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10 best business lunches in Dubai
Arabian Business takes a closer look at the best business lunch deals available in Dubai
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Armani/Peck
nLunch at the Armani Hotel’s Italian deli is a slick, swift and high-end affair. The ‘Pronto’ business lunch deal offers diners the option of a two- or three-course meal, choosing from a small yet appealing menu displayed on a blackboard behind a colourful array of antipasti and freshly made pastas. Peck’s black and white interior is comfortable enough, fitting in with the venue’s casual deli vibe, yet you may well find you’ve the whole place for yourself, which can make the space feel a little cold and clinical.
At.mosphere
nAt.Mosphere offers the most expensive business lunch in Dubai, at around Dhs200 more than the average. However, it is also perhaps the best location in town, at 123 floors up the world’s tallest building. It certainly has the best views. And with the wow factor in the bag, thankfully the food doesn’t let down its side of the bargain: the weekly set menu is likely to feature creative ensembles such as wagyu beef with slow cooked egg and sour dough crostini, or guilt head sea bream. If you have a lot riding on your business meeting, display your priorities and invest in this option.
Bussola
nSitting outside on the terrace overlooking The Westin’s meandering pools, shady palms and beach in the distance, lunch at Bussola couldn’t seem less business-y – which is why it’s such a pleasant alternative to the more formal lunch spots closer to the Media/Internet City offices. Indoors, the Italian restaurant hasn’t quite the same appeal, the mainly cream interior coming across as a little bland and cold, so if the weather permits, dine outdoors. The small two-course lunch set menu features Italian classics such as caprese salad and pasta as well as grilled meat dishes.
Gaucho
nThe classy decor – chrome, black and white, with some spectacular light fixtures – is certain to wow business guests, while huge windows allow the midday sun to stream in, offering sweeping views of DIFC. The lunch menu is a refreshing break from the norm: it’s divided into three savoury courses, each offering a selection of smaller plates with a South American theme. Service is speedy (turnaround time is about 45 minutes) and staff are professional and discreet, but happy to stop for a chat if you’re dining solo although the place is buzzing most lunchtimes.
Hakkasan
nLocated in the base of upscale designer hub Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Hakkasan is an ideal spot to take clients whom you want to impress with a small oasis of greenery and calm near the financial district. Wooden slats create more privacy between tables, while also promoting connotations of Oriental sereneness. Service is reasonably smooth, although all those slats can make it difficult to locate and catch their eyes. However, make it clear you have to leave in 60 minutes and they will factor this into service speed.
Okku
nOkku is a tremendously stylish eatery to visit during the evening, when you find little standing room and an almost tangible buzz in the air. Visit during the day, however, and you may well find it empty, with the echoes of the night before silently humming through the air. This does, however, mean that service is almost record-fast, with one plate immediately replaced by another. Dishes are well presented in minimalist boxes and design-driven crockery. If you’re after a very private meeting with someone you would like to impress but would rather not be spotted with just yet, we recommend OKKU during the day.
Roberto’s
nLow lighting combined with the restaurant’s dark brown and purple decor gives Roberto’s a formal feel ideal for talking enterprise. But accents of yellow keep the atmosphere from feeling austere, despite the fact that most who dine here during the busy lunchtime spell look like they’re here to either seal the deal, to celebrate a sealed deal or take a well-deserved break from negotiations. With such a flurry of guests at lunchtime, staff frenetically pace about the restaurant serving guests.
The Ivy
nThe elegantly styled interior of this polished destination has the stained glass, crisp white tablecloths and dark wood and evokes a high-class yet casual approach to British dining. In the daytime the venue feels a little dim – the lack of windows means no natural light, which is a shame when the sun is high in the sky. Still, the friendly, ultra-professional staff make up for it, remembering each and every detail of guests’ reservations, thoughtfully offering newspapers for solo diners and engaging in a little casual conversation to break the ice. The business lunch menu offers either two or three courses of varied fare, with a handful of options for each course. This a popular place to seal that deal and you’ll be in an out within the hour.
Vu’s
nSitting on the 50th floor of the iconic Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Vu is appropriately named. With a vista across Downtown Dubai, there’s a sense of space and airiness. The food is also quite impressive, with the concise three-course set menu offering a small number of contemporary international options including salads, seafood, steaks and desserts. The standard is high with good quality ingredients and well executed dishes. The venue has a certain old-school charm, with the minimalist, cream decor and plush carpets reminiscent of a bygone era when lunches would roll on for a few hours as deals were mulled over. Staff are invisibly efficient and you’ll be pleased to know that prices aren’t as sky high as the view.
For more information about Vu’s click herenn
Time Out Dubai is published by ITP, the same company that publishes Arabian Business. All restaurants are reviewed anonymously and independently. Time Out pays for all meals.
