The shining City of Gold has no shortage of excellent cocktails, but a few stand out above the rest. Some of the best cocktail bars are owned by Michelin Star chefs, some were built by foreign entrepreneurs, and some are just the reward of hard working locals. Here are the best cocktails in Dubai with a note about the vegan friendly foods they serve- try them all if you can.
The Vault
Hours: 5pm-3am
Happy Hours: 5pm-8pm
Ladies Night: Tuesday 9pm to Midnight – 3 Complimentary Drinks
Address: 72 nd Floor, Tower A, JW Marriott Marquis, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Business Bay
Phone: 04 414 3000
Website: http://www.jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com/restaurant/hotels/hotel-information/travel/dxbjw/vault
The Vault is nearly the highest bar in town. If you can’t make it to At.Mosphere in the Burj Khalifa or don’t want to be held to their lofty minimum spend criteria, go to the effortlessly cool Vault instead. The enormous gold safe doors you enter through are unique and set the vibe before you even enter. This skyscraper location with almost 360-degree views of Dubai is perfect for sun-downers, and their cocktails are wide-ranging in choice and impeccably constructed. The service is efficient, and if you go during Happy Hour or Ladies’ night, even the prices are fabulous.
Bread Street Kitchen & Bar
Hours: 2pm to Midnight
Address: The Avenues, Atlantis Hotel, Palm Jumeirah
Phone: 04 426 2000
Website: https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/bread-street-kitchen-and-bar-dubai/
Gordon Ramsay’s Dubai venture is well known for its British cuisine, (and its infamous Vegetarian Wellington) but they also make a mean cocktail. Their Floradora is unforgettable, and the Love Potion no 9 is a classy flute of berries and bubbles, topped with a fresh raspberry and a mint sprig. Their nuts are notable too. Made on the premises using almonds, peanuts, cashews, chilies, and dried cranberries. Totally moreish! Of course, their highly experienced mixologists can easily go off-piste. Let them know your preferred base spirit and they will happily craft you something bespoke on the spot.
Cove Beach
Hours: 11am-3am
Ladies Day: Wednesday – 3 House Cocktails, Free Rosé Wine, Plate of Canapés
Address: Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Rd, Umm Suqeim
Phone: 800 COVE
Website: http://covebeach.com/
This outdoors bar is laid back, busy, and somewhere time flies by without you even realizing. The restaurant is indoors but the best place to sit is in the lounge, where you can enjoy a Fruit Shisha, countless cocktails, and a relaxed chat with friends. There is a cool breeze nearer the water’s edge, but thankfully the venue has huge outdoor fans, which help to keep you comfortable during the sticky summer evenings.
Black Tap
Hours: 11am to Midnight
Address: Jumeirah al Naseem Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Rd
Phone: 04 366 8888
Website: http://www.blacktapme.com/
A Dubai haven for burger and milkshake lovers. Black Tap is a hip and lively bar offers a great range of craft beers and mason jar cocktails. The Black Tap Mule is served in a traditional copper mug, filled with ice and a balanced mixture of ginger beer, a hint of lime, and vodka. It’s pretty crowded on the weekends, especially with families and the excitement of the nearby Turtle Lagoon. Choose from their tasty falafel burger or black bean veggie burger and some yummy sides.
Bahri Bar
Hours: 4pm-1:30am
Happy Hours: 4pm-7pm
Ladies Night: Tuesday 7pm-10pm – 3 Complimentary Drinks
Address: Mina al Salam, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud St (first right after Burj al Arab)
Phone: 04 366 8888
Website: https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/madinat-jumeirah/restaurants–bars/bahri-bar/
The perfect spot for indulging in old-fashioned elegance is Bahri Bar, the wooden terrace with its low arm chairs and colonial fans slowly rotating above you is one of the best spots for watching the sun set over the horizon past the silhouette of Atlantis on the Palm. To the right is an unspoiled view of the Burj al Arab, if you are on the hunt for the obligatory Dubai skyline shots. The bar menu is comprehensive with a mixture of small bites that will appeal to all tastes with all vegetarian options well marked.
