London has seen a handful of excellent Dubai exports in recent years, from the glamorous Maine Mayfair – an iteration of perenially popular The Maine – to Il Borro Tuscan Bistro, one of the city’s best and most-loved Italians. But now, it’s the time for London’s restaurants to make their way to Dubai, with a new wave set to open this year. From a Michelin-starred gastronomic adventure found in London’s East End to an upscale Indian eatery straight from the cobbles of Mayfair, here are the fabulous London restaurants opening in Dubai this year.
La Dame De Pic
With 10 Michelin stars under her belt, including three at her family’s restaurant, Maison Pic in southeastern France, Anne-Sophie Pic is the world’s most decorated female chef. Her two-Michelin-starred London restaurant has fast become one of the UK’s most exquisite and renowned dining experiences, tucked away in the grandeur of Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square – a majestic Beaux-Arts building near Tower Bridge – and offering the quintessential French fine dining experience. Guests can expect chic banquettes, dramatic mood lighting and an inventive – and utterly sublime – tasting menu to match. The famed concept (also in Singapore and Paris) will soon open in Dubai’s newest city hotel, One&Only One Za’Beel – which, unlike the London offering, will be a bright, softly decorated space with a colour palette of soft pinks and whites. However, the same gastronomic experience will follow, so expect many exquisite French fine dining dishes.
Opens 1 December 2023; One&Only One Za’abeel; oneandonlyresorts.com
Jamavar
In London, Jamavar cuts an unassuming figure on Mayfair’s spotless Mount Street. The salubrious address houses one of London’s most exclusive haunts, The Connaught hotel, alongside the polished Audley Public House – owned by chic art dealers Hauser & Wirth. Marked by a canary yellow awning, Jamavar welcomes guests into a world of Michelin-starred pan-Indian cuisine, spread across two floors and delivering an intimate dining experience. Following the original Mayfair spot, LSL Capital – the brand behind the name – opened Jamvar Doha in 2021, and now, it’s the turn of Jamavar Dubai. Opening in Q4 on Downtown’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, Jamavar Dubai takes inspiration from the Viceroys home in New Delhi with a glamorous dining hall, intimate bar, and residential outdoor terrace. The menu offers everything, from the royal dishes of Northern India to the coconut-rich coastal cuisine of the southern states.
Opens Q4 2023; Downtown Dubai; jamavarrestaurants.com
MiMi Mei Fair
MiMi Mei Fair is an ode to the enigmatic grandeur of Imperial China – of Anglo-Chineses Chionisseire and a bygone age. The beautiful Mayfair restaurant takes its inspiration from the resplendent rooms of Bejing’s Forbidden Palace and ancient folklore tales, imbued with modern-day eclecticism to deliver a dining experience that’s both beautiful and delicious. Co-founded by hospitality entrepreneur Samyukta Nair and her father Dinesh (the family behind Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts), the London dining room is filled with trinkets, antiques and heirlooms from Samyukta’s personal collection, and the Dubai outpost is going to be just as ornate and sublime. Opening in Q2 2024 in Downtown Dubai, MiMi Dubai will offer the same opulent and elevated Chinese cuisine – not easy to come by in Dubai – taking inspiration from China, but also Hong Kong and Singapore.
Openes Q2 2024; Downtown Dubai; mimimeifair.com
