Dubai
Eating, drinking and dancing

(+971 (0)4 366 8888)

Pierchic

Chic by name and chic by nature, this see-and-be-seen dining destination is also one of Dubai's most romantic and accomplished. Over the sea at the end of a private pier, this seafood restaurant has fantastic views of the Burj. Make reservations well in advance, and ask for a table at the edge of the terrace to make the most of the views.

Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 343 8000)

Teatro

Asian Fusion in a striking, moody setting with open kitchens making Chinese, Thai, Indian and Italian dishes. Watch the river of traffic from high above Sheikh Zayed Road if you've a window seat. Book ahead – this is a stalwart of Dubai's dining scene.

Towers Rotana Holte, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 399 9999)

Eauzone

Another über-romantic seaside dining destination. This at-the-pool venue is all flickering candles and summer breeze, and the seafood-heavy menu has wry Asian leanings; try spiced hammour baked in lotus leaves, or tender duck with pak choi and quail's eggs.

Arabian Court, One & Only Royal Mirage, Al Sufouh Beach Road, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 405 2703)

Hoi An

Vietnamese cuisine with a French colonial twist, served in an elegant and relatively small dining room. Dishes are delicate and aromatic – particularly the light broth-style soups – and inventive in their ingredients and preparation. Reservations essential.

Level 1, Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 809 6194)

Al Hadheerah

If you really want that 1,001 Nights/Midnight at the Oasis experience, you may as well go the whole hog: this desert restaurant near Bab al Shams is an all-singing, all belly-dancing Arabic tent-fest with a huge buffet, camels, falcons and horse displays. Arrange your own transport rather than going with a group, so you can leave when you like. Reservations (and sense of fun) essential.

Bab al Shams Desert Resort, near Endurance Village, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 353 7772)

Bastakiah Nights

Atmospheric multi-room restaurant in turn-of-the-century building in the Bastakiya area; ask for a table on the roof terrace. Location rather than cuisine is the main draw here – the menu features Arabic/Lebanese staples. NB alcohol is not served anywhere in the Bastakiya.

Bastakiya, Bur Dubai, Dubai

Al Mallah

Popular local street-food joint; it's right on the road, so you can watch Dubai's young heirs and wannabes (and normal folk) pull up in blacked-out Hummers and 4x4s late into the night. Order Arabic shawarmas – chicken or lamb with garlicky sauce in flatbread wraps – and fruit cocktail smoothies to wash them down with. Cheap, fun and tasty.

Al Diyafa Street, Al Hudaiba/Satwa, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 602 1234)

The Terrace

Stylish, laid-back vodka bar with sail-like awnings and gorgeous views of the Creek and the 'look at me' yachts in the marina. Also has a seafood bar with caviar, smoked fish and oysters if you fancy a decadent light lunch. Chill out and people-watch before hitting Traiteur or the Thai Kitchen for dinner.

Park Hyatt, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Deira, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 701 1111)

Vista

Chic and shiny cocktail haunt at the new Festival City InterCon, with an impressive drinks menu, floor-to-ceiling windows and equally impressive views over the Creek and towards the silhouetted skyscrapers on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Level 26, InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Dubai

(+971 (0)4 319 8780)

The Agency

Grown-up wine bar where you can have a conversation over a good list of 'grape beverage' (as wine is often euphemistically termed in the UAE). There's one in the Emirates Towers, and a buzzier, more atmospheric sister bar at Madinat Jumeirah.

Hotel Tower, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai