Zuma Dubai

Zuma opened in the Dubai International Financial Centre in 2008 and has been one of the city's most dependable big-night-out restaurants ever since. Set in Gate Village, the low-rise cluster of galleries and restaurants at the heart of DIFC, it still draws a busy, well-dressed crowd of bankers, residents and visitors. Its bar was named among The World's 50 Best Bars in 2022, a sign that it is as much a place to drink as to eat.

The concept is inspired by the Japanese izakaya: dishes are designed for sharing and arrive as they are ready, from the sushi counter, the robata grill and the main kitchen. Favourites include the crab salad with avocado and sesame dressing, prawn and black cod gyoza, the Japanese mushroom rice hotpot with shaved truffle, and chu toro tartare with caviar. Desserts are a strength, and the cocktail list includes a Japanese paloma, a Zuma negroni and a Japanese old fashioned. A Saturday brunch is popular.

Lunch is served daily, with a later start on Saturdays, and dinner runs from 6.30pm until midnight from Sunday to Wednesday and until 1am from Thursday to Saturday. The bar is open from midday until 2am every day. The restaurant welcomes guests of all ages, while the lounge is reserved for over-21s in the evening and is the only area where smoking is allowed. Book through the website, by phone or by email, especially for weekend dinners, which fill up quickly.

The atmosphere is buzzy and loud later in the evening, so ask for a table in the dining room if you want conversation, or at the sushi counter for a view of the chefs. Prices are high and the bill adds up quickly when sharing, so it suits celebrations, business dinners and groups of friends rather than a quick meal.

Gate Village is a short walk from the Emirates Towers and Financial Centre Metro stations on the Red Line, through the DIFC walkways, and there is parking within DIFC. Galaxy Bar, a cocktail lounge in another of the Gate Village buildings, is close by for a drink afterwards, and the DIFC art galleries make for a pleasant stroll before dinner.