Name: Brunch by Wolfgang Puck
Where: Cut, The Address Downtown, Dubai
Best for: A fine selection of meats and malts
Cost: AED440*
Esquire likes: The ‘bespoke drinks’ station
Anywhere that serves up award-winning steaks earns itself a bit of trust in our books. And, when one of those steakhouses starts serving up a brunch, you’ll know where to find us to following Friday from midday. The menu at Cut is pretty much what you would expect. After your choice of starter, the Wolfgang Puck and Raymond Weber designed menu comes into fruition. House-made sauces compliment your choice of steak, and even if you’re not in the meat-eating mood, there are a several creative seafood and salad dishes available.
Name: Brunch 105
Where: La Cantine Du Faubourg, Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai
Best for: Impressing your significant other with you’re perfect French accent.
Cost: AED300 (with one drink)
Esquire likes: The private garden terrace offering a mini oasis in Dubai’s financial heartland
If you haven’t been there yet – or hadn’t guessed it by the name – La Cantine is the latest contender to the Dubai’s fine French dining arena. Perched at the base of the ever-impressive Emirates Towers, and overlooking the DIFC gate and Downtown skyline beyond, the restaurant’s tasteful, uncluttered interior is a perfect lure for sharp-dressed crowd wanting to wallow away their Friday in a relaxed atmosphere. Classic French breakfasts are on offer, with viennoiseries and eggs benedict alongside the usual pastries and crêpes that you would expect. La Cantine also boasts a seafood counter with an oyster bar, and – our personal favourite – an offering of spaghetti with clams and bottarga.
Name: Geales’ Posh Nosh Friday Brunch
Where: Geales, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai Marina
Best for: Homesick-but-not-too-homesick-to-leave-Dubai Sunday roast fans
Cost: AED500*
Esquire likes: The British sweet shop filled to the brim with your favourite childhood treats
Since it opened last year, this elegant, British seafood restaurant has had more than a touch of West London to it. Bright, white interiors and seating booths centre around a live seafood station, and the abundance of outdoor space (and bar) help the restaurant-cum-lounge negotiate that tricky balance between busy and classy. Following a summer hiatus, Geales’ Posh Nosh brunch is back, this time with a few tricks up its sleeve. Although it offers much of its established seafood menu, management have also introduced a very British Sunday roast option. The brunch features live carving stations, with four courses of ‘mouthwatering British fare’ before ushering you back down memory lane with offerings of classic Battenbergs, meringues and cupcakes.
Name: Pierchic
Where: Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah,
Best for: Romantics (and showoffs)
Cost: AED750*
Esquire likes: The most unique view in the city
There are few better ways to pique your excitement than clopping along the wooden jetty towards the famed restaurant-on-the-water, Pierchic. The award-winning seafood spot underwent a total revamp in 2014 and now boasts a menu and atmosphere that matches its unquestionably impressive setting. With a glass of bubbly ready upon entering, the brunchers are then offered a large sharing seafood platter, followed by a three-course à la carte menu. Ideal for both showing off the Dubai ‘good life’, or wooing your significant other.
Name: The Ivy
Where: Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai
Best for: Double weekend brunchers
Cost: AED599*
Esquire likes: The lazy Saturday brunch option
If your social life is driven and dominated by your social media feed, and you forgot to Instagram your food – imagine the horror! – on Friday, then fear not, The Ivy has you covered. As well as hosting a delightful Friday jazz brunch – where you have the option of a special three-course set menu or an epic eight-course menu featuring all The Ivy’s favourites – the famed restaurant also offer a leisurely Saturday option, where you can have a three-hour brunch at any time between 11am – 8pm.
Name: Jazz @ Pizza Express
Where: Cluster A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Best for: Brunch on a budget
Cost: AED200*
Esquire likes: Live jazz. Who doesn’t?
If you’re not already sold on an AED200 brunch – why on earth not!? – then allow us to explain a little more. As suggested by its name, the brunch at Pizza Express offers up live jazz music every Friday from 12 to 4pm, creating a bubbling social atmosphere. As expected, the food is of the pizza, pasta and salad variety, but also has a selection of meat, fish and vegetarian options. The outdoor seating area provides a less noisy atmosphere for those few who still enjoy a conversation with their friends after 3pm on a Friday.
Name: La Parrilla
Where: Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Best for: Salsa. Both the dance and the dip
Cost: AED425*
Esquire likes: The view of the Burj Al Arab. Do you ever get tired of it?
It’s become a theme in this article that we seem to enjoy the brunches that don’t overload you with food. It seems there is a trend towards a more set-menu style brunch over a buffet, which definitely does remove those agonizing moments of the choice between topping your plate up with a few more shrimp, or waiting in line for your custom crepe with every topping under the sun. The brunch at La Parrilla follows this trend, serving up its courses in a tapas style, allowing you the choice to enjoy more of your favourite selections. The spot also allows you to enjoy your food accompanied by the sounds of a live Spanish band, with a salsa performance if you’re lucky.
Name: Sofitel Downtown
Best for: The relaxed catch up
Cost: AED300*
Esquire likes: The variety of food trucks on offer
Deliberating which brunch to take out-of-town visitors to can be a hassle. So, let us help you out. You want to show them as much of ‘the good life’ as possible, so taking them to the Sofitel Downtown is a pretty good option. The impressive views of the Burj Khalifa are a great backdrop to the multi-cuisine offering – where a range of indoor ‘food trucks’ offering Indian, Mexican and Thai cuisines. Guests are able to roam free to serve themselves a healthy portion of that ‘good life’ but, we must insist that any visit should finish off with a trip to the retro popcorn and ice cream stands. [Note: Should your visitors be more interested taking advantage of the beach, then the Sofitel’s sister hotel on the Palm Jumeirah also offers up it’s own brunch, with an array of South East Asian dishes complementing the island vibe, with beach access included for the same price.
Name: Iris Brunch
Where: Oberoi, Business Bay
Best for: Laid back cool
Cost: AED460*
Esquire likes: Sliders from the barbeque
One of our favourite bars for an after work ‘meeting,’ Iris has a great set up, fantastic interior and has this year revamped its brunch offering. The brunch here is set up towards a later start, with the official start and finish times being 1pm and 6pm. Most brunchers will opt for the smaller cold bites and barbequed burgers before sticking around past sunset when Iris transforms slowly back into the party spot that it’s known for being.
Name: The Onshore Social brunch at Zero Gravity
Best for: The all day session
Cost: AED395*
Esquire likes: A long lie-in before a 3pm start
With Zero Gravity becoming more and more popular with the Thursday and Friday night crowds, offering up a cool late night vibe in a great location, it seems the pieces were there to offer a great brunch too. Keeping in line with what it best, the spot runs its late start brunch from 3pm – 6pm. With great views of the Marina and sharing platters large enough that you really do have to share, the Zero Gravity Social brunch is the right one for those looking to take the party from day through to night.
* All prices include food and basic alcoholic beverage packages, unless stated otherwise