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29 best restaurants in Dubai, according to our local team
Address: Armada Avenue Hotel, cluster P, Jumeirah Lake Towers
Website: mythosdubai.com
Fusion Ceviche
Neighbourhood: JLT
Dish to order: signature clásico
Tucked inside Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT), this homegrown Peruvian gem is helmed by chef Penelope Diaz, who you’ll often find dishing up by the open kitchen or walking around the intimate and cosy space. The connected tables mean you’ll be sitting alongside strangers, but don’t be surprised if you leave with a few new friends – it’s the kind of place where regulars often bump into familiar faces and the crowd is a perfect mix of solo diners, couples and groups. The food reflects the no-frills, homey vibe. Rooted in traditional Peruvian cuisine with a heavy focus on seafood, it’s divided into ceviches, entradas (entrees), calientes (hot dishes), and postres (desserts). Start with the signature clásico – a tangy and spicy mix of sea bass, leche de tigre, sweet potato, onion and crispy corn (spice levels can be adjusted). Another standout is the scallops tradito, served with charred avocado in a pool of smoky aji amarillo sauce. For mains, the lomo saltado combines Peruvian flavours with Chinese influences: marinated beef stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, and aji amarillo in a savoury, tangy soy-based sauce, served with fried potato wedges and white rice to soak up every drop. Though if you ask for their recommendations, you’re guaranteed to leave satisfied. Pro tip: book ahead and reserve the tres leches dessert as soon as you sit down. Zahra Surya Darma
Address: JLT Cluster Q
Website: @fusioncevichedxb22
La Petite Maison
Neighbourhood: DIFC
Dish to order: Escargots de Bourgogne
La Petite Maison, or LPM as most call it in Dubai, has been a mainstay of the city’s restaurant scene for 14 years – no mean feat in a city where the in-vogue place changes like the wind. But it’s LPM’s consistency that has enabled it to endure, not only in its solid menu of French-Mediterranean staples done oh-so-well, but in its impeccable service, thoughtfully curated wine list, and, in no small part, the Tomatini – its now-global signature cocktail created behind the bar in Dubai. Any day of the week, you’ll find the red leather stools at the ornate marble bar occupied by the glamorous post-work or pre-dinner crowd, usually sitting with said Tomatini on the counter in front of them as a bartender tops it with pepper from a comically large grinder. At its white-clothed tables, set between colourful, eccentric artworks, you’ll find families, couples, colleagues and groups of friends sharing fresh lentil salads, trays of garlicky escargots and perfectly cooked steaks (always with a side of creamy potato dauphinoise). This is the kind of place where there’s always a buzz without it ever feeling too much, and you always know exactly what you are going to get. Sophie Prideaux
