Get your calendars out – exhilarating adventures, brunch and culture await.
A new week in Dubai means another packed calendar of things to see, eat and experience. Start with a thought-provoking exhibition at Alserkal Avenue, then move through chef collaborations, intimate omakase menus and an unusual floating breathwork session. Elsewhere, one of Rome’s most famous pizzaiolos has arrived in Mirdif, while MANĀO has refreshed its FACT award-winning dining experience with new tasting menus. Whether you are searching for culture, memorable meals or something completely different, these are the best things to do in Dubai this week.
Monday 21 September
Explore identity and memory at The Living Archive
Start the week with a dose of culture as Firetti Contemporary unveils The Living Archive, Ahmad Tallaa’s first solo exhibition in Dubai. Taking over the gallery at Alserkal Avenue, the show examines the human face as an archive shaped by time, memory and lived experience. Tallaa explores these ideas through paintings, sculptures and handmade artist books, incorporating recycled materials, sand and raw canvas into his practice. The multidisciplinary exhibition considers how identity evolves and how personal histories leave visible and invisible traces on the human form. For art lovers, it offers a thoughtful reason to spend an afternoon exploring Alserkal Avenue.
Where: Firetti Contemporary, Unit 29, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai
When: 21 September to 11 November 2026 from 11am to 7pm
Contact: https://alserkal.online
Tuesday 22 September
Catch a one-night chef takeover at Honeycomb Hi-Fi
The FACT award-winning Honeycomb Hi-Fi is handing over its kitchen for one night only to Chef Brandon Arriaga, the chef behind Mexico City’s Nácar and Executive Chef of Cocina Tres. Having worked in acclaimed kitchens including Pujol, Máximo Bistrot, Chiune and Kappo Muroi, Arriaga draws on both Japanese technique and Mexican flavours for the special collaboration. A tailored à la carte menu will be served alongside Honeycomb Hi-Fi’s signature vinyl soundtrack, creating a dining experience that pairs inventive cooking with one of Dubai’s most distinctive listening bars. There is an AED 250 minimum spend per person.
Where: Honeycomb Hi-Fi, Pullman Dubai Downtown, Business Bay, Dubai
When: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Contact: @honeycombhifi
Wednesday 23 September
Return to TERO for a Journey Through Asia
Chef Reif Othman’s intimate 12-seat counter, TERO, has returned from its summer break with a new six-course menu titled A Journey Through Asia. Described as an “unconventional omakase”, the experience reworks familiar flavours from across the continent through surprising combinations and playful presentations. Dishes include Southeast Asian Pie Tee filled with octopus and pomelo, Akami with strawberry dabu-dabu and tamarind, Kagoshima wagyu dolma with smoked yoghurt, and a reinterpretation of Filipino Kare-kare using kingfish. Served inside REIF Japanese Kushiyaki, the chef’s table remains one of Dubai’s more intimate dining experiences. The six-course menu starts from AED 388 per person.
Where: TERO, REIF Japanese Kushiyaki, Dubai Hills Business Park, Dubai
When: Wednesdays to Sundays, seatings at 6pm and 8pm
Contact: www.terodubai.com
Thursday 24 September
Float into relaxation at Noia by the Pool
Swap the usual Thursday night plans for something more restorative at Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai. The hotel has partnered with UAE wellness community Breasy for New Moon Floating Immersive Breathwork, an after-dark session held at Noia by the Pool on the 11th floor. Participants recline on individual floating mattresses beneath the night sky, wearing eye masks and wireless headphones while moving through a guided 60-minute journey combining breathwork, sound and weightlessness. The experience is designed to encourage relaxation, recovery and nervous system regulation while offering an unusual perspective on Downtown Dubai after dark. Tickets are priced at AED 325 per person.
Where: Noia by the Pool, Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai
When: Thursday, 24 September 2026 at 8pm
Contact: www.breasydxb.com
Friday 25 September
Experience Sa’Cha Gets LahKee
Two independent Dubai restaurants collide this weekend as Sa’Cha by Pang and LahKee launch Sa’Cha Gets LahKee, a collaborative omakase. Chefs Pang and Nicolas Badran of Sa’Cha join Mark and Mary Calbay of LahKee for a six-course menu that moves between the teams’ distinct culinary identities. Sa’Cha’s Latin American flavours and Asian techniques meet LahKee’s nostalgic take on Pan-Asian comfort food, with influences spanning the Philippines, Japan, China and South America. Prices start at AED 268 with soft drinks or AED 399 with a welcome cocktail and wine pairing.
Where: Sa’Chaby Pang, Address Creek Harbour Hotel, Dubai Creek Harbour
When: Friday, 25 September 2026 from 7pm to 9pm and 9.30pm until late
Contact: https://sachadxb.com
Saturday 26 September
Savour Roman Pizza Al Taglio at Bonci Dubai
One of Rome’s most famous pizzaiolos has landed in Dubai. Gabriele Bonci, often nicknamed the “Michelangelo of Pizza” and featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza, has opened his first Middle Eastern outpost at Chef’s Society in City Centre Mirdif. Bonci is celebrated for Roman pizza al taglio, made with 48-hour fermented dough before being cut into rectangular slices and sold by weight. Toppings range from aubergine, zucchini and potato to Genovese ragù and potato with Parmigiano. The Dubai menu expands beyond pizza to include Truffle Pasta, Mushroom Pasta, Chicken Cacciatore and Milanese-style cutlets. Prices start from AED 50, making it an easy weekend stop for Italian comfort food.
Where: Bonci Dubai, Chef’s Society, City Centre Mirdif, Mirdif, Dubai
When: Daily, from 9am to midnight
Contact: @bonciuae
Sunday 27 September
Try MANĀO’s New Tasting Menus
End the week with a fresh take on contemporary Thai cuisine as the FACT award-winning MANĀO introduces two new tasting menus from chefs Abhiraj Khatwani and Mohamad Orfali. The shorter eight-course experience runs for around 90 minutes and features signatures including Miang and Lobster Khanom Krok. Those wanting the complete experience can opt for the 12-course menu, which unfolds across approximately two hours with dishes such as King Crab served two ways, shredded lamb curry and coconut-smoked short rib sticky rice roti. A passion fruit granita with jasmine and chewy pineapple closes the meal. Sunday lunch also introduces an à la carte option for diners who prefer greater flexibility.
Where: MANĀO, Wasl Vita, Jumeirah, Dubai
When: Tuesday to Sunday from 7pm to 11pm
Contact: https://manao.ae