COMING SOON

Coming soon to Abu Dhabi

Your next culinary crush in the capital is probably right here Find out all

of Abu Dhabi’s upcoming openings on WhatsOn.ae

01

La Carnita

Location: Yas Bay This street-style Mexican eatery was conceived and raised in the mighty culinary forge of Toronto. As you might expect, coming from Drake’s backyard, the soundtrack at the Latin cantina’s network of venues is straight up, golden age, hip-hop and R&B. This Abu Dhabi outpost follows on from the success of the Dubai location, found at the InterContinental Dubai Marina. As with much of Yas Bay’s ‘coming soon’ collection, we have no firm numbers on an expected due date (although, we’d say early 2022). We’re hoping it takes much the same format as its Dubai cousin, which offers one of the best Taco Tuesdays in the city (three hours unlimited tacos for Dhs150). q lacarnita.ae

02

Hunter & Barrel

Location: Yas Bay Aussie steakhouse Hunter & Barrel, which opened a Dubai location at Vida Emirates Hills and has since become wildly popular, will be bringing a much needed ‘meating place’ to the capital’s new leisure and entertainment district. Rob De Villiers, Middle East managing director for Seagrass BHG (the group responsible for Hunter & Barrel), said: “We are excited to share our exceptional charcoal roasted dishes and tender cuts of beef with the greater Yas Island residents and visitors”. q @hunterandbarreluae

03

Otoro

Location: Al Qana Set to offer a modern Japanese dining experience, Otoro’s (the name comes from a prized cut of tuna) menu will feature ‘quirky sushi’, Japanese wagyu steaks, and a collection of sharing-style dishes. q @otoro.ad

04

Akiba Dori

Location: Yas Bay Dubai Design District’s (D3) electric Japanese restaurant and pizzeria is making its way to the new multi-billion dirham Yas Bay development. With its neon stripes, honour badge from the academy of chic interiors, and innovative artworks, we feel Akiba Dori will fit into the neighbourhood seamlessly. The restaurant will be located on Yas Bay’s Pier 71, and will feature a terrace with some pretty incredible skyline views. q akibadori.com

05

Ting Irie Pon Di Beach

Location: Al Mamsha, Saadiyat The Abu Dhabi version of Dubai’s popular Caribbean-themed lounge is not open yet, but when it does, you’ll be able to walk in straight from the beach. At Ting Irie, it’s all about those good island vibes, soulful reggae, dancehall bangers, and authentic Caribbean cuisine. This new venture is a skank step closer to its spirit land, being just a few steps away from Saadiyat’s gorgeous Soul Beach. There’ll be no dress code (no pressed shirt, no shoes — no worries) and a terrace space offering island shoreline views, and Arabian Gulf blues. q @tingirieuae

06

Grand Beirut

Location: Al Qana This will be the fourth UAE outlet of the popular Lebanese restaurant chain owned and operated by MBT Restaurant Management. The group has had a busy year with new concepts Beirut Sur Mer and Raclette opening on Saadiyat Island to grand appraisal. The brand reputation for authenticity and consistency makes this announcement worth getting very excited about. q @grandbeirutuae

07

Cafe Del Mar

Location: Yas Bay The original Balearic apres-rave hub, Cafe Del Mar is the stuff of Ibizan legend. During its 40-year nonstop party manifesto, it launched an innumerable number of ‘chilled house’ playlists, hosted almost every DJ hall-of-famer, and established itself as an essential strand in the tapestry of the Ibiza music phenomenon. New Cafe Del Mar venues have sprung up in Phuket, Tenerife, mainland Spain, and there’s even one offering warm welcomes and fond farewells at Ibiza Airport. Back in 2015, there was a UAE location penciled in for Dubai, which sadly never got the greenlight, but our neighbour’s loss is now our gain. q @cafedelmarabudhabi

Exclusive paintings, sculptures and photography from award-winning international artists.

Painting by Mona Kfoury Painting by Mona Kfoury

Photograph by Mahsa Namvar Photograph by Mahsa Namvar

Timepiece by David Galbraith

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