With a heightened focus on wine, service, ingredients, technique, and flair, French restaurants in Dubai were some of the most highly rated in 2024, including two that achieved four-toque status.
Here are the seven top-rated French restaurants in Dubai for 2024, according to Gault&Millau inspectors, from high-rise dining in the Burj Al Arab with spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf to a subterranean tasting menu under the sea at Atlantis The Palm.
Al Muntaha, 17.5/20 (4 toques)
Over three years, Al Muntaha has evolved from an excellent restaurant to a truly great one. In 2022, the venue, perched high in Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, was one of three restaurants awarded three toques in Gault&Millau UAE’s first year. In 2023, it achieved a remarkable score of 17, adding a fourth toque. This year, it has increased its score once more and was named Restaurant of the Year for 2024.
That has been achieved thanks to the restaurant’s desire for perfection. Every team member, from the manager, sommelier, and executive chef to the waiters and kitchen team, is focused on the same goal – greatness.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Al Muntaha in full, here
www.jumeirah.com/en/stay/dubai/burj-al-arab-jumeirah/dining/burj-al-arab-muntaha; +971 4 301 7600
Ossiano, 17.5/20 (4 toques)
From a restaurant within one of Dubai’s most iconic hotels to a landmark in its own right, Ossiano has been on a journey since its grand reimagining. Over the past 12 months alone, Ossiano has cemented its position as the most theatrical dining experience in the city. Chef Grégoire Berger retains some of the most whimsical moments of previous seasons and adds more still – beginning at the very point of arrival and never letting up throughout.
Perhaps the only restaurant in the city with as much emphasis on storytelling as technique and produce, dining at Ossiano is to surrender to the waves (as its courses are described) and go with the flow. Relax; you’re in well-drilled hands.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Ossiano in full, here
www.atlantis.com/dubai/dining/ossiano; +971 4 426 0770
STAY by Yannick Alléno, 15/20 (3 toques)
Nestled near the pool at one of Dubai’s most exclusive resorts – One&Only The Palm – Stay by Yannick Alléno is one of those much-talked-about restaurants that deserves its reputation as a great.
The service is impeccable. With seamless interludes between courses, it’s a delightful, calm experience. The sommelier is also helpful and excellent. Perhaps surprisingly, prices aren’t as high as at other restaurants of its ilk, plus there’s a decent selection.
While there’s an à la carte, the degustation menu shouldn’t be missed – boasting premium ingredients and chef Alléno’s intricate attention to detail singing throughout the courses.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of STAY by Yannick Alléno in full, here
www.oneandonlyresorts.com/the-palm/dining/stay-by-yannick-alleno; +971 4 440 1030
L’Atelier Robuchon, 15/20 (3 toques)
Renowned French chef Joël Robuchon’s L’Atelier brand is known for its fusion of French and Asian flavours. Given the late Robuchon’s legacy as one of the most honoured chefs in history (Chef of the Century, according to Gault&Millau France), any establishment bearing his name carries a weight of expectation. Fortunately, for both Robuchon’s legacy and the patrons, his protege Robert Torre more than rises to the challenge.
L’Atelier Robuchon shines in Dubai’s bustling DIFC district. In an area where several venues offer a blend of food, drinks, music and entertainment but rarely truly fine dining, L’Atelier sets itself apart by focusing on Torre’s exquisite cuisine and unparalleled service.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of L’Atelier Robuchon in full, here
www.atelier-robuchon.ae; +971 4 297 7729
Celebrities by Mauro Colagreco, 14.5/20 (2 toques)
In the 2023 edition of this guide, we summarised this restaurant in seven short words: “Brilliant food that deserves a better atmosphere”. At the risk of harping on, and despite Celebrities by Mauro Colagreco taking a temporary hiatus in later 2023, the same words still ring true.
Unquestionably, the magnificent simplicity of Celebrities’ approach to French cuisine is an absolute masterclass in great produce treated with restraint.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Celebrities by Mauro Colagreco in full, here
www.oneandonlyresorts.com/royal-mirage/dining/celebrities; +971 4 399 9999
Pierre’s TT, 14.5/20 (2 toques)
Pierre’s TT has evolved from its ‘bistro’ roots, emerging as a more daring and avant-garde restaurant over the past year. It showcases the influence of legendary chef Pierre Gagnaire perfectly, thanks in part to restaurant manager Hervé Lorit and chef Mathieu Balbino, both protegés of Gagnaire.
Introducing a new menu in late 2023 amplified this transformation, elevating the dining experience to new heights. Standout dishes include a jelly of grey shrimp, shellfish, seaweed, leek, and risotto with parsley and poached foie gras, the indulgent dish proving Balbino’s ability to work with classic ingredients while adding something new.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Pierre’s TT in full, here
www.pierresdubai.com; +971 4 701 1199
Brasserie Boulud, 14/20 (2 toques)
Esteemed French chef Daniel Boulud has a reputation built on numerous award-winning restaurants globally, with his Dubai Brasserie Boulud equally frequently acclaimed. However, there has been a slight shift in recent times.
Rightly commended for its classic take on French cuisine and exceptional service, Brasserie Boulud at Sofitel the Obelisk has drifted slightly from its previous experiential heights.
In a setting no less grand than before, traditional brasserie dishes remain executed classically. Still, dishes counted among the restaurant’s signatures, including oeuf poché forester, aren’t as memorable, while a classic tartare de boeuf is underseasoned – despite an impressive show of its tableside assembly.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Brasserie Boulud in full, here
www.sofitel-dubai-theobelisk.com/restaurants-bars/brasserie-boulud; +971 4 281 4020