The restaurant openings Dubai 2026 has lined up are genuinely stacked. Six spots are already confirmed and already generating the kind of conversation that has serious food people setting reminders. From a Two MICHELIN-Starred Indian institution making its UAE debut to a brand-new beachfront dining scene at Port de La Mer, here is everything worth knowing before tables start filling up.
A Whole New Dining Scene Is Coming to Port de La Mer
Two of the year’s most talked-about openings will land at Gran Meliá Dubai Jumeirah, a five-star beachfront resort under construction at Port de La Mer in Jumeirah. Construction is on schedule with completion expected in Q4 2026, and the property is bringing two global names to Dubai for the very first time. These two venues alone make Port de La Mer one of the most compelling restaurant openings Dubai’s 2026 calendar has produced so far.
Image: asbhospitality/Website
Zuma Beach House is the one everyone is watching. It is the region’s first beachside concept from Zuma Dubai, one of the city’s most iconic Japanese restaurants. The venue will feature a lounge and bar, day beds, a swimming pool, and access to a private 140-metre beachfront. Zuma’s official website currently places the opening in 2027, in line with the hotel’s Q4 2026 construction completion.
Novikov Beach is the other major addition to the property. The Mayfair-born hospitality brand, which first came to Dubai in 2022 with Novikov Café, is opening its first beach club at Gran Meliá. The menu focuses on Mediterranean cuisine with Asian influences, served within a chic lounge setting with day beds, a pool offering panoramic views of the Port de La Mer marina, and direct private beach access. Novikov Group currently operates over 300 restaurants worldwide, with flagship locations in London, Beverly Hills, Miami, Istanbul, and AlUla.
The Restaurant Openings Dubai 2026 Needs in DIFC
DIFC is already the most restaurant-dense neighbourhood in Dubai, and 2026 is adding three names worth tracking.
Image: thegulfindependent/Website
Gymkhana is the one that has the food crowd most excited. The Mayfair-born Indian restaurant earned its first MICHELIN Star when it opened in London in 2013, and was awarded Two MICHELIN Stars in 2024. It has one permanent international outpost in Riyadh, which opened in 2023, and Dubai is next. The concept draws its identity from the elite social clubs of colonial India, and the menu leans deep into North Indian cooking. Signature dishes include tandoori masala lamb chops, kid-goat methi keema with pao, and wild muntjac biryani. No confirmed opening date has been announced yet, but the launch is expected later in 2026.
Chotto Matte is opening at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, marking the brand’s first UAE location. Founded in 2013 by Kurt Zdesar, Chotto Matte is one of the most globally recognised Nikkei dining concepts in the world. Nikkei cuisine fuses Japanese technique with Peruvian flavours, and the Dubai menu is expected to follow the format of existing outposts in London, Miami, Toronto, San Francisco, Doha, and Riyadh. Guests can expect sushi, ceviche, robata-grilled anticuchos, and signature plates like Black Cod Aji Miso and Wagyu Beef Gyoza. The restaurant is also known for its art installations, flaming robata theatrics, and live DJ performances. The Dubai location is a partnership with BIK Hospitality.
MASA is also confirmed for DIFC in 2026. Full details on the concept have not been publicly confirmed at the time of publishing.
Bluewaters Island Is Getting Dubai’s First Teppanyaki Restaurant
TAIGA, from the team behind FACT Dining Award-winner TakaHisa, is opening at Bluewaters Dubai. It is positioned as the city’s first traditional teppanyaki restaurant. The concept is built around an omakase format, with chefs cooking each course live at the teppanyaki counter in full view of guests. The kitchen sources seafood directly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market five times a week and works with A5 Wagyu from Kobe, Matsusaka, and Ozaki. Private rooms are available for guests who want a more intimate experience, but the counter is the main draw.
What to Know Before These Open
The DIFC openings, particularly Gymkhana and Chotto Matte, will likely require advance reservations as soon as tables go live. The Port de La Mer venues are tied to the Gran Meliá hotel timeline, with the property on track for completion by end of 2026. For TAIGA at Bluewaters, follow the restaurant’s official channels for the confirmed opening date.
The restaurant openings Dubai’s 2026 dining calendar has confirmed are among the most globally loaded the city has seen in recent years. Whether you’re after live-fire Japanese theatre, two-star Indian cooking, or a proper Mediterranean beach club, there is something on this list that deserves a spot on your calendar.
Cover Image: @taiga.japaneserestaurant/Instagram
