The best new restaurants in Dubai have all landed within the past few months, and the lineup is genuinely hard to ignore. Whether you are after a counter seat at a Michelin-pedigreed tapas bar or a skyline dinner show 61 floors up, these seven openings span cuisines, moods, and neighbourhoods across the city. Here is everything you need to know before you book.
Billionaire Is Back — and It Is Higher Than Ever
[Billionaire]( has relaunched at its new home on the 61st floor of the Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai. Founded by Formula 1 team principal Flavio Briatore, the venue pairs fine dining with a full live show, presented by artistic director Irma di Paola. The current production, Up in the Sky, runs across two stages with singers, dancers, acrobats, and aerial performers. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9pm to 3am.
Siena Brings a Paris Favourite to DIFC
[Siena]( arrives in Dubai with a serious Paris pedigree. In the French capital, it attracted a crowd that included Rihanna, LeBron James, Gigi Hadid, and Jay-Z. The Dubai outpost, now open in DIFC's Gate Village 7, is the concept's first location outside France, created by founder Mehdi Abdelhedi and Rizwan Kassim, CEO of Paris Society. The interiors, designed by Laleh Amir Assefi, keep the burnt-orange palette of the Paris original while giving the space a more contemporary regional feel. The Siena rigatoni and the arancini with salmon and caviar are must-orders.
TakaHisa Downtown Is a Quiet Luxury Moment
[TakaHisa]( Downtown opened on December 13 in a serene new setting on the fourth floor of Volante, a residential tower in Downtown Dubai, with panoramic views of the Dubai Canal and the Burj Khalifa. The brand is the only Japanese restaurant featured in the 2025 Michelin Guide Dubai and holds 3 Toques from Gault and Millau UAE. One standout offering is an authentic Japanese breakfast — a rarity in the city — featuring grilled Japanese fish, tamago, miso soup, and steamed rice.
Son of a Fish Is the Greek Spot Dubai Was Missing
[Son of a Fish]( is a Greek restaurant that opened at Dubai Harbour, brought to life by AlphaMind, the lifestyle group formed by Addmind Hospitality and ADMO Lifestyle Holding. The space channels the stripped-back glamour of the Aegean, with pale tones, breezy lines, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a terrace designed for long, unhurried lunches. As the sun goes down, DJs take over and the whole vibe shifts. The menu is built for sharing, with a fresh fish display, spanakopita, prawn tartare, and char-grilled meats all on rotation.
Barrafina Just Made Its First Move Outside the UK
London cult tapas bar [Barrafina]( officially opened in Dubai on January 27, 2026 — the first time the brand has ever left the UK. It has taken up a 55-seat spot at DIFC's Gate Village, sitting right alongside Zuma and Gaia in one of the city's most competitive dining strips. Counter dining is the whole point here, where guests watch chefs prepare gambas rojas, a creamy tortilla, croquetas, and Dubai-exclusive daily specials right in front of them. Barrafina first opened in 2007 on Frith Street in Soho and made history as the first no-reservation restaurant to earn a Michelin star.
Cocina Tres Is the Mexican Restaurant Business Bay Needed
From the same team behind Honeycomb Hi-Fi and Miss Lily's, [Cocina Tres]( is now open at the Pullman Dubai Downtown in Business Bay. The interiors take direct cues from Mexican architect Luis Barragán, with geometric columns, hand-cut tiles, and a succulent-filled terrace looking out over the waterfront. Chefs were brought in from Mexico, tortillas are handmade on a custom-built molino using imported Oaxacan corn, and wood-fire grilled specials anchor the menu. Open Sunday to Thursday 7pm to 1am, and until 2am on weekends.
Em Sherif Deli Is Comfort Food Done Right
[Em Sherif Deli]( the casual offshoot of the iconic Lebanese restaurant, opened at One Central in Dubai World Trade Centre and has since expanded to a second location at Galleria Mall in Al Barsha. The concept was created by Yasmina Hayek, daughter of Em Sherif's founder Mireille Hayek, designed as a more relaxed, everyday take on the family's culinary legacy. The menu covers elevated shawarma, mezze, house-made desserts, and a Mouneh corner featuring Lebanese pantry staples like pickles, jams, and spice blends.
The Verdict
Dubai has never had a shortage of restaurants, but this particular lineup is genuinely diverse: a Greek waterfront opening, a Paris transplant making its global debut, a 61st-floor dinner show, and a Lebanese deli that already has queues out the door. If you are working through a dining list this season, these seven new Dubai restaurants are worth every booking.
