Sheikh Zayed Road and Downtown Dubai
Around 5km south of the Creek, the upwardly mobile suburbs of southern Dubai begin in spectacular style with the massed skyscrapers of Sheikh Zayed Road and the huge Downtown Dubai development: an extraordinary sequence of neck-cricking high-rises which march south from the landmark Emirates Towers to the cloud-capped Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. This is the modern city at its most futuristic and flamboyant, and perhaps the defining example of Dubai’s insatiable desire to offer more luxury, more glitz and more retail opportunities than the competition, with a string of record-breaking attractions which now include not just the world’s tallest building but also its largest mall, tallest hotel and biggest fountain.
Emirates Towers
Opened in 2000, the soaring Emirates Towers remain one of modern Dubai’s the most iconic symbols, despite increasing competition from newer and even more massive landmarks. The larger office tower (355m) was the tallest building in the Middle East and tenth highest in the world when it was completed, though now it barely scrapes into the top ten tallest buildings in the city.
The taller tower houses the offices of Emirates airlines; the smaller is occupied by the exclusive Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel. The office tower isn’t open to the public, but there are plenty of opportunities to look around the hotel tower, most spectacularly from the 50th- and 51st-floor Vu’s bar and restaurant.
Dubai International Financial Centre
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is the city’s financial hub and home to myriad banks, investment companies and other enterprises. The DIFC’s northern end is marked by The Gate, a striking building looking like a kind of postmodern Arc de Triomphe-cum-office block. The Gate is surrounded on three sides by further buildings linked by “The Balcony”, an attractive raised terrace lined with assorted cafés and shops. Off on the east side of the complex is the Gate Village, now one of the focal points of Dubai’s burgeoning visual arts scene, with virtually every building occupied by assorted galleries.
Dubai World Trade Centre
On the north side of the sprawling Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre rises the venerable old Dubai World Trade Centre tower, Dubai’s first skyscraper. Commissioned in 1979 by the visionary Sheikh Rashid, then ruler of Dubai, this 39-storey edifice was widely regarded as a massive white elephant when it was first built, standing as it did in the middle of what was then empty desert far from the old city centre. Contrary to expectations it proved an enormous success, serving as an important anchor for future development along the strip and fully justifying Sheikh Rashid’s far-sighted ambition.
Along Sheikh Zayed Road
A more or less unbroken line of high-rises lines Sheikh Zayed Road south of the Emirates Towers. Heading down the strip brings you almost immediately to the daft Al Yaqoub Tower: effectively a postmodern replica of London’s Big Ben, although at 330m it’s well over three times the height of the 96m-tall UK landmark.
Continuing down the road brings you to the graceful Rose Rayhaan, at 333m formerly the world’s tallest hotel until the recent opening of the new JW Marriott Marquis Dubai in nearby Business Bay, while slightly further south the strip reaches a suitably dramatic end with the iconic Dusit Thani hotel, a towering glass-and-metal edifice inspired by the traditional Thai wai, a prayer-like gesture of welcome, though it looks more like a huge upended tuning fork thrust into the ground.
Burj Khalifa
04 888 8888,
burjkhalifa.ae.At the Top tours depart from the ticket desk in the lower-ground floor of the Dubai Mall (Sun–Wed 9am–midnight, Thurs 8.30am–midnight, Fri & Sat 4.30pm–midnight; tickets pre-booked online 100dh, immediate entry tickets 400dh).MAPRising imperiously skywards at the southern end of Sheikh Zayed Road stands the needle-thin Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Opened in early 2010 after five years’ intensive construction, the Burj finally topped out at a staggering 828m, comprehensively smashing all existing world records. The astonishing scale of the Burj is difficult to fully comprehend – the building is best appreciated at a distance, from where you can properly appreciate its jaw-dropping height. Most of the tower is occupied by some 900 residential apartments; lower floors are occupied by the world’s first Armani hotel.
Access to the Burj Khalifa is strictly controlled. Most visitors take the expensive tour to the “At the Top” observation deck (on floor 124) for sensational views over the city. The tour also includes some interesting displays on the creation of the tower, although you should expect large crowds and long queues whenever you visit.
