September has brought a new wave of restaurant openings to Dubai, with some of the most anticipated names of the year finally arriving alongside a growing number of homegrown concepts. Indian cooking in DIFC, Persian flavours in Downtown and handmade pasta overlooking Dubai Canal are all part of the mix, while several restaurants are preparing to open their doors later this month.
Gymkhana
One of September’s biggest arrivals has already opened its doors. Gymkhana made its UAE debut in DIFC on 1 September, bringing the Indian restaurant to Dubai for the first time. Inspired by the historic gymkhana clubs of India, the two-storey space combines timber panelling and brass detailing with a palette of deep green, red and cream.
The menu brings several of its best-known dishes to the city, including Aloo Chaat, Tandoori Masala Lamb Chops, Kid Goat Methi Keema and Chicken Butter Masala, joined by dishes created specifically for Dubai. With a terrace and a dining room that seats more than 100 guests, it is a significant addition to DIFC’s already busy restaurant scene.
Hikiniku To Come
Hikiniku To Come is taking a much more focused approach. Opening at CMPLX in Al Quoz, the Japanese concept is built almost entirely around the Hamburg steak, with beef ground in-house, grilled over charcoal in front of diners and served alongside freshly cooked rice.
The Dubai restaurant will be the brand’s first GCC location and will use 100 per cent halal-certified Wagyu beef. Its philosophy centres around three ideas, freshly ground, freshly grilled and freshly cooked, turning what appears to be a simple meal into a carefully timed dining experience. The Al Quoz opening is currently listed as coming soon.
Falwa
Falwa brings a contemporary approach to Emirati dining at Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts on Jubail Island. Created by Emirati chef Faisal Alharmoodi, the restaurant builds its menu around local flavours, ingredients and traditions while presenting them through a more modern lens.
The menu includes dishes such as grilled hammour with Emirati gazpacho, lamb biryani with saffron and traditional hashwa, and a reworking of aseeda made with carrots, spices and local ghee. The setting follows the same approach to heritage. Designed by 4SPACE, the interiors take inspiration from the Arabian horse through fluid forms, warm materials and equestrian references rather than literal decoration.
Rocambolesco
Italian dining takes a more playful direction at Rocambolesco, which is preparing to open in Uptown Dubai this September. Led by Italian chef Luigi Stinga, the restaurant centres around la convivialità, the Italian idea of coming together over food and conversation.
Rather than leaning towards formal fine dining, the menu has been designed for sharing, pairing recognisable Italian flavours with more contemporary interpretations. The restaurant will initially include indoor dining, a terrace and bar, with an additional first-floor dining space expected to follow later in the year.
Noren
Noren has recently opened at Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lakes Towers, bringing all-day Japanese dining to JLT. Created by Ilir Caushi and executive chef Pawel Kazanowski, the restaurant moves easily between sushi, raw dishes and grilled plates.
The menu includes chutoro with jalapeño dressing, grilled tuna steak with wafu sauce, red miso glazed bone marrow and king crab with Hokkaido lemon butter. An open kitchen, sushi counter and grill keep the cooking visible, while timber gives the dining room a warmer, more relaxed feel.
Clap of Flour
For something more relaxed, Clap of Flour has recently opened at Canal Front on Dubai Canal. Handmade pasta is at the centre of the menu, with dough rolled fresh each day, alongside pastries and coffee.
The all-day menu moves from coffee and freshly baked pastries in the morning to handmade pasta later in the day. Its waterfront location also brings views across Dubai Canal towards the Burj Khalifa, giving a deliberately casual restaurant a setting that still feels distinctly Dubai.
Pepe Cucina
The final new Italian address on the list has taken over four floors at Address Beach Resort in JBR. Pepe Cucina approaches Italian dining as something generous and social, with handmade pasta, pizzas and familiar regional dishes served in a setting designed for long meals with family and friends.
The restaurant includes indoor and open-air spaces with views towards Bluewaters Island and Ain Dubai, while a dedicated children’s area, outdoor cinema and games make this one of the more family-focused openings. For those looking ahead to Dubai’s cooler evenings, its open-air terrazza may prove to be one of its biggest draws.
If September’s openings say anything about Dubai dining, it is that there is increasingly less interest in one definition of what a new restaurant should look like. A tightly focused Japanese Hamburg counter can sit alongside an elaborate Indian dining room, while Persian, Azerbaijani and Cantonese cooking continue to widen the city’s options. With several of these addresses still preparing to open, the season is only getting started.
