Get your calendars out – exhilarating adventures, brunch and culture await.
September has arrived, and Dubai is wasting no time filling the calendar. This weekend offers plenty of reasons to head out, whether you fancy an affordable MICHELIN-starred lunch, a Mediterranean brunch, an evening of classical music or the chance to learn a new creative skill. There are also limited-edition dining collaborations, a newly refreshed Italian favourite and some serious turntable talent taking over Alserkal Avenue. Here are the best things to do in Dubai this weekend.
Friday 4 September
Have lunch at a FACT award winner
Make Friday lunch a memorable one at the FACT award-winning Jamavar in Downtown Dubai. The restaurant’s weekday lunch and early evening menu offers an accessible introduction to its acclaimed Indian cooking. Begin with Chandni Chowk Ki Aloo Tikki, Malabar Prawns or Chicken 65, followed by grill favourites including Murgh Malai Kali Mirch and Lamb Seekh Kebab. For mains, choose from Old Delhi Butter Chicken, Sindhi Methi Gosht, Paneer Lababdar or Baingan Chettinad, accompanied by Dal Tadka and your choice of rice or bread. Those opting for dessert can finish with the refreshing Duo of Sorbet. It is an impressive way to start the weekend without breaking the bank. AED 99 (two courses), AED 139 (three courses) or AED 160 (four courses).
Where: Jamavar, Address Residences Opera District, Downtown Dubai
When: Monday to Friday from 12pm to 6:30pm
Contact: https://jamavarrestaurants.com
Experience Emirati art and hospitality
Mark Emirati Women’s Month with a celebration of food, art and local creativity at homegrown restaurant Asma. Available across its Nad Al Sheba Mall and Al Khawaneej Walk locations, the limited-time collaboration with Emirati artist Shamsa Bint Hasher centres on an intimate six-seater sufra featuring hand-painted tableware created especially for the occasion. Diners can choose between Sufrat Al Dhaha for breakfast and Sufrat Al Gaidh for lunch or dinner, with both menus showcasing the restaurant’s approach to regional hospitality. Traditional gahwa and mistika lemonade complement the experience, while curated artworks transform the setting into a fitting showcase of Emirati heritage and contemporary creativity.
Where: Asma at Al Khawaneej Walk and Nad Al Sheba Mall in Dubai
When: 31 August to 6 September 2026
Contact: https://asma.ae
Make your own candle at Light of Sakina
Swap the usual weekend routine for something more creative at Light of Sakina. The homegrown fragrance brand hosts an intimate candle-making masterclass where participants learn how scent, wax and craftsmanship come together. Guided by the brand’s artisan chandlers, guests work with 100 per cent natural soy wax, organic essential oils and lead-free cotton wicks before developing a personalised fragrance profile. The workshop also covers professional pouring techniques, allowing each participant to create a bespoke candle complete with customised packaging to take home.
Where: Light of Sakina, Costra Business Park, Production City, Dubai
When: Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm
Contact: www.lightofsakina.com
Saturday 5 September
Dine at the newly refreshed Scalini
One of Dubai’s best-known Italian restaurants has a fresh new look. Scalini Dubai has reopened at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach following an extensive renovation inspired by the colours and character of the Amalfi Coast. Blue, yellow and navy accents run through the restaurant, while an open kitchen adds energy indoors and a pergola-covered veranda surrounded by citrus trees creates an inviting alfresco setting. Executive Chef Francesco Cortorillo has also renewed the menu while retaining Scalini’s focus on traditional Italian cooking and tableside service. Highlights include Crudo di Gamberi Rossi di Mazara, tableside-prepared Tartara di Manzo and the restaurant’s much-loved Linguine alla Nerano.
