of the creek under the evening stars and feast on international treats while gently gliding past the souks, banks, and palaces of Dubai’s glittering waterfront.

Once on board, you are feasted with a dinner that includes a buffet of sumptuous Arabic and International cuisine and unlimited soft drinks with a 15-20 minute live show by “Tanura” Dancer Walid, a traditional dance originated in Turkey. The dhow offers an international open-buffet which offers a variety of salads, appetizers, fish, meat, and several desserts to choose from. Some of the foods they offer include Seafood Clear Soup, Fish in Soya Garlic Sauce, Hummus, Beef Stroganoff Fattoush Salad, and Greek Salad.

At the end of your romantic evening, after enjoying an atmosphere of delight and beautiful views of the skyline of new Dubai, your driver will be waiting to take you back to your hotel. What makes the visit memorable and outstanding is not the food, but the rich experience that Alexandra dhow offers by gliding past the wonderfully illuminated skyline of Dubai at night.

Thyme, Dubai Marina

Situated in JA Oasis Beach Tower at Dubai Marina, the restaurant offers its customers an authentic Mediterranean cuisine with a refreshing new style. The spectacular live cooking stations will take you to an unforgettable journey through the Mediterranean offering the customers a plenty of options with a blend of modern and traditional dishes. The restaurant has a huge seating area featuring an open kitchen which gives the guests an unforgettable dining experience in a very comfortable ambiance. The interior feels to be very calm and cozy with its light colored walls and wooden floor making it a simple yet beautiful place.

The main focus of restaurant is on the quality and freshness of ingredients in order to maintain the essence of authentic Mediterranean cuisine. There are a lot of wild options to choose from prepared at cooking stations, but the main edible medium is the buffet which gives this place a new energy. The salads and other starters served have large portions but have a very basic flavor. The restaurant also offers themed food nights during the week with Friday Brunch most preferred for Mediterranean dishes. Thyme also offers take away food with favorite dishes freshly prepared.