It’s tasty time! The most popular Saadiyat Island restaurants

• Saadiyat Island Restaurants for Casual Dining
• Saadiyat Island Restaurants for Fine Dining
• Frequently Asked Questions

Abu Dhabi is an extremely popular tourist destination where people from around the world come to spend quality time and create fantastic memories. One of the most popular locations in the UAE’s capital is Saadiyat Island, a prestigious development that is known for being one of the most sought-after off-plan residential areas in Abu Dhabi.

In addition to having spectacular homes, it boasts a multitude of leisure destinations and attractions, along with some of UAE’s best dining options. If you’re planning your next weekend, we’ve got your back – here’s our compilation of the best Saadiyat Island restaurants.

SAADIYAT ISLAND RESTAURANTS FOR CASUAL DINING

Our list starts with some of the popular casual dining Saadiyat Island restaurants that you should definitely check out: 

ORIENT

One of the best restaurants in Saadiyat Island is Orient at Rixos Saadiyat Island. A Turkish restaurant with a vibrant ambience, Orient provides a dining experience not to be missed. You can enjoy various delightful Turkish dishes, such as smoked oxtail soup, buttered shrimp, beef shashlik and pideli kofte.

• Location: Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
• Average cost for two: AED 330 without alcohol
• Opening hours: Sunday to Monday, Friday and Saturday 06:30 pm – 10:30 pm
• Contact: +971-2-492-2222

MARE MARE

There is no food quite like Italian food, and Mare Mare is one of the few Saadiyat Island restaurants where you can enjoy a casual dining experience that offers the finest Italian cuisine. Located in Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, this eatery is a treasure trove of delectable dishes, such as guazzetto di pesce, la burrata, risotto alle melanzane and lasagna alla bolognese.

• Location: Jumeirah At Saadiyat Island Resort
• Average cost for two: AED 605 without alcohol
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Saturday and Sunday 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Contact: +971-2-811-4342

BUDDHA BAR BEACH

If Asian food floats your boat, you’re going to love Buddha Bar Beach, which is known for its wonderful atmosphere and lively music. Located at the St. Regis Abu Dhabi Saadiyat Island, this restaurant offers a beautiful selection of tantalising Asian dishes for you to enjoy. The menu includes robata corn, Ni-Thai king prawn, lamb hatcho, Chilean seabass, Thai red curry black tiger prawns, and more.

• Location: St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
• Average cost for two: AED 430 without alcohol
• Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 05:00 pm – 12:00 am | Friday and Saturday 01:00 pm – 01:00 am | Sunday 01:00 pm to 12:00 am
• Contact: +971-2-498-8888

BEACH HOUSE

Another wonderful Saadiyat Island restaurant that you should try is Beach House at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, which features some of the best Mediterranean food in the UAE. This casual dining restaurant specialises in many wonderful dishes, such as grilled swordfish, oven-baked portobello mushroom, seared tuna, chargrilled tuna steak and classic paella.

• Location: Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
• Average cost for two: AED 320 without alcohol
• Opening hours: Sunday to Wednesday 12:30 pm to 12:00 am
• Contact: +971-2-407-1138

TURTLE BAY BAR & GRILL

People with a hankering for seafood, steak, or both should head straight over to the Turtle Bay Bar & Grill, located at the Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas. It offers a wonderful array of the sea’s finest offerings, as well as plenty for all those who prefer meat dishes.

Known for having one of the best rooftop bars in Abu Dhabi, some of the most popular items on the menu include tuna tartare, tuna steak, angus sirloin, angus beef rib eye and roasted corn fed baby chicken.

• Location: Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas
• Average cost for two: AED 490 without alcohol
• Opening hours: 12:30 pm – 11:30 pm
• Contact: +971-2-697-0000

OLEA

Love a good spread? You will love Olea, one of the best Saadiyat Island restaurants for families. This Mediterranean restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, although the terrace is the real show-stopper.

They have a series of live cooking stations offering delicious delicacies with buffets starting at AED 270, and an awesome a la carte menu if you’d prefer to choose your favourites. Bring your friends or family and enjoy the refreshing ambience this restaurant offers.

• Location: St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
• Average cost for two: AED 470
• Opening hours: 08:00 am to 01:00 pm (breakfast) | 06:00 pm to 11:00 pm (dinner)
• Contact: +971-2-498-8888

TAVERNA DEL MORO

Experience the taste of Sicily while lounging at Saadiyat Island in Taverna Del Moro by Dolci and Cappricci. Established in 2018, this restaurant prides itself in offering authentic Italian cuisine, crafted to perfection so that each bite takes your taste buds on a trip to the Mediterranean.

Taverna Del Moro is great for both casual quick dining – if you’re looking for a place to have a snack – and a full dining experience. Try out interesting delicacies like the Pepata di Cozze, which is mussels in a flavourful tomato broth, or the Cotoletta alla Milanese, a veal dish. The ambience, the vibes and the delicious food make this place totally worth the visit.

• Location: St Regis. At Residence Collection Saadiyat Island
• Average cost for two: AED 225
• Opening hours: 08:00 am to 11:00 pm (Monday to Thursday) | 08:00 am to 12:00 am (Friday – Saturday)
• Contact: +971-2-631-1030

TING IRIE

Ting Irie is UAE’s first Jamaican restaurant and lounge, offering a contemporary version of this delicious cuisine. Jamaica is known for its foot-tapping music and this restaurant brings that to the table by offering reggae and hip-hop music along with delicious Jamaican food.

All the ingredients used in the food are from the Caribbean, creating mouthwatering flavours that will speak to your soul with dishes such as Rotisserie Jerk Chicken, Jamaican oxtail, or Chips O’Mon Burger. You can also try some of their drinks, with many coconut and rum-based cocktails that scream ‘holiday’.

• Location: Mamsha Al Saadiyat – Al Saadiyat Island 
• Average cost for two: AED 350
• Opening hours: 11:00 am to 11:30 pm (Monday to Thursday) | 11:00 am to 12:00 am (Friday – Sunday)
• Contact: +971-2-886-7786

SAADIYAT ISLAND RESTAURANTS FOR FINE DINING

Apart from its multitude of excellent casual dining eateries, Saadiyat Island is also home to some of the best fine dining restaurants in Abu Dhabi

SAFINA

Another essential entry on our list of Saadiyat Island restaurants is Safina at the Saadiyat Beach Club. It is also listed among the best seafood restaurants in Abu Dhabi. The fine dining restaurant offers a wide spread of excellent Mediterranean cuisine and seafood. Some of the dishes well worth your time and tastebuds are the Scottish loch fyne smoked salmon, burratina, seafood linguine, corn fed chicken breast, and Atlantic lobster.

• Location: Saadiyat Beach Club, Saadiyat Beach East, Exit 14
• Average cost for two: AED 460 without alcohol
• Opening hours: Saturday to Wednesday 08:00 am – 11:00 pm | Thursday and Friday 08:00 am – 12:00 am
• Contact: +971-2-656-3555

FOUQUET’S

This list just wouldn’t be complete without a French fine dining restaurant would it? Well, no problem there because Fouquet’s is an outstanding French restaurant that features sumptuous dishes, desserts and authenticity in equal measure. Their wonderful lunch and dinner menus comprise a host of classics such as tuna tataki, vitello tonnato, melanosporum black truffle macaroni, and classic beef tartare.

• Location: Louvre, Saadiyat Cultural District
• Average cost for two: AED 600 without alcohol
• Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm| Friday and Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:30 pm
• Contact: +971-2-205-4200

NIRI RESTAURANT AND BAR

NIR Restaurant and Bar is a Japanese restaurant in Saadiyat Island that brings the essence of Japanese dining to Abu Dhabi.

This cosy dining space is great for trying out Yakitori, with either your friends or family, or bringing your colleagues for corporate dining. Food at NIRI Restaurant is quite simple, with a focus on taste and plating. Favourites include Yasai Gyoza, Wagyu Kushiyaki, and Tsukune Yakitori. You should also try out the drinks menu, which has cocktails made from sake – a must-try!

• Location: Mamsha Saadiyat Island
• Average cost for two: AED 180 without alcohol
• Opening hours: 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm
• Contact: +971-25-468-886

Looking for more choices? These Saadiyat Island restaurants can also be considered on your food tour.

• Sontaya
• Mazi
• La Salle
• Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CASUAL AND FINE DINING?

Casual dining is relatively informal, generally personified by a more casual and laid-back atmosphere. On the other hand, fine dining represents a more formal style of dining, which can often be evidenced by an elegant atmosphere and decor. For the most part, there’s no dress code in casual dining restaurants. However, it’s standard practice in fine dining to adhere to formal attire. The best restaurants in Abu Dhabi comprise a healthy mix of both fine dining and casual dining restaurants.

WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITIES ON SAADIYAT ISLAND?

If you’re heading to this beautiful part of Abu Dhabi, and we heartily recommend you do, check out these exciting things to do at Saadiyat Island.

WHERE CAN I FIND ROOFTOP RESTAURANTS IN ABU DHABI?

Looking for more info on Abu Dhabi restaurants? How about these popular rooftop restaurants in Abu Dhabi.

This brings us to the end of our post on the best Saadiyat Island restaurants. Maybe you have a date or anniversary coming up? If that’s the case, this guide to the most romantic restaurants in Abu Dhabi has got you covered.