Get your calendars out – exhilarating adventures, brunch and culture await.
Dubai’s diary is filling up with reasons to get out and about. This week, Sa’Cha and Salvaje join forces in Downtown Dubai, and Gymkhana adds a new lunch option in DIFC. There’s also time to catch Prateek Kuhad at Dubai Opera and settle in for coffee over a game of mahjong. Here are seven fantastic things to do in Dubai this week.
Monday 19 October 2026
Make time for Gymkhana’s business lunch
A new business lunch gives DIFC diners another reason to book at table Gymkhana Dubai. Inspired by India’s gymkhana clubs, the menu offers a shorter introduction to the restaurant’s cooking, starting with pappadums and club chutneys. Starters include aloo chaat with masala yoghurt and ghee roast king crab idli, while mains range from Goan prawn curry with Malabar parotta to kid goat methi keema and chicken butter masala with plain naan. This generous menu offers plenty of reasons to step away from your desk and make a proper occasion of the midday break. Plus, the ever-popular Tandoori Masala Lamb Chops are available for an additional AED 125.
Where: Gymkhana, Gate Village 7, DIFC, Dubai
When: Monday to Friday from 12pm to 2:30pm
Price: AED 145 per person
Contact: https://gymkhanarestaurants.com
Tuesday 20 October 2026
Tuck into a collaborative menu at Salvaje
Dinner at Salvaje takes a collaborative turn as Sa’Cha by Pang joins the Downtown Dubai restaurant for the opening night of Amigos. Chefs Nicolas Badran and Koyi M. Tanabe draw on their experience in Peru to create a menu connecting Latin American flavours with Asian techniques. Dishes include tuna ceviche with bone marrow leche de tigre, wagyu tataki with aji limo ponzu, and foie gras aji de gallina gyoza. Among the main courses are slow-cooked wagyu short ribs with rendang sauce, followed by pan de muerto ice cream with citrus crumble and marinated guava. It is a chance to explore both chefs’ cooking in one sitting.
Where: Salvaje, Address Residences Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai
When: Tuesday 20 October 2026, from 8pm
Price: AED 295 per person
Contact: https://salvajedubai.com
Wednesday 21 October 2026
Experience a cross-cultural collaboration
Head to SUSHISAMBA Dubai for a one-night collaboration celebrating International Chefs Day on Wednesday 21 October 2026. Girl & the Goose’s Gabriela Chamorro joins Group Culinary Director Kyung Soo Moon and Brand Chef Kitak Lee for a menu connecting Central American traditions with Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian influences. Drawing on Chamorro’s Nicaraguan heritage and Mesoamerica’s wider culinary traditions, the specially created dishes explore the ingredients, techniques and memories behind the chefs’ cooking. Served alongside the restaurant’s à la carte menu, the collaboration offers a fresh perspective on its cross-cultural cuisine.
Where: SUSHISAMBA Dubai, The Palm Tower, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
When: Wednesday 21 October 2026 from 7pm
Contact: www.sushisamba.com
Thursday 22 October 2026
Follow the FACT Dining Awards Abu Dhabi
Find fresh inspiration for your next restaurant reservation as the FACT Dining Awards return to Abu Dhabi. Celebrating the restaurants, chefs, bars and hospitality teams shaping the capital’s dining scene, the awards recognise talent across a wide range of categories. FACT’s independent critics and public voting contribute to the results, bringing expert opinion and readers’ favourites into the conversation. Keep an eye on the winners, revisit a familiar favourite or discover somewhere new to add to your dining wish list.
Where: Ilios Pool Club, Surf Abu Dhabi, Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Contact: https://diningawards.factmagazines.com
Friday 23 October 2026
Discover a chef collaboration at Casita by Casa Amor
Casita by Casa Amor launches Made in Dubai, a chef series celebrating the city’s homegrown culinary talent, with a one-night collaboration on Friday 23 October 2026. Head Chef Zouhair Bouhlal welcomes chef and Fusion Ceviche founder Penelope Diaz to the beachfront restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai. Their eight-course sharing menu pairs Mediterranean and Peruvian flavours, combining signature dishes from both restaurants with creations developed for the occasion. A live bossa nova band, culinary stations and Pisco Sour specials add to the evening’s appeal. AED 450 per person for the sharing menu, with beverages available à la carte.
Where: Casa Amor, Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
When: Friday 23 October 2026 from 6:30pm
Contact: www.mandarinoriental.com
Saturday 24 October 2026
See Prateek Kuhad live at Dubai Opera
Prateek Kuhad opens his global Full Moon Chamber Tour at Dubai Opera this Saturday. The Indian singer-songwriter’s latest run of shows follows his third studio album, Full Moon Chamber, recorded between New York and Los Angeles. Exploring love, identity and personal change, the record marks a new chapter in a career built on intimate songwriting and emotionally direct lyrics. Known for “Cold/Mess”, “Kasoor” and “Co2”, Kuhad has earned an international following for music that crosses language barriers. For fans who have followed his songs through headphones, the Dubai date is a chance to hear his latest material live in the venue’s main auditorium as the tour gets underway. Tickets from AED 195.
Where: Dubai Opera, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd, Downtown Dubai
When: Saturday 24 October, 8.30pm
Contact: http://platinumlist.net
Sunday 25 October 2026
Settle in for mahjong at One Forty Fourz Café
Swap Sunday scrolling for a seat around the mahjong table at One Forty Fourz Café. The new opening combines the tile game with speciality coffee and a fantastic food menu, creating a setting for friends to catch up over something more interactive than their phones. Mahjong is the main attraction, with other board games adding options for groups keen to try something different. Order coffee and a bite to eat, then settle into a game that calls for concentration, strategy and a little friendly rivalry. New players can enquire about introductory workshops, while more experienced guests can ask about tournament sessions.
Where: One Forty Fourz Café, Ibis World Trade Centre, Dubai
When: Daily from 10am to 10pm
Contact: @onefortyfourz