Dubai's restaurant calendar did not slow down in September. Gulf News, in a roundup updated on 25 September, listed Gymkhana, Marugame Udon, Le Guilan, Bayroot Deli, Noren and La Maison Ani among the new names in the city's dining scene. More arrivals are scheduled before the end of the year, including two from chef Yannick Alléno at One&Only The Palm on 19 October.
This guide covers food-led openings only, and it separates what is open from what is coming. Several of the details below come from a single outlet, so it is sensible to call ahead before you go.
Open now
Le Guilan, Downtown Dubai. The cooking is Persian, handled with European technique, and the room is styled as a French brasserie. According to Gulf News, the signature is fresh bread served with fermented black garlic butter. It is a good choice for a long lunch or an early dinner when you want something familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
Bayroot Deli, Sheikh Zayed Road. A family-run Lebanese deli that serves both old and new dishes. Gulf News names the shawarma and a strawberry labneh parfait, which tells you the kitchen is comfortable with the classics and with a lighter, modern dessert. Labneh, the strained yoghurt that sits on most Levantine tables, appears here in a sweet form.
Noren, JLT. A Japanese restaurant serving dishes that include sushi. It was founded by Ilir Caushi, a former managing director of Zuma, with executive chef Pawel Kazanowski, and it is open, according to Gulf News.
Marugame Udon, The Dubai Mall. This is the brand's fourth location in the UAE. It serves Sanuki-style udon, the thick wheat noodle from Kagawa Prefecture in Japan, with dishes such as Kake Udon, Bukkake Udon and tempura. It is a quick stop between shops.
Hikiniku To Come, CMPLX, Al Quoz. A burger counter built on Japanese Wagyu, ground fresh and grilled to order. What's On reports that the beef is 100% halal-certified, and that two more UAE locations are planned for 2027. The opening is listed for September 2026 and rests on a single source.
Window, Al Serkal. Not among the September openings, but worth the detour: it cooks over wood fire and was named MICHELIN Opening of the Year 2026, an award that went to Gonzalo Platero. It is one of the clearest signs of where Dubai's cooking is heading, and the subject of our MICHELIN Guide Dubai coverage.
Coming soon
La Maison Ani, Mall of the Emirates. This is chef Izu Ani's second branch, after the first at The Dubai Mall. The Parisian-inspired café and pâtisserie covers 367 sq m and seats 142. Expect baguettes, a seasonal lunch menu and desserts. Gulf News lists it as coming soon.
Roasters, Science Park Hub. The brand's 12th branch is listed as coming. It is described as a specialty coffee and all-day dining venue, with beans sourced from 24 countries.
Casea 101 by Yannick Alléno, One&Only The Palm. Italian coastal and Mediterranean cooking, due to open on 19 October 2026. The same date marks the arrival of L'Abysse, which has its own feature on BYGEARS. Only the food offer is covered here.
ROKA The Palm, Six Senses The Palm. Japanese robatayaki, the cooking of ingredients over charcoal, on the rooftop of Six Senses The Palm. It is the brand's second Dubai location, after five years in Business Bay. It is due in 2026, with the date to be confirmed.
Two openings with their own stories
- Gymkhana, DIFC. The London two-star Indian restaurant opened its first UAE branch on 1 September. Gulf News highlights pahadi chicken chops and a rasmalai made with Emirati qishta from its Dubai-exclusive menu. See our separate feature.
- L'Abysse by Yannick Alléno, One&Only The Palm. The French-Japanese omakase concept is due to open on 19 October. See our separate feature.
How to choose
If you want a table that tells a story about the city's food, Le Guilan and Bayroot Deli are the easiest places to start. One reimagines Persian cooking in a French frame, the other brings a family kitchen's Lebanese repertoire to Sheikh Zayed Road.
For a quick meal, Marugame Udon in The Dubai Mall is the most direct choice, and Hikiniku To Come in Al Quoz is the burger counter to try if halal Wagyu is what you are after. For something to linger over, Noren in JLT offers sushi and Japanese dishes, and La Maison Ani, once it opens, will offer a café table in the Parisian manner.
For coffee, Roasters at Science Park Hub is the one to watch, with its all-day menu and beans from 24 countries.
Booking and timing
Gulf News gives no prices for most of these venues, so confirm menus and costs when you reserve. The per-venue details for Le Guilan, Bayroot Deli, Noren and Hikiniku To Come each come from one outlet. For the venues marked as coming, dates may shift: Casea 101 and L'Abysse are scheduled for 19 October, ROKA The Palm has no date yet, and La Maison Ani and Roasters are listed only as coming.
September brought Persian brasserie cooking, Kagawa-style udon and a family Lebanese deli to the same city. Together with the October arrivals, they show a dining scene still widening its range, and one in which new tables arrive faster than any single list can follow.
Sources: Gulf News, What's On, MICHELIN Guide, One&Only Resorts