Dubai Mall
thedubaimall.com.Daily 10am–10pm, Thurs–Sat until midnight.MAPRight next to the Burj Khalifa is the supersized Dubai Mall, with over 1200 shops spread across four floors and covering over a million square metres – making it easily the largest mall in the world measured by total area. Just about every retail chain in the city has an outlet here. Look out too for the eye-catching The Waterfall, complete with life-size statues of fibreglass divers, which cascades from the top of the mall down to the bottom, four storeys below.
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
04 448 5200,thedubaiaquarium.com.Sun–Wed 10am–10pm, Thurs–Sat 10am–midnight.80dh.MAPAssuming you enter the Dubai Mall’s main entrance off Financial Centre Road, one of the first things you’ll see is the spectacular viewing panel of the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo: a huge transparent floor-to-ceiling aquarium filled to the brim with fish large and small, including sand-tiger sharks, stingrays, and some large and spectacularly ugly grouper. The Underwater Zoo upstairs is relatively unexciting compared to the enormous tank, and more likely to appeal to children than to adults.
Dubai Fountain
04 362 7500,bit.ly/TheDubaiFountain.Displays daily at 1pm & 1.30pm and then every 30min 6–11pm (Thurs–Sat until 11.30pm).MAPWinding through the heart of Downtown Dubai is the large Burj Khalifa Lake, a section of which doubles as the spectacular 275m-long Dubai Fountain, the world’s biggest, capable of shooting jets of water up to 150m high, and illuminated with over 6000 lights and 25 colour projectors. The fountain really comes to life after dark, spouting carefully choreographed watery flourishes which “dance” elegantly in time to a range of Arabic, Hindi and classical songs, viewable from anywhere around the lake for free.
Old Town
The chintzy Old Town development, across the lake from the Burj Khalifa, is a low-rise sprawl of sand-coloured buildings with traditional Moorish styling. Centrepiece of the development is the Souk al Bahar, a small, Arabian-themed mall, although it feels rather underpowered after the excesses of the neighbouring Dubai Mall. A string of restaurants lines the waterfront terrace outside, offering peerless views of Burj Khalifa.
Business Bay
Dubai’s last big hurrah before the credit crunch hit town in 2008, the vast Business Bay development was originally intended to comprise a swanky new high-rise district around an extension of the Creek, although the entire scheme has got stuck in limbo. A few completed buildings are worth a look, however. Close to the metro, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is currently the tallest hotel in the world at a cool 355m, while opposite the Marriott stands the extraordinary crescent-shaped Iris Bay building (still not quite finished). Further down the road, you can’t fail to notice the funky O-14 building, popularly known as the Swiss Cheese Tower thanks to the undulating layer of white cladding that envelops the entire structure, dotted with around 1300 circular holes and looking uncannily like an enormous piece of postmodern Emmenthal cheese.
< Back to Sheikh Zayed Road and Downtown Dubai
Shops
Dubai Mall
thedubaimall.com.Daily 10am–10pm (Thurs–Sat until midnight).MAPHighlights in this mother of all malls include the flagship Bloomingdale’s and Galeries Lafayette department stores; “Fashion Avenue”, home to the biggest array of designer labels in Dubai; and the attractively chintzy “Souk” area, with a further 120 shops selling gold, jewellery and Arabian perfumes. Upstairs you’ll find a Dubai branch of Hamleys, the famous London toyshop; Não do Brasil, an eye-catching shop stuffed full of funky trainers; and Kinokuniya.
Kinokuniya (Book World)
04 434 0111,kinokuniya.com/ae.Daily 10am–10pm (Thurs–Sat until midnight).MAPThis local outpost of the famous Japanese chain is far and away Dubai’s best bookshop – a vast emporium stuffed with a simply massive array of titles, ranging from mainstream novels, travel guides and magazines through to graphic novels and a brilliant manga selection.
Mumbai Se
04 434 0626,facebook.com/mumbaiseuae.Daily 10am–10pm (Thurs–Sat until midnight).MAPTop-end designer Indian fashions (ladieswear only) at prices to match – the place to go if you want to feel like Bollywood royalty. Other branches at the Festival Centre and Marina Mall.
Cafés
More
With a big terrace overlooking the Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall branch of this citywide chain of attractive European-style cafés is a good place either for breakfast, lunch, a light dinner or just a cup of superior coffee. The menu features moreish sandwiches and home-made pasta (45–60dh) plus an eclectic selection of international mains (55–80dh). Free wi-fi.
Shakespeare & Co
04 331 1757,shakespeareandco.ae.Daily 7am–1am.MAPThe original branch of a citywide café-cum-coffee shop chain, characterized by its distinctively chintzy decor – a kind of high-camp Victoriana, usually with cherubs. Food includes a wide selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and crêpes (from 35dh), plus more substantial mains.
Restaurants
Armani Ristorante/Armani Amal
Top of the tree among the culinary options at the new Armani hotel is the signature Armani Ristorante, serving fine-dining regional Italian cuisine (mains 140–290dh), particularly Tuscan dishes. The hotel’s Armani Amal restaurant also gets good reviews for its inventive regional Indian cuisine with a European twist (mains 130–180dh). Note that if you’re not staying at the hotel you’ll need an advance reservation to gain admittance.
Benjarong
04 317 4515.Daily noon–3pm & 7–10.30pm (last orders).MAPSet in a delicately painted wooden pavilion on the 24th floor of the Dusit Thani, Benjarong offers some of the best Royal Thai cooking in Dubai. There’s a particularly good selection of fish and seafood, plus the usual meat stir-fries and red and yellow curries, and they also do a lively Friday brunch. Most mains 55–75dh.
The Exchange Grill
04 311 8559,fairmont.com.Daily 7pm–midnight.MAPThis small and rather exclusive steakhouse has just fourteen tables with huge leather armchairs for seating, and a menu of Premium Gold Angus and Wagyu cuts (215–295dh) plus a few upmarket seafood dishes and an extensive wine list.
La Petite Maison
04 439 0505,lpmdubai.ae.Daily noon–3.30pm & 7–11.30pm.MAPAn offshoot of the famous Nice restaurant, this is as authentic as French restaurants come in the UAE, offering traditional cuisine niçoise in a bright white dining room which feels intimate and pleasantly formal but not too stuffy. The excellent cooking blends Gallic haute cuisine with a dash of Mediterranean zing, with most mains 120–200dh. Reservations usually essential.
Al Nafoorah
04 330 0000.Daily 12.30–3pm (Fri & Sat from 1pm) & 7–11pm.MAPOne of the city’s best places for Middle Eastern food, Al Nafoorah looks more like a slightly starchy Parisian establishment than a traditional Lebanese restaurant. What’s on offer is the real deal, however, from the superb array of mezze through to the perfectly cooked selection of fish, meat grills and kebabs. Mezze from 30dh, mains from 60dh.
The Noodle House
04 319 8757,thenoodlehouse.com.Daily noon–11.30pm.MAPA Dubai institution, this cheapish and very cheerful noodle bar caters to an endless stream of diners who huddle up on long communal tables to refuel on excellent Chinese and southeast Asian food. No reservations, so you might have to queue at busy times. Most mains around 60dh.
Spectrum on One
04 311 8101,fairmont.com.Daily 6.30pm–12.30am (last orders), plus Fri noon–3pm.MAPThis good-looking modern restaurant has no fewer than seven separate kitchens, each specializing in a different cuisine, so you can mix and match from Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, European and seafood menus as you fancy – very typical of Dubai’s more-is-more approach to life, although the food is actually pretty good. Most mains 100–150dh.
Thiptara
04 428 7961,theaddress.com/en/dining/thiptara.Daily 7–11.30pm.MAPThis beautiful Thai restaurant offers probably the best night-time view of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain. The menu is strongest on seafood, but also offers a fair spread of meat dishes (though few veg options). Most mains 90–150dh. Reservations recommended.
Vu’s Restaurant
04 319 8088,jumeirah.com.Sun–Thurs 12.30–3pm & 7.30pm–midnight, plus Fri 7.30pm–midnight.MAPAt the city’s second-highest restaurant the view is not surprisingly a main draw, though Vu’s is also one of the city’s top fine-dining venues, with a short but sophisticated menu of modern European cuisine. Mains from 200dh.
