Abu Dhabi guide · Where to eat
Places to eat in Abu Dhabi, with what to order and how comfortable each is for families and older travellers.
Updated
Abu Dhabi is easy for vegetarian Indian travellers because of its large Indian expatriate community. South Indian chains such as Saravanaa Bhavan and Sangeetha, and vegetarian restaurants such as Evergreen, GALA, Golden Spoon and Kamat, are listed in the vegetarian directories we checked. Several give separate vegan menus or marked vegan dishes. We also found Wild and the Moon, a fully vegan cafe at Al Seef Village Mall. These are the venues we verified for this guide; hours and menus change, so confirm before you travel.
We found no restaurant that states a fully Jain kitchen. Jain travellers should phone ahead and ask directly about onion, garlic and root vegetables, rather than rely on a vegetarian label. Menus in mixed restaurants often use ghee, cream and egg without saying so, and a vegetarian directory listing is not a promise that eggs are never used, so ask. Outside Indian restaurants, mainstream Arabic cafes serve hummus, falafel, fattoush and bread that suit vegetarians, but ask about cooking oil and shared grills.
Alcohol is served in licensed hotels and some restaurants but not in ordinary cafes, and it is regulated. Tap water is generally treated, but most visitors drink bottled water. Eating or drinking in public during daylight in Ramadan is discouraged, so check the Ramadan dates when you plan your trip.
Menus and kitchens change. If you follow a strict diet or have an allergy, confirm with the restaurant before you order.
Al Mina Fish Souk, Abu Dhabi
Restaurant at the Al Mina Fish Souk where you pick fresh fish from a display and have it grilled, with salads and seafood soup on the menu.
Airport Road, Abu Dhabi
An Emirati and Kuwaiti restaurant on Airport Road listed by Visit Abu Dhabi, where you can sit at regular tables or on floor cushions around low tables.
Al Qana, Hamad Mohamed Thani Al Rumaithi Street, Rabdan
A Lebanese mezze restaurant at Al Qana with a separate vegan menu and outdoor seating facing the marina, open long hours every day according to its directory listing.
Hamdan Street, behind Dunia Finance Building and Al Mansouri Plaza
A Gujarati-style vegetarian restaurant on Hamdan Street, listed on Wikivoyage with a phone number and described as a veg North Indian style place.
91 Al Rai St, Mohamed Bin Zayed City ME11
A vegetarian Indian and South Indian restaurant on Al Rai Street in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, with kebabs, paneer tikka and Gujarati khichdi and dhokla.
Al Salam Street, Al Zahiyah (E16 02)
An Ethiopian restaurant on Al Salam Street in Al Zahiyah with a dedicated vegetarian and vegan section of spiced vegetable, lentil and bean dishes served on injera.
302 Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Otaiba Street, Al Danah, inside the hotel
An international cafe inside Hotel Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana in Al Danah, open from 6 AM to 10:30 PM, with a separate vegan menu and a Thursday and Friday evening vegan buffet.
15 Street, opposite Al Mashrif Children's Park
Arabic cafe in a converted villa opposite Al Mashrif Children's Park, serving Turkish coffee, fattoush and a rice dish.
Yas Marina, Yas Island
Italian restaurant at Yas Marina on Yas Island with a terrace over the marina, serving Harry's Bar signature dishes, pasta and steak tartare.
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street, Al Hisn, beside Qasr Al Hosn
Modern Emirati restaurant beside Qasr Al Hosn in Al Hisn, reported by The National as the first Emirati restaurant to earn a Michelin star, with majlis-style seating.
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street, Al Zahiyah
A low-priced Indian vegetarian restaurant in Al Zahiyah, serving North and South Indian dishes from early morning to late night. Many dishes cost under AED 15 according to the directory.
Century Hotel Apartments, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, Al Zahiyah
A vegetarian restaurant in Al Zahiyah serving Indian and Asian-inspired dishes, with marked vegan options and a vegan tasting menu. A moderate-priced evening out.
Al Ghishabi Street, Al Danah (Zone 1)
A vegetarian restaurant in Al Danah serving Indian dishes with some Chinese ones, and a clearly labelled vegan menu. Prices are described as very reasonable.
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Corniche Road
Cantonese restaurant inside Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental on Corniche Road, known for dim sum and Peking duck in a dark, dramatic dining room.
Ground level, Al Wahda Mall, next to Baby Shop
An Indian vegetarian buffet restaurant in Al Wahda Mall with a barbecue grill at each table, budget pricing and a separate vegan menu, although vegan choices are limited.
Bin Moosa Building, An Nour Street, Al Khalidiyah
A vegetarian Indian restaurant in Al Khalidiyah with a clearly marked vegan menu, a thali and a weekend breakfast buffet of poha, poori and paratha.
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Corniche Road
Contemporary Indian restaurant by chef Hemant Oberoi inside Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, serving updated Indian classics in a hotel setting.
Al Muneera, Al Raha Beach
All-day Emirati restaurant at Al Muneera, Al Raha Beach, run by two sisters and serving home-style machboos, harees and luqaimat.
Emirates Palace, West Corniche Road
Emirati and Arabic restaurant inside Emirates Palace on West Corniche Road, with a desert-themed room and a menu of traditional Gulf dishes.
Behind the NDC building, Salam Street
A South Indian restaurant on Salam Street known in Wikivoyage for aappam and Chettinad cooking, with Chinese and tandoor dishes also listed.
Venetian Village, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal
Indian and Asian restaurant at Venetian Village in The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, serving North Indian dishes with a long evening opening time.
The Fountains, Yas Mall, Yas Island
A vegetarian Gujarati and Rajasthani restaurant at The Fountains in Yas Mall, serving an all-you-can-eat thali on a steel plate.
Al Mubarak Al Qubaisi Building, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, Al Zahiyah
A budget South Indian vegetarian restaurant in Al Zahiyah, serving dosa, idli and sambar from early morning, with a vegan menu marked in the directory listing.
Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre, Al Danah (Zone 1)
A South Indian vegetarian restaurant in Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre, known for dosa and ghee roast masala. Reasonable prices and a familiar menu for Indian families.
Opposite Mushrif Mall
Traditional Gulf restaurant opposite Mushrif Mall where diners sit on the floor and share dishes.
West Corniche Road branch
Quick shawarma restaurant with a branch on West Corniche Road, known for house-baked bread, an open kitchen and low prices.
Al Mureikhi Building, Hamdan Bin Mohammed St, Al Danah
A budget Indian vegetarian restaurant on Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street in Al Danah, open from early morning, with dosas and a thali that suits vegan diners if asked correctly.
Shabiya ME-10, near Al Surour Park, Mohammed Bin Zayed City
A pure vegetarian Indian restaurant in Shabiya, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, with a chaat counter and a menu that says Jain options are available in every section.
Al Seef Village Mall, Al Muntazah (Zone 1)
A fully vegan cafe at Al Seef Village Mall serving acai and granola bowls, falafel wraps and vegan burgers. Portions are described as small for the price.
Behind Shakespeare and Co, Al Muroor Street
Home-style Emirati restaurant behind Shakespeare and Co on Al Muroor Street, listed for harees, machboos and lentil soup.
Global Towers, Electra Street
Lebanese restaurant chain with a branch at Global Towers on Electra Street, serving hummus, kebabs, mixed grills, shawarma and biryani.
