Restaurants

A spectacular view is sure to set the tone for an impressive business meeting, and the one from high on the 52nd floor of the Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel – looking out over Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah – is hard to top. Once diners have torn themselves away from the floor-to-ceiling windows, they can look forward to modern classics such as prawn cocktail, herb-crusted rack of lamb, and crème brûlée with a hint of espresso to leave guests office-ready after a sumptuous meal, which is available from Sunday to Thursday between 12-3pm and is priced from AED90 for two courses.

Super-sleek sushi restaurant Okku is famous in Dubai for delivering Japanese cuisine that the city’s foodies go absolutely mad for. Headed by executive chef, Hugo Sato Gardiner, the restaurant has won a clutch of awards – including most recently the prestigious Caterer Award for Restaurant of the Year and TimeOut Dubai’s award for Best Japanese – which brings with it a distinctly A-list clientele. It’s not cheap – but with caviar and black truffle in the sushi, it’s certainly memorable. +971 4 501 8777

With a kitchen team lead by executive chef Himanshu Saini, who was crowned ‘Best Young Chef’ at the 2014 Delhi Gourmet Club’s Top Chef Awards, Tresind serves up classic Indian flavours, elevated to levels of modern brilliance using molecular gastronomy. The “textures of mushroom” dish is truly out of this world. +971 4 308 0440

The hipsters of Dubai have long since been banging the drum for Al Quoz coffee house Tom & Serg which now has a cult following in the city, and in The Sum of Us, the talented duo behind Tom & Serg have struck gold once again. With 20 different blends of coffee and a food menu that changes daily to accommodate the fresh local produce, The Sum of Us is every bit as cool as its Al Quoz counterpart. +971 56 445 7526

Lemonade is a unique cafe serving both hearty and healthy meals, and a few sugary treats, too. The cafe serves six types of lemonade, hence the name, including tangy guava and lime, and the surprisingly delicious combination of watermelon and rosemary.

Sit under the glass dome of Anwar and take in the natural daylight or gaze up at the evening sky. This bright restaurant offers all-day dining options, starting with the famous Holiday Inn lavish breakfast that is available until 11am on lazy mornings. Choose between the buffet or a la carte menu at lunch or dinner, both offering an array of international starters, mouth-watering mains and delicious desserts. Telephone +971 [0] 4 357 2999

The buffet at Arboretum is considered to be one of the best in Dubai. The stylish restaurant is also included in the famous Al Qasr brunch, which won the Best Brunch award from The BBC Good Food Middle East. The Thursday night Seafood Extravaganza is definitely worth trying. Situated along the busy waterway at Madinat Jumeirah, dining al fresco on the Arboretum terrace gives you a great experience. Telephone +971 [0] 4 366 6730 Email MJrestaurants@jumeirah.com

This Provence import and share-style dining concept has come a long way since it opened as a bistro in Nice 20 years ago, where it was awarded a Michelin star. La Petite Maison now has branches from London to Istanbul, with two more set to open in Abu Dhabi and Miami this year. The menu is seasonal, the service slick and they manage to turn the stuffy reputation of French cuisine on its head, with contemporary share plates of everything from green breams with foie gras to scallop carpaccio. +971 4 439 0505

Celebrity UK chef Gary Rhodes has been a fixture in the Dubai dining market for so long that he’s practically a local. His latest venture, launched last year, is an ode to British culinary classics, set inside a crisp white interior that is decidedly proper, with elements such as delicate wallpaper, lattice screens and fake grass all adding to the English vibe. The Welsh rarebit with smoked haddock creates an air of nostalgia with each bite, and is served with a simple salad. +971 4 317 6000