CNN
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Home to the world’s tallest building and the world’s deepest pool, Dubai is a hub for the spectacular – from its architecture all the way down to its food. Now a number of the emirate’s eateries have been awarded Michelin stars – a first for the Middle East.
The Michelin Guide Dubai 2022 was launched Tuesday, comprising 69 restaurants. Eleven were awarded Michelin stars and 14 received a Bib Gourmand (deemed to provide value for money) – along with 44 more “Michelin-selected” restaurants. Spanning 21 cuisines, the guide aims to reflect the culinary diversity in a place where the vast majority of the population are foreign workers from around the world.
Two restaurants received two Michelin stars – Stay by Yannick Alleno, and Il Ristorante – Niko Romito. Il Ristorante, which is located at the Bulgari Resort, was recognized for “its modern Italian fare, which comes with balance, purity and clarity” and Stay for its “less-is-more approach” to French cuisine, according to a Michelin press release.
Nine restaurants were awarded one Michelin star, including nine-seat Japanese restaurant Höseki, innovative Chinese restaurant Hakkasan, and Tasca by José Avillez, which serves Portuguese cuisine.
“Our inspectors have been in the field for years to monitor the evolution of the local culinary landscape and we are proud and happy to reveal the vibrancy and real potential of Dubai as a gastronomic hotspot,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, told CNN.
“We have monitored a sharp evolution in the quality of the food offering (in Dubai) and we have more and more independently run restaurants operated by local and homegrown talent. Today we have a very diverse culinary scene and there will be more to come.”
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Thinking of traveling to Dubai on vacation? Here are just few of the attractions on offer. You could
go on a round trip on Ain Dubai --
the world's tallest Ferris wheel at
250 meters (820 feet) high. Opened in October 2021, Ain Dubai is offering a range of tickets, including shared or private cabins, along with "social cabins" where drinks are served on the roughly 40-minute journey. Prices start at
130 AED ($36).
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Marvel at the Museum of the Future -- The intricately decorated Museum of the Future opened in 2022. Its squashed donut shape is constructed of nearly
2,400 fiberglass and stainless steel panels, adorned with Arabic calligraphy.
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Plunge into the world's deepest pool -- Deep Dive Dubai proves that the city of skyscrapers can build down as well as up. Home to the world's deepest dive pool, a staggering 60 meters (196 feet) in depth and holding
14 million liters of water, it is at least four times as big as any other in the world. Beneath the surface are artificial wrecks and ruins waiting to be explored. The facility offers snorkeling, SCUBA and freedive lessons and sessions. Prices start at
400 AED ($110).
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Step inside a Van Gogh -- Inside Dubai Mall is a real showstopper of an exhibition. Digital art center
Infinity des Lumières hosts a show projecting paintings by Van Gogh on a vast and immersive scale. See works including "Sunflowers" and "The Potato Eaters" as you've never seen them before and gain a fresh perspective on the Dutch Impressionist's work. Adult tickets
125 AED ($35).
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Go old school in Al Fahidi -- Dubai's historical district Al Fahidi is the place to go if you want a glimpse of what the city was like before all the steel and glass -- in fact, before it was a city. There are dozens of traditional buildings, including wind towers, a form of ancient air conditioning. Take a tour at the winding streets and drop into
Calligraphy House and the
Coin Museum on the way.
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Have afternoon tea on the QEII -- The Queen Elizabeth II, one of the great ocean liners, has been open for business in Dubai since
2018, when it received a new lease of life as a static hotel, restaurant and events space. Visitors can soak up the ship's distinctly period charms and hit the deck for a spot of afternoon tea from 15:00-17:30. Prices start at 145 AED ($40) (no shorts or flip-flops, thank you very much).
Courtesy Address Hotel + Resorts
Look down from the world's highest infinity pool -- Address Beach Resort is the place to be if you want to cool off with one of Dubai's best views. Nearly 1,000 feet (294 meters) up, the infinity pool is nearly twice the length of an Olympic-sized swimming pool, but a mere 4 feet (1.2 meters) deep. There is a catch, however: the pool is only open to hotel guests 21 years old and over.
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Get out of town with a trip to Hatta -- Dubai's rocky exclave to the east is a hotspot for outdoor sports. The Hajar Mountains are perfect for bikes (both road and mountain), while the lake formed by the Hatta Dam is popular with kayakers and canoeists. Many visitors go for a day trip, but if you want to stay, a range of options, from camping to glamping to lodges and the
Ja Hatta Fort Hotel mountain resort have you covered.
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Trot off to the races -- Situated 10 minutes from the Dubai World Trade Centre,
Meydan Racecourse is the home of horseracing in the city. Racing kicks off in November and takes place on either Thursdays or Saturdays (some weeks both), culminating in the Dubai World Cup, the emirate's blue ribbon event, on
March 26.
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See a view as pretty as a picture from Dubai Frame -- With a golden design and proportions reflecting the
golden ratio, Dubai Frame is also a golden opportunity to see a lot of the city in one go. It contains exhibitions including 3D projections of old Dubai, before taking visitors to the top for 360-degree views, before descending to another exhibition imagining Dubai in 50 years' time. Open 09:00-21:00 every day (sunset is a popular time). Prices from
50 AED ($14).
2021 Atlantis, The Palm Dubai
Sleep (or eat) with the fishes at Atlantis, The Palm -- Out on the artificial archipelago the
Palm Jumeirah is iconic hotel and resort Atlantis, The Palm. The hotel's
Underwater Suite has floor to ceiling windows into its giant aquarium. Evening diners can visit
Ossiano, the hotel's restaurant with underwater views (would it be insensitive to order the fish?). If you'd just like a tour, it's open between 10:00-21:00 (
book tickets online).
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Escape the city without leaving it at Ras al-Khor -- The only desert wetland in Dubai, Ras al-Khor covers around
620 hectares on the banks of Dubai Creek. A peaceful idyll a stone's throw from the hubbub, the wetland is home to
450 animal species including 180 types of bird, such as the greater spotted eagle, kingfishers and, in winter, thousands of
flamingos. Open 07:30-17:30 between October and March.
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Look down on the clouds from the Burj Khalifa -- The Burj Khalifa has been the world's tallest building for over a decade, and it's still well worth a visit to the observation deck for a unique perspective on the city. The package "
At the Top, Burj Khalifa Sky" includes entry to the outdoor terrace and lounge on the 148th level -- 555 meters (1,821 feet) high -- offering dizzying views, while the
125th level has a 360-degree observation deck. Prices from
379 AED ($104).
Despite the selection encompassing cuisines from across the European and Asian continents, no restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine was awarded a star. But there was recognition for Middle Eastern cooking amongst the Bib Gourmand awardees – a category for restaurants that offer a three-course gourmet experience priced at an average of 250 United Arab Emirates dirham (around $68). Recipients include Levantine restaurant Bait Maryam, and Al Khayma – featuring rustic Emirati cooking.
The Dubai guide may set the stage for Michelin acknowledging culinary excellence elsewhere in the Middle East, and with Dubai hosting around 16 million tourists each year, the guide could help boost tourism further.