Where: Scalini Dubai, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Jumeirah, Dubai
When: Daily from 12pm to 12am
Contact: https://scalini-dubai.com
Hear Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by candlelight
Trade Dubai’s Saturday-night party scene for the sounds of Vivaldi at Shangri-La Dubai. The hotel’s Al Nojoom Ballroom will host a Candlelight concert dedicated to The Four Seasons, performed by a live string quartet in a room illuminated by thousands of candles. One of classical music’s most recognisable works, Antonio Vivaldi’s masterpiece takes listeners through the changing moods of spring, summer, autumn and winter, from delicate melodies to dramatic crescendos. The intimate 65-minute performance offers an atmospheric alternative to dinner or drinks, while the dramatic candlelit surroundings add another dimension to the music. Tickets start from AED 150, with seating allocated according to ticket category.
Where: Al Nojoom Ballroom, Shangri-La Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
When: Saturday 5 September at 9pm
Contact: https://feverup.com
Have brunch at Jou Jou Brasserie
Saturday brunch returns to Jou Jou Brasserie at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach. The bright Mediterranean restaurant lays out an abundant spread inspired by the flavours of the coast, with buffet stations joined by live carving counters serving fish and meat cooked to order. Creamy risottos and freshly prepared pastas are delivered family-style to the table, while Senior Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Lambert oversees an elaborate dessert selection for those saving room for something sweet. A live musical duo provides acoustic guitar and vocals throughout the afternoon, creating an easy-going soundtrack to proceedings. AED 485 (soft beverages), AED 715 (house beverages) and AED 850 (Champagne).
Where: Jou Jou Brasserie, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Jumeirah, Dubai
When: Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm
Contact: www.fourseasons.com
Sunday 6 September
Tuck into the Piehaus and 1004 Gourmet collab
Two Dubai food favourites have joined forces for the latest instalment of piehaus’ Counter Culture series. The third-culture phyllo bakery has partnered with Korean speciality grocer 1004 Gourmet for Counter Culture Edition 005, resulting in a playful savoury take on kkwabaegi, Korea’s much-loved twisted doughnut. Rather than traditional dough, piehaus uses its signature hand-stretched phyllo pastry to create a crisp, flaky shell filled with bulgogi-marinated beef, caramelised onions and shimeji mushrooms. Mixed sesame seeds add the finishing touch, while spicy pickles are served on the side to cut through the richness. Available for a limited time, it is another inventive reason to visit Alserkal Avenue.
Where: Piehaus, Warehouse 22A, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
When: 31 August to 13 September 2026
Contact: @piehaus.dubai
Try wheel throwing at Tashkeel Makerspace
Get your hands dirty on Sunday with Tashkeel’s Wheel Throwing Series for beginners. Hosted at Tashkeel Makerspace in Alserkal Avenue, the eight-session programme introduces newcomers to the foundations of working with clay under the guidance of the organisation’s experienced pottery team. Students begin by learning centring, opening, and pulling techniques before progressing to practical pieces, including bowls, plates, planters, and vases. Later sessions cover trimming and preparing finished creations for the kiln, providing participants with a rounded introduction to the pottery process. Open to ages 16 and above, the course runs weekly for two months.
Where: Tashkeel Makerspace, Warehouse 89, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai
When: Sundays from 11am to 1pm
Contact: tashkeel.org
Watch the DMC Middle East DJ Championships
Some of the region’s sharpest turntablists will descend on Alserkal Avenue as the DMC Middle East DJ Championships arrive at The Fridge Warehouse. Part of one of the world’s longest-running and most influential DJ competitions, the regional battle puts technical skill firmly in the spotlight. Competitors go head-to-head across high-energy rounds featuring scratching, beat juggling, vinyl manipulation and seamless mixing, with performances assessed by a panel of industry judges. For hip-hop fans and anyone fascinated by the craft behind the decks, it is a rare opportunity to see competitive turntablism at close range. The four-hour event also offers a very different way to round off your Dubai weekend.
Where: The Fridge Warehouse, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai
When: Sunday 6 September from 5pm to 9pm
Contact: https://dubai.platinumlist.net