With hundreds of dining spots around Dubai and Abu Dhabi, sometimes it can be easy to be spoilt for choice. Be it for brunch, date night or a simple coffee, I’ve rounded up a few dining spots around Dubai that have something new to show this January, and which you might just want to try out. From new restaurants, new menu additions (healthy or otherwise) and everything in between, your palate will surely thank you.

Chicken Rotisserie Debuts at Cucina Mia

Cucina Mia, the Italian neighborhood bistro with its beautifully crafted dishes, offers an insight into the traditional cooking techniques of the country, steeped in the aromatic flavors of Italian heritage. The bistro has added a new Rotisserie menu to its classically Italian fair. The Chicken Rotisserie menu items make a welcome light option alongside their popular pizza, pasta, and main course dishes. You can choose from various Rotisserie Chicken items roasted to perfection – crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Menu items include a Quarter Chicken for AED 32, Half Chicken for AED 52 and a Whole Roast Chicken for AED 89, perfect for sharing. The chicken comes with a green salad and is served with a choice of either French Fries, Roasted Potatoes or Potato Wedges, as well as a selection of sauces to compliment the meat.

Location: Jumeirah Beach Walk in JBR, with inside and al fresco seating.

Unlimited Tacos at Loca

Loca has come to be known for its fiery Mexican fare, from delicious dips and tempting tamales to flavorsome flautas. As one of the popular dining spots around Dubai, the restaurant provides the ideal setting for gatherings with colleagues, friends, and families.

Nestled in the heritage hub of Souk Al Bahar, the eatery has added a new room to its stunning wood and deep green interior, aptly named as the Taco Room. You’ll be able to put together your own Mexican masterpieces, with soft or hard-shelled tacos as their canvases. Succulent beef, corn-fed chicken, and fresh fish will be available at the fillings section, complemented by an array of cheeses and sauces. The cherry on the cake, or more like the guacamole on the nacho in this case, quite literally is the inclusion of the widely loved tableside guacamole.

When: Everyday, 12 pm – 12 am
What: 3 hours unlimited tacos for AED149 to AED199 per person
Where: Loca Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai

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“Take the Shot” Brunch Experience at Le Petit Belge

Dubai’s freshest Belgian concept, Le Petit Belge, has launched the first brunch to celebrate with friends over shots! The “Take the Shot” brunch experience just debuted at the JLT location and will start at the new Business Bay location from January 12^th. The brunch offering has a range of classic Belgian hops, house grapes, and spirits as you would expect. The menu on offer has a delicious array of Belgian dishes, served rolling as platters, including assorted croquettes, the famous LPB “toast cannibal” (steak tartare), Flemish beef stew, garlic cream mussels and Belgian waffle cones. To take it to the next level, every platter of food that is served is accompanied by a round of shots. And if you finish your shots before you get your next platter food, don’t worry… Just ask your waiter for another round.

Locations: JLT at Pullman Hotel, and Business Bay at Hilton Doubletree, Bay Square

Timings: Every Friday 1pm – 4pm

New 2018 Menu at Afyä

Abu Dhabi’s most charming beachside restaurant has launched an all-new menu featuring more than 40 new dishes. Executive Sous Chef Shammi De Costa at Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi has created a wide range of signature dishes. The variety of cuisines is evident throughout the menu starting from the choice of appetizers like the traditional Arabic lentil soup and the Cobb salad featuring blue cheese, cheddar, smoked bacon and marinated grilled chicken. And to encourage guests to opt for sharing platters, Shammi has introduced a number of starters that are suitable for two, like the Rainbow Nachos, which includes chili con carne and cheddar cheese sauce with guacamole, tomato salsa, and sour cream.

Riviera Seafood Grill: A Mediterranean Haven in the Heart of JBR

The Mediterranean comes to life in Jumeirah Beach Walk, as Riviera Seafood Grill introduces a live seafood market on Sundays, raises a glass to the ladies on Mondays and Tuesdays, and kicks-off the weekend with Saint-Tropez flair on Fridays. Riviera Seafood Grill is Dubai’s piece of Mediterranean coastline in the Arabian Gulf with washed whites and light blue interiors and a relaxed ambiance that’s reminiscent of the French Riviera and Tuscan summers, to Andalucian evenings and the Greek archipelago.

Saluti Señoras: Mondays & Tuesdays from 5 pm to 8 pm, 2 for 1 on sangria for all ladies

Ce Soir Brunch: Fridays from 7 pm to 10 pm, AED 250 per person including soft drinks, AED 395 including house beverage, AED 550 for Champagne package.

Seafood Sundays: Every Sunday from 7 pm to 11:30 pm, prices on selection

New Lunchtime Service at CRISOL Restaurant and lounge

CRISOL Restaurant and Lounge now has a lunchtime service, which means they are open every day from 9 am until 11 pm (11.30pm on weekends). From 9am-12pm you can try one of their famed breakfasts such as the Shortrib Benedict, Mexican Chilaquiles or the delicious yet healthy breakfast bowls. Their variety of lunch and dinner options range from small bites to salads, burgers, tacos and more and are available daily from 1 pm. CRISOL, which means ‘melting pot’ in Spanish, is a concept that echoes through both the food and the design of the restaurant. Embedded with culinary traditions and rich ingredients, it defines their new American fusion cuisine.

Cold Brew Coffee at The Coffee Club

Constantly keeping its fingers on the latest beverage trends, The Coffee Club, one of the favorite coffee dining spots around Dubai, has launched an exclusive cold brew coffee collection. It features four refreshing flavor combinations, ranging from light and bright to dark and musky. Tailored to complement The Coffee Club’s sweet and savory dishes, these cold brew coffees can be enjoyed by themselves or alongside a sumptuous meal. Made from organic Colombian beans, they’re fermented and sundried after being harvested. They’re then brewed for 12 hours invoking diverse flavors like cinnamon, orange peel, dark cacao nibs, and Cohiba cigars.

Do you know of any other favorite dining spots around Dubai AND Abu Dhabi? Feel free to share in the comments or get in touch and I will include them on the list!