Caviar in Dubai: 9 of the best caviar dishes you need to try

From caviar bumps to baked potatoes with caviar, here are the best caviar restaurants in Dubai.

Dubai loves luxurious ingredients ranging from truffle to gold leaf, so it’s no surprise to find that caviar isn’t just topping dishes but dining trends. The delicacy was once reserved for the elite, making its way to a meeting between President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin, Aristotle’s table in the fourth century and James Bond’s slice of toast in Casino Royale. 

It’s no longer just for the privileged, however, as millennials and Gen Z are all over caviar in Dubai. For generation rent, it’s an affordable luxury. If you take a look on Instagram, you’ll see that #caviarbumps are trending. This is the act of taking caviar by the dollop and putting it onto the back of your hand, rather than a traditional mother of pearl spoon. You’ll put the caviar on your tongue, push it to the top of your palate and – boom – let the flavours explode. 

One of the best restaurants to try caviar in Dubai is 12 Chairs in SLS Dubai, as it has a menu dedicated to bumps. Cláudio Cardoso, culinary director at the hotel, told us: “For us at 12 Chairs, trying bumps is the simplest, yet the best way, for us at least. Without having any other flavours competing, you taste the caviar at its purest state and you can really enjoy the notes between different types of egg.”

If you’re caviar curious, Cláudio explains: “My first advice is to try good caviar, as it will change your mind about it. Many less experienced guests that try it, leave with a very different idea of it. Secondly, I would invite them to try our vanilla-caviar ice cream, it’s the best. Lastly, pick well what you drink. Caviar does not necessarily mean you need to drink vodka or champagne, as tea works very well, too.”

With caviar production on the rise – it normally comes from Russia or Iran, but is now being created in China – it’s popping up more on menus. Those unfertilised fish eggs and roe from wild sturgeon will continue to be a foodie status symbol. Sure, it’s expensive but it’s also versatile and gives dishes a touch of class with minimal effort but maximum results. So, whether you want caviar on your baked potato – yes, really – or pasta, here are the best places to have caviar in Dubai.

3fils: Wagyu and caviar 

We don’t need an excuse to visit the much-loved 3fils, but the caviar dishes certainly do help. On 3fils’ menu there are quite a few dishes topped with caviar – like the beautifully presented softshell crab and truffle caviar – but there’s one that hits our caviar hotspot: the wagyu and caviar. The classic combination of ingredients is nothing new, but the simple yet sleek presentation – in that 3fils way – is what makes it extra special. And, as that buttery, beefy flavour with salty caviar is so intense, you’ll be glad that the dish comes with two pieces.

12 Chairs: King crab with caviar  

At 12 Chairs, your caviar experience is both educational and fun, as you are sat around the countertop watching the chefs at work. Here, caviar is the star of the show and it’s thought of like salt – an ingredient that carries all the flavours together. There are caviar bumps ranging from AED 75 to AED 450, but we’d recommend trying one of the cones. The king crab with caviar is a little piece of foodie luxury, as it is topped with 24-carat gold and Beluga Caviar. The salty tastes combine so well together and pop in your mouth in a way that only caviar can.

99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant: Otoro crystal toast 

Sure, we know that caviar can be expensive, but at 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant your jaw will be dropping at the dishes as well as the prices. The restaurant describes itself as offering haute Japanese cuisine, and serves one of the most lavish dining experiences. The most-talked about dish, Crystal Toast, may as well be made out of real crystals, as it comes with a price tag of AED 1,200. Four slices of baguettes are smothered in the most elaborate ingredients: 100g of 99’s tuna tartare, 75g of Hokkaido’s sea urchin and, of course, 30g of Kaluga caviar.

Beluga: Golden cigar 

Mandarin Oriental Jumeria, Dubai’s Beluga is a dedicated caviar restaurant and one of the most luxurious places to have caviar in Dubai, as it has all the plush touches from white leather seats to marble table tops. The restaurant gives French cuisine a modern twist, and features caviar in expected as well as unexpected places, from the afternoon tea to the signature cocktail, Caspian Farewell, made with caviar bitters. Get ready to spend as the prices aren’t cheap, especially on the gourmet caviar menu – 250g of King of Kings (Almas) for AED 49,419 anyone? One of the most iconic dishes if the golden cigar, which encases marinated salmon, truffle cream and caviar. The result is a crunchy and creamy roll, filled with delicate caviar.

Caviar Kaspia: Kaspia potato 

Caviar Kaspia was first established in Paris in 1927 and can count Beyonce, Rihanna and Katy Perry as some of its biggest fans. The clue is in the name as the menu is seafood heavy with fish, pastas, risotto and, of course, caviar. Comfort food is given a luxurious upgrade here, as the signature dish is the Kaspia potato, which sees the humble baked potato adorned with a generous helping of caviar. The famous dish is so popular and the result is extraordinary: a soft potato that is immersed in buttery, salty caviar flavours.

La Cantine du Faubourg: Taglioni pasta with caviar 

La Cantine du Faubourg has gone from Dubai to Mykonos. The Dubai restaurant is famed for its arty décor and French food, with extravagant ingredients like foie gras and caviar. The focus is on simplicity, as the ingredients speak for themselves and the food isn’t over complicated. There’s a caviar menu with Caviar Osciètre and Beluga Caviar, but we’d suggest going for a full dish. A humble pasta with extravagant caviar might seem like a simple combination, but the taglioni pasta (AED 238) with caviar is the way to go, as it lets you savour that rich taste for longer.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon: Le caviar royal oscietra 

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is a French fine-dining restaurant, which already has venues in France, Hong Kong and New York. The Dubai restaurant is so seductive with all its shades of red, which cover the light features and glasses. Start as you mean to go on – from the entrees, order le caviar royal oscietra. The dish comes with 50 or 125 grams of caviar, it is served with L’Atelier accompaniments and kept us on the edge of those rich red seats.

Orfali Bistro: Caviar bun 

Orfali Bistro is just racking up awards, from MENA 50 Best Restaurants to the MICHELIN Guide’s Bib Gourmand. The whole experience has been created by three brothers, and they have drawn inspiration from their travels to create this restaurant. Take a seat near the two-storey kitchen, which dominates the dining room, and get ready to be impressed by the food. One of the most popular dishes is the caviar bun – a small round bun, which sits on a sour cream base of smetana and is topped with rare Kaluga Caviar.

Ossiano: Trout and caviar  

If you want a fitting seafood setting while you eat your caviar, look no further than Atlantis, The Palm’s Ossiano. The one MICHELIN Starred restaurant has an impressive seafood menu inspired by the ocean, and a floor-to-ceiling aquarium with stingrays and sharks to prove the point. Order chef Grégoire Berger’s trout and caviar, which is served on cauliflower with sea water. Plus, the presentation is Insta-friendly, thanks to the large plate and dry ice theatrics.