Here at Time Out we’ve been scouring the streets to bring you some fresh, never-before-printed secret spots in Dubai. So what do we consider to be ‘a hidden gem’? For starters it needs to be somewhere we haven’t ever written about before. Second, it needs to be somewhere you’ll really want to go to – somewhere worth the trip off your well-beaten Dubai tracks.

Read on to discover a whole new side to our fantastic city.

8 Hidden Restaurants

1 Order off-menu: So much of Dubai is about being ‘in the know’ – where to go, when to go there and what to order. So imagine this: you turn up to one of Dubai’s trendiest restaurants and order an aperitif that isn’t even on the menu. La Petite Maison’s Le Petit Mistral (featuring Italian bubbly and French tipple Prucia) was developed in Dubai and is now being served at LPM in London. If this doesn’t impress your date, nothing will.
Dhs50. La Petite Maison, DIFC (04 439 0505).

2 Eat for a good cause: Decadent dining isn’t the first thing you’d associate with charity, but the good people at the Dusit Thani have combined the two in their tom yum talay (basically a tom yum seafood soup). What makes this dish special is its ingredients – fresh blue lobster, abalone, turbot and pure gold leaf – which are flown in on request, and you’ll need to order 48 hours in advance. The dish costs a jaw-dropping Dhs2,200 (officially priced at US$600), but all profits from the dish go to Dusit Smiles Charity for children with facial deformities. Each bowl should be able to sponsor up to four operations.
Dusit Thani Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road (04 343 3333).

3 Unique oysters: BiCE’s pink diamond oysters have a subtle nutty taste, plump flesh and a unique rose-blushed shell. What’s more, the restaurant is the only place that serves them in the UAE.
Dhs34 per oyster. BiCE, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai Marina (04 399 1111).

4 Desert dining: Enjoy dinner among the dunes at Bab Al Shams. The desert resort offers a little-known tailored dining package that’s perfect for popping the question or rekindling romance.
Prices vary. Call for further details. Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, Dubailand (04 809 6100).

5 Lassi love: So you thought there wasn’t room for another excellent Indian restaurant in Dubai? Discover Radhe O Radhe, which serves delicious (and healthy) satvik food and possibly the best lassis in the city.
Opposite Sharaifi Building, near Snow White, Karama (04 336 5339).

6 Tasty thali: And while we’re at it, we may as well recommend the best thali in Dubai. Rajdhani is a restaurant specialising in Gujarati food.
129 Rolla Street, Bur Dubai (04 393 4433).

7 Secret Korean: It’s usually their northern neighbours who are partial to secrecy, but South Korean venue Yuejun doesn’t like publicity – they didn’t even want Time Out’s photographers to visit. But now the secret’s out. Visit for a great barbecue and the ‘special’ tea.
Above Safestway, Sheikh Zayed Road (04 321 1400).

8 Steak to go: JW’s Steakhouse actually comes to your house – head chef, tableware, waiters and all – to prepare a VIP dinner.
Prices vary. Call for further details. JW Marriott Dubai, Deira (04 607 7977).