Zuma
04 425 5660,zumarestaurant.com.Daily: restaurant 12.30–2.45pm (last orders) & 7pm–1am (Thurs & Fri until 2am); bar 12.30pm–1 or 2am.MAPVery hip new Japanese bar-restaurant with a dining area (including sushi counter and robata grill) downstairs, and a bar-lounge above. Informal izakaya-style dining – with shared dishes served in no particular sequence – is the order of the day, although the food itself is top-notch (as are the prices). Mains 80–165dh; express lunch menu 80dh. DJs nightly from around 9pm. Reservations usually essential.
Bars
The Agency
04 319 8741.Daily noon–1am (Fri & Sat until midnight only).MAPSedate-looking wood-panelled wine bar serving up a decent selection of vintages from all the world’s major wine-producing countries by the glass or bottle, plus assorted champagnes, cocktails and beers.
At.mosphere
At.mosphere’s selling point couldn’t be simpler: this is the world’s highest bar and restaurant, located almost half a kilometre above ground level on the 122nd floor of the world’s tallest building. Decor is svelte and modern, although your eyes will inevitably be drawn to the huge views outside. There’s a minimum spend of 200dh if you want to visit the bar – where they also do light meals and pricey afternoon teas (290dh). If you want to go the whole hog, the attached restaurant offers upmarket international meat and seafood dishes (mains 260–360dh), although at these prices you’re probably better off heading to one of the Armani restaurants downstairs.
Blue Bar
04 332 0000,facebook.com.(search for “Blue Bar Dubai”).Daily 2pm–2am.MAPThis stylish little bar is a pleasant spot for a mellow drink earlier in the evening, with a sedate crowd and a good selection of speciality Belgian beers, plus cocktails, wines, premium whiskies and superior bar meals. Things can get lively later on in the evening from Thursday to Saturday when there’s a live band playing a mix of blues, jazz, classic rock and pop (from around 9.30pm until 1am). Happy hour daily 6–8pm (buy one get one free).
Double Decker
rotana.com/almuroojrotana.Daily noon–3am.MAPOne of the liveliest pubs in town, with quirky decor themed after the old London Routemaster buses and usually busy with a fairly tanked-up crowd of expats and Western tourists. Live music every Friday, and a DJ from around 9pm the rest of the week.
Fibber Magee’s
04 332 2400,fibbersdubai.com.Daily noon–2.30am (last orders).MAPOne of the city’s best-kept secrets, and probably Dubai’s most impressive stab at a traditional European pub, with a spacious, very nicely done out wood-beamed interior and a good selection of draught beers including Kilkenny, Guinness, London Pride and Peroni, plus Magners cider. There’s also regular live music and good, homely pub food. To reach it, go down the small side road between Jashan restaurant and Zoom (just south of the Radisson hotel) and it’s on your left in the bottom of the Stables restaurant building.
Long’s Bar
04 312 2202,rotana.com/towersrotana.Daily noon–3am.MAPProud home to the longest bar in the Middle East, this English-style pub offers one of the strip’s more convivial and downmarket drinking holes, with all the usual tipples and the ubiquitous TV sports.
Neos
04 436 8888,theaddress.com.Daily 6pm–3am.MAPThe second-highest bar in Dubai (eclipsed only by At.mosphere), with great views over the Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa – although the overblown decor, smoky atmosphere, ostentatious crowd and steep prices may leave you shaken rather than stirred.
Vu’s Bar
04 319 8088,jumeirah.com.Daily 6pm–3am.MAPOne of the highest licensed perches in Dubai, with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side through which to enjoy the spectacular views and a vast selection of predictably pricey drinks (beer bottles 40dh, cocktails from 55dh, wines from 62dh).
Clubs
Cirque du Soir
056 115 4507,cirquedusoirdubai.com.Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 10.30pm–3am.MAPAn offshoot of the original London club, this top-end venue is half club, half music hall, with big-top-inspired decor and assorted performers including burlesque podium dancers, kooky clowns and juggling waiters.
Zinc
050 151 5609,facebook.com/zincnightclub.Daily 10pm–3am.Entrance 100dh Thurs–Sun, 50dh Mon–Wed.MAPOne of the longest-running and most enduringly popular clubs in Dubai, thanks to an eclectic soundtrack and unposey atmosphere. Music features a mix of retro, r’n’b, hip-hop and house, depending on the night.