The Abu Dhabi favourite is offering free pizza and lemonade each day from 5pm to 6pm, turning Souk Al Mina into a place for connection, support and community.
At a time when much of the region’s hospitality industry is navigating a difficult, uncertain stretch, Raj Dagstani of Marmellata in Abu Dhabi has responded with a gesture that speaks directly to the soul of the business. Announced via the official Marmellata Instagram account, the communal initiative invites hospitality professionals who are currently on unpaid leave, as well as those on paid leave who simply want to be around their peers, to gather at Marmellata every day from 5pm to 6pm. As the post puts it, there will be “pizza and lemonade on us conversation on you”, with the hope that owners looking to hire may also meet some of the city’s talent around the table.
It is a fitting move from a restaurant that has always felt personal. Marmellata began in 2019 as a father-son project from Raj and Sebastian Dagstani, originally conceived as a way to give Raj’s son his first after-school job. What started as a humble one-night-a-week operation in Mina Zayed quickly built a cult following, with queues forming for its pizzas and focaccias before the pandemic interrupted that early momentum. The concept returned stronger, eventually growing into the much-loved Souk Al Mina address diners know today.
That rise has been grounded in more than hype. Marmellata’s appeal comes from the warmth of its story and a menu centred on pizzas that feel distinctly rooted in Abu Dhabi, alongside focaccia, stuffed focaccia sandwiches and calzone. The restaurant has also become known for using local produce, including UAE-grown mushrooms, figs from Liwa, and locally produced burrata. Signature combinations include fig and gorgonzola with roasted pistachios, pepperoni with spicy honey, cheesy basil with burrata, and mushrooms with kale and garlic confit.
Recognition has followed. Marmellata was ranked No. 16 on MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list, where it was praised as a pizzeria with “100 per cent Abu Dhabi in its DNA”. It has also enjoyed back-to-back success at the FACT Dining Awards Abu Dhabi, winning Best Homegrown Restaurant in both 2024 and 2025.
Marmellata has always been rooted in community. It is a family business that became a city favourite, a modest pizza spot that grew into one of Abu Dhabi’s most admired homegrown success stories. Now, by offering a free daily meal to those who need it most and a space to connect, it is doing something even more meaningful. It is reminding the hospitality community that even in unsettled times, there is dignity in gathering, generosity in sharing what you have, and real strength in showing up for one another.
Where: Marmellata, Souq Al Mina, Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi
When: Free pizza and lemonade available daily from 5pm to 6pm
Contact: Follow @marmellatalove on Instagram for more information.