Cooler season calls for patio dining, accompanied by music and a drink in hand. Where better to obtain this experience than at Taste of Abu Dhabi, a three-day gluttony festival where the city’s best-known restaurants sell platters at affordable prices?
The weekend-long festivities, which will take place at Gateway Park South on Yas Island from Friday, November 10 to Sunday, November 12, offers food, drinks, and fantastic entertainment.
There will also be cooking conferences, chef presentations, and an all-new music concept to rave to if you aren’t in a food coma by the end. What is our recommendation? Make sure you have some Rennies on hand.
The restaurants
Taste of Abu Dhabi returns to Yas Island, bigger and better than ever before, to highlight the greatest cuisines the city has to offer with 15 of Abu Dhabi’s most famous restaurants. Each restaurant pop-up will have a carefully selected menu of three to five ‘taster’ size food, allowing diners to work their way through the outstanding lineup, grabbing their favourites as they go. So far, the restaurants appearing at Taste of Abu Dhabi include moules frites favourite Penelope’s, Abu Dhabi A newcomer BB Social, the What’s On award-winning Indian restaurant Namak, celebrated chef Akmal Anuar’s Otoro, chic tapas bites from José by Pizarro, Marco’s Italian, Oii, La Carnita, dim sum delights from Dai Pai Dong and Oak Room, and dim sum delights from Dai Pai Dong.
The masterclasses
Aside from the restaurant pop-ups, Taste of Abu Dhabi will also include three days of special workshops and barbecue masterclasses presented by famous chefs, where guests will be able to discover the best cooking secrets, methods, and insights directly from the professionals. These seminars are meant to offer you the skills and information you need to boost your culinary game, whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a passionate foodie. What’s the best part? All workshops are free with your admission ticket. The availability will be first come, first served.
The celebrity chefs
Meet the best chefs who will be giving talks and workshops at Taste of Abu Dhabi.
John Torode
The outspoken British MasterChef host returns to Taste of Abu Dhabi for a special culinary the workshop.
Hattem Mattar
Do you want a better brisket? Hattem, the first Arab pitmaster, will teach you the art of grilling.
José Pizzaro
Join the Godfather of Spanish cuisine as he gives a simple step-by-step lesson to making delicious tapas.
Marco Pierre White
Get up close and personal with Marco as he tells tales from his colourful career.
Lisa Faulkner
Lisa Faulkner, a Holby City earn degrees and Celebrity MasterChef winner, reveals her best culinary recommendations.
Jenny Morris
The South African celebrity chef makes an enjoyable return to Taste of Abu Dhabi, getting ready some of her biggest dishes.
Shelina Permalloo
Shelina Permalloo, MasterChef champion, conducts a Mauritian cooking lesson.
Ritu Dalmia
Ritu Dalmia, award-winning chef and restaurateur, indicates some simple recipes at Taste of Abu Dhabi.
The music
Taste of Abu Dhabi will offer an all-new two-stage music concept with native favourites to keep the festival vibes flowing all weekend long. Truly Medley Deeply, who take pop singles and mix them into show-stopping medleys, and The International Playboys, the capital’s favourite rockers, are among the headliners. DJ Superfly, Mark Zitty, 4TheMusic, and Damien Flood will all be performing.
For kids
Children are free – literally, as entry to the festival is free for anybody under the age of 12 – to run wild in Taste of Abu Dhabi’s dedicated kids’ zone, which includes a bouncy castle, culinary arts lessons, and other activities. When it comes time to refuel, kids will have lots of alternatives because each food kiosk will serve a suitable for children menu.
For adults
Throughout the weekend, look for special drink provide at Taste of Abu Dhabi’s licenced bars. Ladies’ night starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 10, with two free house drinks until closing; a 2-for-1 happy hour runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; and the all-new brunch on Sunday package contains five meals of your choice and five free drinks for Dhs360.
