Greek food is certainly enjoying some time in the culinary spotlight.
Three high-end restaurants have opened up in the last six months alone, joining the likes of Opa and Gaia (the former was the star of Esquire’s food issue, and the latter won Esquire’s Best Restaurant of 2019 award) on Dubai’s heaving restaurant scene.
Taverna Greek Kitchen is one such restaurant, located in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah. It supposedly pairs authentic food with a stellar (albeit, touristy) location. But does it do enough to stand out in the city’s ever-increasing list of Mediterranean eateries?
Taverna Greek Kitchen: what’s the vibe?
Enter past the kitchen, and you’ll walk into a dining room made to look like a traditional Greek restaurant (exposed ‘brickwork’, ceiling beams and all the rest).
It’s smaller than many new restaurants in Dubai – which is no bad thing – and gives the place an atmosphere all its own, especially when combined with the noise of the semi-open kitchen. There’s a small marble bar area, and it’s not unusual to see guests stay at their tables long after their meals.
In the colder months, diners can sit alongside the Madinat Jumeirah souk’s canals. And while you’ll be guaranteed a stellar view, we’re not sure if the tradeoff is worth it.
Taverna Greek Kitchen: how’s the food?
Authenticity seems to be key at Taverna, and the team in the kitchen haven’t strayed far away from the classics. Sharing really is caring, and we can’t imagine coming here and not ordering a selection of dishes for the table, instead of individual courses.
There is a heavy focus on seafood and a good number of vegetarian options (although, we’ll put that down to the cuisine over an attempt to enamourthemselves with the city’s veggie community).
The menu is chock-full of stalwary Greek dishes; think grilled octopus, souvlaki skewers served tableside on hot charcoal grills and larger mains, such as whole seabass and slow-roasted lamb shoulder.
Taverna Greek Kitchen: the verdict
Location aside, Taverna Greek Kitchen serves up a good selection of tasty Greek dishes.
Its emphasis on sharing plates separate it a tad from the other more fine-dining-focused competition in the city, and the atmosphere inside is well worth a visit (or two).
Taverna Greek Kitchen: where is it?
Taverna Greek Kitchen is located in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah. For more information, head to tavernagreek.ae
