Remember when it used to be sunny in Dubai and we used to enjoy a nice al fresco meal washed down with ‘grape’ and not washed out with rain? Ah, happy memories. Apparently it’s Spring, so I’m sure you will soon be able to dust off your summer dresses and shorts; so where to go? 

There are many impressive options out there, but you’ll be hard pushed to find a better view than the romance and spectacle of the Burj Khalifa and the dancing fountains. The restaurants and bars of the Souk Al Bahar tick all of the boxes – great views, plenty of variety, outside seating and, um, grape options – which can be necessary after a long slog round the Dubai Mall. I popped down to the Rivington Grill to check out their new Spring menu and, yes, take in their spectacular view. I had already visited their London branch a couple of years ago, so was interested to see how they compare. 

It’s a truly British affair at the Rivington, with a ‘back to basics’ concept and a menu that transported me back to my favourite bistro pubs in the UK. There were many things to love about this little Souk hot spot…. this is a run-down of my fave bits – and one little niggle.

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1. It’s at the Souk Al Bahar!

We love this Souk! It’s a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the Dubai Mall and is picture perfect inside and out. There are plenty of cool boutique shops, and not to mention some great bars and restaurants, however we felt the restaurant called ‘Booza’ was a tad misleading.

2. That view!

Book early and bag yourself an awesome pew with a view. It’s a great shout as a first date location as the fountains will happily interrupt your awkward conversations every 30 minutes.

3. Fab British classics.

So many to chose from, what do you fancy? Beef Wellington? Brick Lane curry? Dover Sole? Ribeye? Lamb Chops or a Saturday (Sunday) Beef roast with all the trimmings? This menu is fit to satisfy all of your comfort food fetishes.

4. This salad

Homemade Salt Beef Salad with green beans and English mustard dressing. Yep, Salt Beef! This salad is quite simply one of the best we have tried this year.

5. The Sticky Toffee Pudding

Warm, light sponge smothered with toffee sauce and complimented by soft vanilla ice cream.  This is a classic British dessert that we never get tired of revisiting, and this was perfection. Sweet, just a tad over-indulgent… bliss.

And finally… 6. Pie of the day

The last time I had Pie of the Day, it was an unprecedented disaster. Picture the scene: it was a pub in London – I’m sure I must have walked there in the rain, or snow – and there were so many mouth-watering pies on the menu that I just couldn’t decide. “Just give me the Pie of the Day,” I declared boldly. “Do you want to know what it is?” my waiter asked, “Nah”, I replied, “make it a surprise Pie!” 

Half an hour later my surprise arrived: it was Shepherd’s Pie. That is NOT a pie! OK, it’s ‘pie’ by name, but a pie should be covered in a beautiful, crumbly and buttery pastry crust, that you cut into and it’s contents spill open, oozing delicious, hot goodness… mmmm! Massive disappointment ensued. Yes, you guessed it: the Pie of the Day here was a Shepherd’s Pie.

Joking aside, this is a great option when deciding on a venue with a view. Prices are a little higher than you would usually pay for food of this quality (mains start at AED 125), but get a spot outside and it’s the best seats in the house and worth every penny.

Book your table or check out the full menu here  

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