For many people in Dubai the weekend now falls on Saturday and Sunday, and that suits a Spanish way of eating: a long lunch, a late dinner, and not much hurry in between. Our directory lists four Spanish restaurants in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. This plan uses all of them. Hours below are the ones in our listings; confirm with the restaurant before you go.
Saturday daytime: Tagomago on the Palm
Tagomago is at the Azure Residence on Palm Jumeirah. It takes its style from the Balearic Islands and is more than a dining room: there is a restaurant, a bar, a pool and a beach, with views of the Palm.
The kitchen cooks traditional Spanish Mediterranean dishes with a contemporary twist, from lunch through dinner, and the venue pitches itself at groups of friends and families. Our listing shows it open every day from 10:00 to 01:00, so a late-morning start works.
Saturday night: Salero Tapas & Bodega
For dinner, head to Salero Tapas & Bodega on the ground floor of the Kempinski Hotel at Mall of the Emirates. Salero serves traditional sharing plates with a modern touch and a wine list drawn from Spanish bodegas. It says its menu takes in dishes from every region of Spain.
The reason to go on a weekend night is the music. Salero has flamenco performances, or a guitarist and singer, every week. Ask when you book which night is on. It is listed as open from 12:00 to 01:00 daily.
Sunday lunch: Lola Taberna
Lola Taberna in Barsha Heights pays tribute to Spanish food and to Lola Flores, the flamenco star from the province of Cádiz. The concept runs from modern Barcelona to Cádiz, and the restaurant says it wants to bring back "those long Spanish family lunches that turn into dinners".
That makes it the obvious Sunday stop. Our listing has it opening at 13:00 on Sundays and staying open until 01:00. Note that it has no Monday hours in our directory, and opens later, at 16:00, on Tuesdays.
Also in Dubai: Rubia Gallega
Rubia Gallega is at Al Wasl Plaza in Expo City. Its cooking draws on Galician and Mediterranean traditions, using traditional recipes and Spanish products. Our directory has no opening hours for it, so contact the restaurant before making the trip out to Expo City.
Worth the drive: José by Pizarro, Abu Dhabi
If you have a spare evening, José by Pizarro is at the Conrad Etihad Towers on the West Corniche in Abu Dhabi. It is a tapas bar from José Pizarro, the award-winning Spanish chef its listing calls the "Godfather of Spanish Cuisine" in the UK, and its listing mentions spicy chicken croquetas, prawn fritters and potato tortilla. It is listed as open daily from 17:00 to 23:30.
See every listing on our Dubai page.
