By Jojo Dass
For Food Trip Magazine
(First of a three-part series)
In what observers say was an unprecedented number of restaurant openings happening in a month’s time, at least nine dining venues launched in October while another nine opened in November.
This, as seven new menus were rolled out also in October by existing restaurants; five in November.
Renewed activities in the UAE’s food and beverage (F&B) sector have visibly increased with the announced openings and offers. These, stakeholders say, are indications that, indeed, happy days are back in the country’s dining scene.
Factors
Several factors are being seen to have contributed to this, among them the six-month Expo 2020 Dubai global event from October 2022 to March 2023, which F&B experts say has brought confidence back among restaurateurs following the 2020 pandemic.
“The rebound happened close to the middle of Expo 2020,” said Peggy Li, an independent F&B marketing specialist helping international brands sell and grow in China via e-commerce and digital marketing.
“The UAE government has been very progressive. It has shown a very positive (approach).”
Philotimos, which serves authentic Greek cuisine, is noted to be among offshoots of Expo 2020 Dubai during which it had a venue named The Little Greek.
“The Greek restaurant concept was born (out of the) success of having ‘The Little Greek’ at Expo 2020,” said Spero Panagakis and Alexander Stumpf, owners of BB Social Dining.
“The menu and concept were so successful during Expo 2020 that the natural progression was too open an outlet.”
Huna, known for curating experiences through design and recognizing storytellers in the culinary landscape, opened its first and largest venue late last month, located in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall, with BB Social Dining among recognizable names of restaurants and retail outlets.
‘Bounced back’
Aleix Garcia, managing partner at Infini Concepts, said Dubai “bounced back at a fast pace after the pandemic.”
“Tourists looked for the best places to dine at, whether they’ve seen it on an influencer’s account or word of mouth, and luckily we’re very aggressive with our marketing, so word got out about our concepts.”
Infini Concepts operates Tabu and Hayal in St Regis Hotel, Downtown Dubai. Tabu, engaged in “theatrical gastronomy,” opened in May this year; Hayal, which is a mix of Turkish cuisine and entertainment, opened in October.
Garcia said Dubai is “absolutely heaving at the moment and that’s mainly due to new openings, busy season and the weather becoming a lot more bearable.
“When it comes to restaurants in Dubai, competition is fierce. So, it’s important to think outside the box to ensure you’re standing out from the crowd. I think lots of restaurants are putting more effort into entertainment.”
(Up next: The Michelin appeal)