Fai
Hours: 5pm-2am
Ladies Night: Tuesday 5pm-2am – 3 Pink Cocktails @ 25AED Each
Address: Thiptara, The Palace Hotel Downtown, next to Souq al Bahar
Phone: 04 428 7888
Website: http://www.theaddress.com/en/hotels/the-palace-downtown-dubai/dining/fai.aspx
With possibly the best view of the Dubai Fountains paired with cocktails, this bar is connected to the top end Thai restaurant, Thiptara (which serve the best Pomelo Salad we have ever tasted). Make the most of the experience by playing wooden Thai dice games and enjoying the choreographed fountain display every half-hour after 6pm. Their ingredients are typically Asian, including lemongrass, chili, and ginger, to name a few. You don’t have to dine in the main restaurant to use the bar, and if Thiptara is fully booked, as it regularly is, you can dine from the small bar menu in Fai.
Sea Fu
Hours: 12:30pm to Midnight
Happy Hours: 5pm-7pm
Ladies Night: Tuesday – 150AED Prosecco, Sushi Rolls, Main Course and Dessert
Address: Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach Rd
Phone: 04 270 7802
Website: http://www.fourseasons.com/dubaijb/dining/restaurants/sea_fu/
Their signature cocktails are very diverse, using distinctive ingredients. We like the Shizen with its Ketel 1 vodka, pomegranate, green tea, pineapple & passion fruit juices served in an appealing tall glass. In addition to the obvious quality you’ll experience, the exclusive location is another reason to come to Sea Fu. Right on the seafront, and next to the turquoise blue of the vast swimming pools at the Four Seasons, the whole venue has a relaxed and luxurious vibe about it. Cool tunes and extremely good service do make this one of the best choices for cocktails in amazing surroundings.
Zengo
Hours: 7pm-1am
Ladies Night: Tuesday 7pm-11pm – 3 Complimentary Cocktails
Address: Le Royal Meridien, Dubai Marina (JBR)
Phone: 04 316 5550
Website: http://www.zengo-dubai.com/
This upmarket Pan-Asian restaurant has an outside bar you should definitely try to visit when in the JBR area – in fact, it has 3 Bars! Guests can choose to sit in Mist, Fire or Smoke, each with its own unique theme. Fire is the outdoor bar, with pristine white seating on the decking area and lovely views of the resort and pool. Their cocktails are exotic, including kalamansi, Pisco, and Yuzu, to name a few less common ingredients, which we loved. If you fancy studying the talent, you can sit up at the bar and watch the craftsmen at work. Service is friendly and fast. It’s a great place to spend an evening working your way through their menu or for pre and post dinner drinks.
Hakkasan
Hours: 7pm-1am, Fri 12pm-1am
Address: Ground Floor, Boulevard, Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, World Trade Centre Area
Phone: 04 384 8484
Website: http://hakkasan.com/locations/hakkasan-dubai/
Hakkasan is a fancy and fashionable Michelin-starred Chinese chain with branches in New York, Miami, Vegas, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Mumbai. The soul of the menu is Cantonese and is lauded around the world for its quality and prestige and includes many vegetarian dishes well labeled. The beverage program is huge, with a voluminous wine list, some of which is grown in vineyards exclusively for the Hakkasan Group. They have an extensive cocktail menu, too, some of which look like a chemistry experiment. We recommend perching on the Long Blue Bar to watch the cocktail masters at their craft, creating vapor and aerated cream toppings. The Grand Marnier smoke was a delectable experience. Definitely a place to come if you like the type of drinks you cannot make at home! Non-drinkers ask for the Virgin Hakka or Coco Passion.
The Social Room
Hours: 6pm-2am, Fri 12pm-2am
Happy Hours: Sat-Thurs 4pm-8pm
Ladies Night: Wednesday 8pm-1am – 3 Complimentary Drinks, 50% Off Snacks and Sundaes
Address: InterContinental Hotel Marina, Bay Central Dubai Marina, Al Sufouh Road
Phone: 04 446 6664
Website: http://marinasocialdubai.com/the-social-room
Another superb venture by Michelin Star chef Jason Atherton, alongside his existing success stories in Shanghai, Singapore & London. This slick bar neighbors Atherton’s Marina Social inside the 5 Star Intercontinental Hotel, in the Marina area. The Social Room has an exclusive DJ booth in a semi- private area 3 times a week, along with regular guest appearances. The bar offers lots of space for high stools if you fancy a chat with the barman while he is mixing up his magic concoctions. Cocktails are sublime, as expected from this British Restaurateur who can’t put a foot wrong. Cool bar snacks and an enticing Happy Hour deal. Note – Bar can be quite smokey.
