The latest opening from VKD Hospitality brings bold Mexican flavours to Pullman Dubai Downtown.
First things first, I am an unabashed fan of the VKD Hospitality Group concepts. I still believe that Indochine was the best restaurant in Dubai, and its sudden closure only sharpened the memory. So, when I heard the team behind the FACT Award-winning Honeycomb Hi-Fi and Miss Lily’s were opening a modern Mexican restaurant, I immediately booked myself a table at Cocina Tres to smash some tacos while taking in the views across the Business Bay waterfront.
The name Cocina Tres translates to “three kitchens”, and offers a lively atmosphere that channels the bustle of Baja and Mexico City while feeling right at home in Dubai. The restaurant looks out over Business Bay’s waterfront, where the city’s glass and traffic hum in the background like a constant bassline.
Interiors draw inspiration from Luis Barragán, one of the most influential Latin American architects of the 20th century, known for creating houses, gardens, and spiritual spaces that feel intensely calm and emotionally resonant. Bold colour blocks and geometric forms guide you through the space, each corner framed like a composition. You pass brightly painted columns and walls that feel deliberately sculptural, then the room loosens into a garden terrace where cacti, light and shadow set the tone. Rustic wood beams and rough-textured walls evoke a modern hacienda overlooking the water, while tiger masks from Guerrero keep watch over the brightly tiled Ceviche Bar.
Led by a team of Mexican chefs, the menu at Cocina Tres champions traditional techniques and regional breadth. Diners can graze at the dedicated ceviche bar, explore a trio of house salsas, and share plates that lean into rich spices. Tortillas are made by hand and ground on a custom-built molino using imported Oaxacan corn, then paired with fresh seafood and wood-fire specials. The corn tortillas have that unmistakable aroma and pliant texture that only properly treated masa delivers, and it becomes the quiet foundation beneath everything else.
The Tostadas de Atún (AED 78) arrives almost too pretty to disrupt: bluefin tuna spiralled across the tostada like a flower in bloom, avocado beneath, spicy mayo and crispy shallots adding crunch and heat. The fish is clean and fresh, the spice calibrated to lift rather than dominate, and that crisp base does precisely what a tostada should do: snap, not shatter, giving you a terrific textural contrast.
The Tostada de Callo (AED 86) takes a different approach. Cured Hokkaido scallops are paired with a Baja-style pâté and salsa macha, creating a bite that feels indulgent without being heavy. The scallop’s sweetness meets the pâté’s savoury depth, while the salsa adds a smoky heat that lingers in the background. It’s a moreish morsel in the true sense.
From the ceviche bar, there’s the Tiradito del Día (AED 86), which edges playfully into Asian-flavour territory without losing its Mexican spine. Yellowtail comes dressed with red guacachile, daikon, and a whisper of coconut that softens the heat and gives the dish a silky finish.
Warm dishes are where comfort starts to creep in. Queso Fundido (AED 72) features provoleta cheese melted into a gooey, stretchy pool, spiked with spicy dry-aged fish chorizo. It’s served with fresh flour tortillas kept warm in a cloth pouch, which is a slight touch but an important one. This is not a delicate dish, but one made for tearing and scooping.
The tacos are where Cocina Tres really hits its stride. The Taco de Arrachera (AED 88) is a standout, not just for the “Insta-worthy” plating (a slender shishito pepper perched on top like a flourish), but also for how well it balances flavours. Flank steak is deepened by a dry red mole that brings sweetness, bitterness, and spice in equal measure. Burnt habanero adds a smoky heat that doesn’t overwhelm the meat, and the tortilla holds everything together with that unmistakable corn perfume.
From the wood-fire grill, Pulpo Negro (AED 215) arrives as a lacquered tendril of Spanish octopus, doused in sweet chile meco sauce. The tentacle is sizeable, borderline Kraken-esque, but the texture is tender and succulent, with the exterior kissed by the grill so you get that slight chew and char before the softness gives way. For those looking to go big, the Chuletón (AED 535) offers 450g of dry-aged Australian Wagyu MB8-9 ribeye, served pink, needing little embellishment beyond salt. The premium beef is the headline, and the kitchen doesn’t clutter the plate with distractions.
Plates arrive with good pacing, and when the room starts to fill, you can feel the place shift into its intended sociable and slightly flirtatious rhythm. The bar anchors the space and the vibe, with an indoor-outdoor design that behaves like a pergola in winter and seals up through sliding glass panels when summer hits. The cocktail list features artisanal mezcals, house-infused spirits, and frozen margaritas. Highlights include Chavorruco, a terrific twist on a Negroni infused with earthy beetroot and mezcal smoke, and Mezcalada, a Baja-style mix of mezcal, beer, spice and lime.
Cocina Tres arrives amid an onslaught of Mexican openings in Dubai, but it feels less like a restaurant chasing a trend and more like one that’s building a community. There’s creativity, anchored by a kitchen that respects technique and a room that understands how people actually want to dine. With sunshine flavours and a space that balances character with consistency, Cocina Tres has landed as both a neighbourhood hub for Dubai’s creatives and one of the more satisfying new tables in town.
GO: Follow @cocina_tres on Instagram for more information.