The perfect menu is an elusive ideal. Too few options can leave diners feeling short-changed, too many risks leaving them confused rather than enthused.
Sometimes, we all just want to sit back, relax and let someone else make the hard decisions for us – and on those evenings, a tasting menu can be very tempting.
Offering an insight into the preferences of some of the nation’s finest chefs, a good set menu is often a joy – and the UAE is not short on fine examples.
Read on for 20 notable options to try…
Al Muntaha
Priced from AED1,100 per person, Al Muntaha’s degustation menu is ideal for a special occasion. Featuring a range of the three-toque eatery’s signature dishes, from langoustine royale to ravioli del ‘plin’, this is one every discerning diner needs to try at least once.
Armani/Ristorante
This three-toque restaurant is currently offering two tasting menu options – the ‘Degustazione Funghi’ features six mushroom-themed courses for AED649 per person while the ‘Exclusive Journey’ runs to eight signature courses, from risotto to slow-cooked lamb, and is priced from AED999.
Al Nafoorah
Al Nafoorah’s Beirut set menu extends to 19 individual sharing plates for AED550 per person. With a selection of cold and hot mezze, mixed seafood and meat grills and a range of sweet treats, it’s a brilliant way to introduce visitors to the flavours of the region.
Avatara
A relative newcomer to Dubai’s dining scene, Avatara is the UAE’s first and only vegetarian degustation fine-dining experience. The intriguing Indian plant-based menu features 16 courses priced from AED450 per person, and can also be tailored for vegan and even gluten-free diners.
Hakkasan
There’s a choice of two set menus at the Abu Dhabi outpost of the famed Asian eatery, both offering a tasty tour around ten of the brand’s signature dishes. The ‘Dragon’, costing AED498, is available for two of more diners, while the ‘Qilin’ costs AED688 per person and requires a minimum of four diners.
Hoseki
Named for the Japanese word for ‘gemstone’, this tiny, nine-seater eatery offers one of Dubai’s most exclusive omakase experiences – diners simply choose from either the AED1,750 ‘Hisui’ or the AED2,250 ‘Ruri’ menu then sit back and let Chef Masahiro Sugiyama do what he does best…
Il Ristorante Niko Romito
Featuring seven signature Italian dishes, from ricotta tortelli to beef tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce, Il Ristorante Niko Romito’s degustation menu is priced at AED1,000 per person, or AED2,000 with wine pairings.
L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon
While guests opting for the AED749 ‘Epicure’ tasting menu at L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon will sample nine dishes in total, they’ll have a choice of three main courses, making this a more versatile tasting menu than many.
Kohantei
With an unusual focus on Japanese wagyu beef alongside a small selection of seafood and sushi, Kohantei offers a choice of five set ‘kaiseki’ menus ranging from six to eight courses and priced from AED430 per person.
Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi
One of the most affordable tasting experiences we’ve found in the UAE, Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi’s special set menu can be tailored for both vegetarians and carnivores and features a total of nine, dishes, including accompaniments, for AED299.
Moonrise
Winner of Gault&Millau UAE 2022’s Future Great award, Solemann Haddad’s Moonrise occupies an unusual space atop Satwa’s Eden House, with seating for just eight guests at a time. His inventive, multi-cultural nine-course menu is priced at AED650 per person, and includes non-alcoholic and tea pairings.
Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara
Served in one of Dubai’s most iconic dining rooms, Chef Andrea Migliaccio’s five-course degustation menu runs the gamut from risotto and pasta to the finest seafood, aiming to give guests a true taste of her ocean-inspired Italian cuisine. Priced at AED1,200 per person, there’s also optional wine pairing at AED900.
Ossiano
Since returning to its kitchen in early 2022, Gault&Millau UAE’s chef of the year, Grégoire Berger, has taken Ossiano to new heights as one of Dubai’s most celebrated restaurants. Offering inventive set menus designed to tell the chef’s own life story, the current iteration, The Next Chapter, is priced at AED1,150 for ten courses.
Pierchic
Occupying one of Dubai’s most picturesque locations, Pierchic now offers two tasting experiences. Opt for the six-course ‘Taste of Pierchic’ menu and you’ll enjoy a six-course tour of the restaurant’s signature dishes, priced at AED650 per person. Alternatively, diners who choose the ‘In Beatrice’s Hands’ offering will be led on a blind six-course journey around head chef Beatrice Segoni’s favourite seasonal flavours, for AED850 per person.
Stay by Yannick Alléno
Curated by one of France’s most celebrated chefs, the set menus at Stay by Yannick Alléno have been designed to offer a true insight into the restaurant’s produce-focussed dishes. Choose from the four-course ‘Emotion’ menu, featuring foie gras and milk-fed lamb for AED750 per person, or opt for the six-course ‘Experience’ menu to sample king crab, langoustine and Australian wagyu for AED950.
Takahisa
TakaHisa’s sushi master, chef Takashi Namekata, sources his kitchen’s sushi-grade seafood from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, while wagyu master chef Hisao Ueda focusses solely on top quality A5 Kobe beef. The restaurant’s three tasting menus aim to offer up a taste of both men’s work, either individually or combined, with options priced from AED 1,200 per person.
Tan Cha
Serving up an omakase-style Chinese tasting menu exclusively for groups of eight to twelve diners, the newly launched ‘Table 8’ private dining experience at Tan Cha is now accepting bookings with a minimum of 48 hours notice. Expect 11-courses spanning 18 distinctive tastes, priced at AED888 per person.
Teible
For Teible’s third season, chef Carlos Frunze’s focus has been on local sourcing, with a staggering 95% of the ingredients on his AED480, five-course oceanic tasting menu originating within the UAE.
TERO – The Experience by Reif Othman
TERO, short for The Experience by Reif Othman, is the latest offering from one of Dubai’s most recognisible chefs. Served at an intimate four-seater bar inside Othman’s Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, diners will be sample either an eight or a twelve-course tasting menu, priced at AED488 or AED688 per person.
Trèsind Studio
Chef Himanshu Saini’s ambitious Trèsind Studio aims to turn the most common preconceptions of Indian cuisine on their head. The approach, serving one, AED695 16-course tasting menu to just 20 or so diners at each sitting, allows for a theatrical and wholly immersive dining experience.