Maybe it’s the zany melange of prints, the dark panelled walls, layers of antique rugs or the Seventies disco spinning in the background, but Ofelia – Dubai’s most beautiful new restaurant – has a way of delivering a moment like few have managed before her.

Located at DIFC’s exclusive The Arts Club, Ofelia is the members’ haunt’s sultry new dining destination. Reimagining its third-floor space, Alveare, it delivers an eclectic restaurant and bar experience that feels refreshingly fun and more like a private home than a dining room.

Inspired by John Everett Millais’ iconic 19th century painting, Ophelia, Ofelia brings homely warmth to the fore. Cosy nooks, ample furniture and tactile prints and fabrics like animal print, gilded panelling and chinoiserie sit beside vintage pieces sourced from the flea and antique markets of London, Paris and Milan. As for the food, it’s naturally sublime, focusing on favourites rather than fussy. ‘We are always willing to make radical changes,’ says group CEO of The Arts Club, Ajaz Sheikh, choosing to focus on fun-dining. And fun-dining it is indeed…

Ofelia at The Arts Club: another reason to join

The design

Orange marble, aubergine leather, antique mirrors, bee- patterned silk curtains, folding screens, peacock patterns, Murano blown glass table lamps, hand-painted lampshades, rich tapestries, bronze chandeliers and Napoleon velvets – on paper, it shouldn’t work, but in reality, it’s spectacular…

Being luxurious yet relaxed, intimate yet spacious, Ofelia feels like you’ve entered an eccentric aristocrat’s private (and intimate space). Its warm layering and sumptuous design is the work of Italian architect and designer Giuseppe Porcelli, who transformed the space into a maximalist’s dream.

The food

Ofelia’s menu, curated by executive chef, Michael Hoepfl, and head chef, Alessandro Stefani, builds on the former third-floor Italian menu, forgoing fuss in favour of said fun-dining – backed up by a soundtrack of iconic tunes from the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties. Of course, the food is fabulous with an Italian chef at the helm, served on printed tableware, creating a visually striking affair. Signature dishes include the crispy zucchini blossom tempura, the juicy short rib pasta with ‘nduja sauce’, and classic tartare. The homemade limoncello and pistachio liqueur, creamy and like drinking naughty gelato, is worth booking a table for alone.

The vibe

Thanks to its truly one-of-a-kind setting, Ofelia manages to be a coffee, lunch, aperitivo, date night, dinner and nightcap spot all in one. The soundtrack is clinking crystal and low laughter, peppered with the occasional ‘I love this song’, from tables thoroughly enjoying the tunes of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. For the already superb club, this is yet another colourful, fluffy feather in its one-of-a-kind cap.

Ofelia welcomes all members and their guests for lunch or dinner, Monday through Saturday, from midday until late. theartsclub.ae

This article originally appeared in Near+Far Volume III

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