UAE’s Popular Pan-Asian Restaurants and Cafes

This contemporary Japanese cuisine restaurant offers a menu featuring a diverse selection of creative interpretations of traditional Asian dishes and pan-Asian cuisine. The menu ranges from black cod croquettes to a mushroom hot pot with fresh truffles. The lounge bar, located on the second floor above the main dining area, is worth a visit. Here, you can enjoy unique versions of classic cocktails and innovative mixes made with original Asian ingredients like hibiscus infusion, yuzu tonic, or homemade Japanese cola. We recommend to book in advance.

A branch of the large international chain of Chinese and pan-Asian cuisine restaurants originating from Taiwan. It is one of the world’s most successful ventures offering comforting and diverse casual Asian dishes. Visit this restaurant for the signature steamed dumplings, xiao long bao, which marked the beginning of the Din Tai Fung empire, as well as the legendary spicy cucumber appetizer, exemplary sweet and sour chicken, exceptional Mongolian-style beef with vegetables, and ja jian noodles. The latest menu additions include mapo tofu, a staple of Szechuan cuisine, perfectly adjusted for European tastes in terms of heat and spiciness.

This bar and restaurant, known for its excellent Asian cuisine, is the creation of the region’s renowned DJ Lobito Brigante, a devoted fan of 1970s urban culture and the Bohemian aesthetics of New York’s Chinatown. The menu offers an eclectic yet delightful mix of Korean, Japanese, Szechuan, and Thai cuisines, featuring designer dishes inspired by contemporary pan-Asian classics. Highlights include tuna tataki, crab salad with yuzu aioli, teriyaki beef, and Peking duck sando, among others. The establishment also boasts a sophisticated bar menu with unique cocktails. Be sure to try the Love Hotel 75, which features yuzu sorbet.

A city gastro café and Japanese cuisine restaurant renowned for its exceptional hand rolls, the most outstanding of them being the spicy marinated tuna. Other popular menu items include a fantastic salad made from hijiki brown seaweed, a salad with Chinese-style marinated cucumbers, tomatoes, crispy garlic, and shallots, and the signature raw fish crudo featuring bluefin tuna, salmon, scallops and amberjack. Kokoro’s menu is small, just like its premises, and you can’t book a table, but you should definitely visit at least once.

This Asian food restaurant in the DIFC offers a diverse menu and exceptional dishes inspired by the culinary traditions of East Asia. Be sure to explore the extensive selection of spring rolls, dim sum, and other Asian dumplings. The interiors reflect the aesthetics of the post-imperial Chinese capital of the 1930s, creating an elegant atmosphere and inviting pleasant crowds of guests. One of the best ways to brighten your mood on a weekday is to visit Shanghai Me for a business lunch. Opt for the quick lunch featuring Vietnamese Pho soup and katsu sliders, available on weekdays from noon to 3:30 pm.

Contemporary Japanese cuisine with a view of the port. This is one of Dubai’s most successful and charismatic establishments that continually updates its menu with seasonal offerings and intriguing culinary collaborations. On the regular menu, look for the croissant with tuna and black caviar (check with the waiter and order it if it’s available), sando with Wagyu A5 beef, salmon carpaccio with ponzu sauce, and the spicy beef tartare. If you plan to visit in the evening or on a weekend, it is advisable to book a table in advance.