New Restaurants and Cafés in the UAE: December 2026

December is when the UAE eats outdoors again, and a lot of new places have opened their doors this year. This list gathers ten restaurants and cafés across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah that are worth a visit this month, from a London import in DIFC to a vegetarian dosa house in Abu Dhabi.

Every pick has opened in 2026 and was confirmed by at least two published sources or by its own channels. We left out anywhere we could not confirm was actually open. Most opened between May and September, and one Sharjah café from earlier in the year is included and labelled as such.

1. Gymkhana Dubai

The London Gymkhana opened its first UAE dining room in DIFC’s Gate Village in early September, with executive chef Rahul Rana cooking North Indian food from the tandoor and the curry pot. About a fifth of the menu is new for Dubai: look for the Makhmali king crab, Pahadi chicken chops and a rasmalai finished with Emirati qishta. December evenings are a good excuse for a long dinner here, so book ahead.

• Where: Gate Village Building 7, DIFC, Dubai
• Cuisine: North Indian
• Price level: Splurge. Dishes from Dh55 (gol guppas) to Dh295 (king crab) at launch
• Hours: Daily 6:30pm to 1am; lunch was due to start in October. Reservations 04 575 4974
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official site: Gymkhana

2. Falwa

A recently opened Emirati restaurant inside the Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts grounds, led by Emirati chef Faisal Alharmoodi. The cooking takes familiar local flavours into a modern setting, and the room is built around the Arabian horse: falwa means a young mare in her first year after weaning, and the curved walls and saddle-leather details follow that idea. A calm, very local lunch after a morning on Al Jubail Island.

• Where: ADREA, Al Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
• Cuisine: Contemporary Emirati
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Weekdays 12pm to 10pm, weekends 12pm to 11pm, per its website (listings differ, so call before you go)
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official site: Falwa

3. Berenjak Abu Dhabi

The London Persian grill house took over two floors of a villa called The House in Al Bateen at the end of May. Kebabs come off the mangal (try the koobideh and jujeh), alongside black chickpea hummus, kashk-e bademjoon and a slow herb stew, ghormeh sabzi. Save room for the Persian tea ice cream, made only for this branch. Cooler December nights suit the long, shared table style here.

• Where: The House, 326 Zayed The First Street, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi
• Cuisine: Persian
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Mon to Thu 12pm to 4pm and 6pm to 11:30pm; Fri and Sat 12pm to 12:30am; Sun 12pm to 11:30pm
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official Instagram: Berenjak UAE

4. SUPA Uzbek Culinary House

Opened in September at Millennium Al Barsha, SUPA is a halal Uzbek dining house a few minutes from Mall of the Emirates. Think plov, samsa, charcoal-grilled kebabs, handmade dough and fresh bread, finished with a pot of tea. It is a good pick when you want something different from the usual mall food court, and portions are made for sharing.

• Where: Millennium Al Barsha, Al Ramth Street, Al Barsha 1, Dubai
• Cuisine: Uzbek, halal
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, per its website. Call +971 54 204 7777 to confirm times
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official site: SUPA

5. Bayroot Deli

A family-run Lebanese deli that opened on Sheikh Zayed Road on 12 September, with a little bird as its mascot. The menu runs from charcoal-grilled meats, shawarma and mezze to flame bowls, mlukhiyeh bil zeit and a strawberry labneh parfait, plus a deli counter. It is the easy weeknight option on this list, and it delivers too.

• Where: Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai (exact building not published; check the Instagram page)
• Cuisine: Lebanese deli
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Not published when checked
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official Instagram: Bayroot Deli

6. Malgudi

Singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan’s South Indian restaurant opened in Abu Dhabi in June, named after R. K. Narayan’s fictional town. The menu is fully vegetarian: dosas, idlis, vadas and filter coffee, plus the Mulbagal dosa, a recipe said to be about a century old. A cheerful breakfast or lunch stop in the city centre, and there is also a branch in Dubai’s Motor City.

• Where: Omniah Tower, Ground Floor, Al Bahhar Street, Al Hisn, Abu Dhabi
• Cuisine: South Indian, vegetarian
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Not published when checked
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official Instagram: Malgudi UAE

7. Supernova

London’s burger shop chose Abu Dhabi for its first UAE branch and opened in June, in the same Al Bateen villa as Berenjak. The menu stays short: classic and house cheeseburgers with signature sauces, hand-cut fries, iced teas and lemonades, and soft-serve sundaes with caramel or chocolate. Late hours make it a handy family stop after an evening on the Corniche.

• Where: The House, 326 Zayed The First Street, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi
• Cuisine: Burgers
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Sun to Thu 12:30pm to 1am; Fri and Sat 12:30pm to 2am
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official Instagram: Supernova UAE

8. Rosa’s Thai

This casual Thai restaurant opened at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island in June, with dishes made from scratch and a relaxed, no-frills feel. Order pad Thai, green curry or pad kra prow. It works well as a shopping break in December, when the mall gets busy with the holidays.

• Where: The Galleria, Level 2, Section A, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi
• Cuisine: Thai
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Sun to Thu 10am to 10pm; Fri and Sat 10am to 12am (per The Galleria). Phone +971 2 493 7400
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official Instagram: Rosa’s Thai Arabia

9. tashas Al Ain

Al Ain got its first tashas on 19 May, at Al Mu’tarid Lifestyle Centre, and a Sharjah branch in Aljada followed a day later. Expect the classic menu: the St Francis breakfast tortilla, brioche French toast, Texas salad, salmon teriyaki and chicken prego. It makes a comfortable breakfast stop before a winter day out at Al Ain Oasis or Jebel Hafeet.

• Where: Al Mu’tarid Lifestyle Centre, Al Ain
• Cuisine: All-day café
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Daily 8am to 12am. Phone 02 517 6944
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official site: tashas

10. The Reformatory Lab, Aljada

Not new this month, but worth knowing: in March 2026 this Australian specialty coffee brand opened two spots in Sharjah’s Aljada, one at the Zad food truck park in Madar and a second on East Boulevard, nicknamed The Corner Store, across from Vida Aljada. Alongside the coffee there are daily pastries, wagyu, chicken and cauliflower pies, and focaccia sandwiches. Madar is a pleasant family evening out once the weather cools.

• Where: Zad food truck park, Madar, and East Boulevard, Aljada, Sharjah
• Cuisine: Specialty coffee, pies and pastries
• Price level: Not published when checked
• Hours: Regular hours not published when checked
• Checked on 8 November 2026, details can change.

Official announcement: The Reformatory Lab in Aljada (Arada)

Hours and menus at new restaurants change often in the first months, so check the official page or call before you drive across town. Weekend tables at the busier spots fill fast in December, so book early.