ABROAD & BEYOND
Where the Desert Feeds the Senses
Where the Desert Feeds the Senses
Abu Dhabi invites you to taste the land, the lineage, and the future.
For the epicurean traveler, the desert capital of Abu Dhabi offers an unforgettable tasting menu that begins in centuries-old souks—spiced, warm, and fragrant—and ends with Michelin stars lighting the skyline.
Emirati dishes reflect a landscape once shaped by pearl divers, Bedouin traders, and coastal fishermen long before oil redrew the horizon. You taste it in the harees served at Al Mabeet, slow-cooked wheat and meat that melt together like the desert night. Machboos, a spiced rice dish, is infused with loomi (dried limes) for a hearty, deeply satisfying flavor, often described as Emirati soul food. Centuries of Bedouin knowledge pass through kitchens full of saffron, cardamom, and dried limes.
Abu Dhabi’s culinary rise is now Michelin-recognized, and nowhere is that more evident than at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, home to two of the city’s starred standouts. At Talea by Antonio Guida, handmade pasta arrives like sculpture, shaped by one of Italy’s most decorated chefs. In the east wing of the property, Hakkasan restaurant layers Cantonese tradition with theatrical flair. Think caviar-laced Peking duck served beneath wooden latticework and moody blue-glass lighting. Across the city at 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, bold, contemporary Japanese cuisine meets waterfront views. Slices of otoro tuna arrive with surgical precision, while uni-topped gunkan and foie gras-laced nigiri bridge the line between tradition and avant-garde. At The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, food is the pulse of the property. Every venue is chef-driven and sensorial by design, from Sontaya’s bold Southeast Asian flavors served over reflective pools to the coastal elegance of Buddha-Bar Beach.
Culinary experiences in Abu Dhabi extend far beyond polished interiors, often blurring the boundary between food, culture, and place. At dawn, vendors in cobalt uniforms call out the day’s catch at Mina Port Fish Market, their voices cutting through the briny air. Crates of hamour, glistening prawns, and curious crustaceans lie arranged like jewels on beds of ice. By dusk, the focus shifts to the desert, where the dunes of the Empty Quarter stir. At Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara, plush carpets and lantern-lit tables await beneath rippling sandscapes and silken skies. A lavish feast emerges—traditional dishes like lamb ouzi, shish taouk, and vegetable saloona sizzle beside mezze and end with luqaimat, Arabic sweet dumplings drizzled in date syrup. Across the region, nights come alive as Tanoura dancers spin beneath the stars, falcons cut across the sky in ceremonial flight, and the hum of oud strings drifts beyond the firelight.
Abu Dhabi’s brilliance lies in its balance: a city that honors its roots while plating its future. Even a single date dipped in honey can feel as revelatory as a Michelin-starred tasting menu.
Uncover the wonders of Abu Dhabi.
ABROAD & BEYOND
Where the Desert Feeds the Senses
Where the Desert Feeds the Senses
Abu Dhabi invites you to taste the land, the lineage, and the future.
For the epicurean traveler, the desert capital of Abu Dhabi offers an unforgettable tasting menu that begins in centuries-old souks—spiced, warm, and fragrant—and ends with Michelin stars lighting the skyline.
Emirati dishes reflect a landscape once shaped by pearl divers, Bedouin traders, and coastal fishermen long before oil redrew the horizon. You taste it in the harees served at Al Mabeet, slow-cooked wheat and meat that melt together like the desert night. Machboos, a spiced rice dish, is infused with loomi (dried limes) for a hearty, deeply satisfying flavor, often described as Emirati soul food. Centuries of Bedouin knowledge pass through kitchens full of saffron, cardamom, and dried limes.
Abu Dhabi’s culinary rise is now Michelin-recognized, and nowhere is that more evident than at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, home to two of the city’s starred standouts. At Talea by Antonio Guida, handmade pasta arrives like sculpture, shaped by one of Italy’s most decorated chefs. In the east wing of the property, Hakkasan restaurant layers Cantonese tradition with theatrical flair. Think caviar-laced Peking duck served beneath wooden latticework and moody blue-glass lighting. Across the city at 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, bold, contemporary Japanese cuisine meets waterfront views. Slices of otoro tuna arrive with surgical precision, while uni-topped gunkan and foie gras-laced nigiri bridge the line between tradition and avant-garde. At The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, food is the pulse of the property. Every venue is chef-driven and sensorial by design, from Sontaya’s bold Southeast Asian flavors served over reflective pools to the coastal elegance of Buddha-Bar Beach.
Culinary experiences in Abu Dhabi extend far beyond polished interiors, often blurring the boundary between food, culture, and place. At dawn, vendors in cobalt uniforms call out the day’s catch at Mina Port Fish Market, their voices cutting through the briny air. Crates of hamour, glistening prawns, and curious crustaceans lie arranged like jewels on beds of ice. By dusk, the focus shifts to the desert, where the dunes of the Empty Quarter stir. At Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara, plush carpets and lantern-lit tables await beneath rippling sandscapes and silken skies. A lavish feast emerges—traditional dishes like lamb ouzi, shish taouk, and vegetable saloona sizzle beside mezze and end with luqaimat, Arabic sweet dumplings drizzled in date syrup. Across the region, nights come alive as Tanoura dancers spin beneath the stars, falcons cut across the sky in ceremonial flight, and the hum of oud strings drifts beyond the firelight.
Abu Dhabi’s brilliance lies in its balance: a city that honors its roots while plating its future. Even a single date dipped in honey can feel as revelatory as a Michelin-starred tasting menu.
Uncover the wonders of Abu Dhabi.
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