5 Dubai restaurants slinging grilled seafood on the beach

Kick off your shoes and sink your toes into the sand…

Nothing says ‘holiday mode’ quite like a meal of freshly grilled seafood on the beach – but there’s no need to head to the Med for your alfresco fix.

Here, we share five of Dubai’s best beachfront restaurants serving freshly grilled seafood, right on the sand.

White Restaurant, Atlantis, The Palm

On Wednesday nights, starting March 11, White Restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm, transforms into Fish Bazaar. For Dhs250, you’ll get a three-course meal and two glasses of wine in the stunning beachfront eatery. After sharing starters of sea bass ceviche, tuna and salmon sashimi, and fried calamari, choose your favourite fish from the fresh display, then have the chefs prepare it any way you like. For dessert, enjoy a slice of bougatsa, a Greek phyllo pie filled with creamy custard. Dinner kicks off at 6pm, but you can make a day of it, with free entry to White Beach from midday to 8pm.

White Restaurant, Atlantis, The Palm, Palm Jumeirah. Wed 6pm to 10pm. Dhs205 for food only, Dhs250 with wine. Tel: 055 2004321. atlantisthepalm.com

Fish Beach Taverna

Whitewashed walls, bright-pink bougainvillea and a gentle sea breeze: Fish Beach Taverna instantly transports you to the Aegean. Once you’ve nabbed a table on the sand, settle in for a leisurely lunch of Turkish and Greek starters (creamy dips, zesty salads, and marinated seafood). For the main event, choose a whole fish from the ice display (the butterflied sea bass is perfect for a table of six), then have it expertly grilled over hot coals.

Fish Beach Taverna, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, Dubai. Daily, midday to 4pm, 6.30pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 511 7373. fish-dubai.com

The Beach Bar & Grill by Mauro Colagreco

The chef behind the world’s best restaurant, Mirazur on the French Riviera, brings his Mediterranean flair to the beachfront at One&Only Royal Mirage. At the luxe-yet-laidback Beach Bar & Grill, Mauro’s menu offers sardines, scallops, prawns and fish straight off the grill, with herby marinades and lusty sauces that speak of the Med.

The Beach Bar & Grill by Mauro Colagreco, One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai Marina. Daily, midday to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 399 9999. oneandonlyresorts.com/royal-mirage

Palm Grill

For beachfront seafood with a Latin accent, book a spot at The Ritz-Carlton’s rustic, sandy-floored diner, Palm Grill. Situated right on the edge of the Arabian Gulf at JBR, this alfresco eatery is a favourite for sunset sips and flavourful Central and South American fare. Start with punchy ceviches and crunchy tostadas before turning your attention to the grill: king prawns, octopus or sea bass, perhaps, all served with confit potatoes, tomatoes and grilled garlic.

Palm Grill, The Ritz-Carlton Dubai, JBR. Daily, midday to 11pm. Tel: (04) 399 4000. ritzcarlton.com

Shimmers

Push the boat out with a meal at chic Greek eatery Shimmers, located in a prime position on the beach at Jumeirah Mina A’Salam. Dine on the sand under market umbrellas, indulging in freshly grilled scampi with wild Greek oregano, grilled Mediterranean octopus or a whole John dory. If money is no object, plump for the grilled rock lobster for two, served with bruschetta and an olive and lemon sauce.

Shimmers, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Madinat Jumeirah. Daily, midday to 11pm. Tel: (04) 432 3232. jumeirah.com

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