A new culinary chapter from the Orfali brothers.
Whenever I’ve asked chefs, friends and industry insiders about the hottest restaurant openings and where I should be eating, the answer was unanimous: Three Bros. Located at Wasl 51 in Jumeirah, Three Bros is the newest expression of the famed Orfali brothers. The restaurant offers a culinary sequel to their MICHELIN-starred Orfali Bros, which is currently undergoing refurbishment.
Three Bros puts family at the heart of the restaurant, offering a space where craft and a quietly experimental streak are given centre stage. The bistro setting is intimate, offering just 25 seats, while setting its neighbourhood tone with curbed walls, monochromatic floors and a ruby red palette that flatters. Sculpted faces adorn the walls, vinyl records and small trinkets add personality to the shelves, and the open kitchen pulls focus without overwhelming the room.
The Orfalis’ have long married playfulness with precision, and that carries through here. Loud global references meet the simplicity of Mediterranean cooking, the discipline of French technique and the depth of Syrian tradition. The menu is compact and structured across bites, hot and cold appetisers, “pidza not pizza” and desserts. There is a fermentation lab that fuels a short drinks list, and a roaring wood-fired oven.
You can chart the restaurant’s point of view across a handful of plates. The Morel Chawanmushi (AED 85) is a warm, silken start, enriched with truffle and lifted by chives and hazelnut. It is a precise dish, balancing earthy aromas with the gentle wobble of Japanese egg custard. The Potato Au Caviar takes a different path. A single small Hasselback, scored deeply so that every ridge can carry crème fraîche, is crowned with caviar and chives. It is a small bite with a big sense of occasion, neatly judged and satisfying without excess (AED 85).
Raw preparations are treated with care rather than decoration. O-toro (AED 47) arrives as translucent slivers, glossed with Orfali Bros tuna garum, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon that flirts with the edge of acidity without tipping into it. The delicate fish holds its own, while the garum does the talking, adding a depth that lingers on the palate. A plate of glorious Gambas (AED 55), features sweet ama ebi, accompanied by tomato pulp, garlic, and olive oil. It is clean, bright and moreish, best chased with bread to mop up the superb sauce.
Not everything is minimalist. The Aubergine Royale (AED 150) is unabashedly rich, its smoky flesh recalling baba ghanoush while a beautifully buttery beurre blanc adds satin weight. A spoonful of caviar and a scattering of walnuts bring salt and crunch, and the dish earns its name with a sauce that wraps every bite. For a pause in the richness, the Gem and Roquefort Salad (AED 69) refreshes with crisp leaves, crunchy walnuts and a cool ribbon of crème fraîche that holds the punch of the blue cheese in check.
Three Bros nods to its lineage with a few signatures from Orfali Bros. The OB Croquettes deliver crisp shells and a creamy core, alongside the OB Cheeseburger and the Come With Me to Aleppo Wagyu Kebab. The “pizza not pizza” section passes through the wood-fired oven, offering blistered bases topped with burnt leeks and truffle.
Desserts land with the same blend of nostalgia and polish. A Peanut and Raspberry Jam Sando Cake (AED 55) takes the memory of a PBJ and elevates it into something marshmallow-light that’s all bounce and comfort. Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream (AED 55) arrives with macerated strawberry, pink peppercorn and a whisper of orange blossom water. It is light and creamy, scented rather than perfumed, and one of the more compelling finales you will find in the city right now.
The drinks merit attention. From the in-house fermentation lab come house creations like Limetta Olio, a martini-like drink made from fermented white grapes and olive oil, which is foamy and fresh, and Yuzu Togarashi Kombucha with tomato water, which threads citrus, chilli and spice into a refreshing, food-friendly pour.
Service is succinct and friendly. Dishes arrive with a brief story that situates them in the brothers’ travels and influences, and the pacing suits a dining room of this size. On our visit, Mohamad Orfali was on hand to expand on the thinking behind that tuna garum, and a Japanese detour that inspired the ice cream.
Context matters. Sister restaurant, Orfali Bros, sits at the top of the region’s dining scene. It was ranked number one on MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023 and 2024, appears on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, holds a MICHELIN Star and a FACT Dining Award Dubai, and welcomed Ed Sheeran and a Netflix cameo on Somebody Feed Phil. Three Bros stands as a complementary idea, a place where the brothers can relax the format without relaxing standards.
Three Bros feels like the start of another homegrown success story. It captures what made the Orfalis’ original restaurant so compelling and reframes it in a tighter, more casual setting that keeps the soul of the original while writing its own story.
GO: Follow @threebros_kitchen on Instagram for more information.