The Best Restaurants and Brunches for Kids in Dubai

From giant play centers to dining with sharks—finding the perfect spot for your family

A familiar scene: you’re dreaming of a lovely dinner in Dubai, while your child is already ready to throw the bread basket at the neighboring table by minute three. Not long ago, this meant choosing between your gastronomic pleasure and their (and your) peace of mind. Forget about it. A child’s cry in a Dubai restaurant no longer equals a bill for emotional distress. The emirate, obsessed with being the very best at everything, has now tackled family dining, turning it into an art form of its own. Today, going out for dinner with kids isn’t about survival—it’s an adventure that delights everyone, from gourmet parents to restless toddlers and sarcastic teenagers.

Our Checklist: 4 Pillars of the Perfect Family Restaurant

• Quality Entertainment Options: From thoughtfully designed play areas to full-fledged leisure centers.
• Comfort for Adults: High-quality cuisine and a pleasant atmosphere where parents can relax.
• Well-Designed Kids’ Menu: Not just nuggets and fries, but also healthy, interesting dishes.
• Overall Atmosphere and Safety: A welcoming attitude toward children’s noise and a safe space for play.

The Perfect Balance: Where Parents Enjoy Delicious Food and Kids Have Fun

These establishments have masterfully solved the main dilemma faced by all parents: how to enjoy a tasty meal yourself without letting your child get bored. Here, high-quality cuisine for adults harmoniously combines with first-class and safe facilities for children.

Luigia: authentic Italy and a kids' cinema

Luigia at Rixos Premium JBR has long earned the reputation of being a mecca for family dinners, and not without reason—its 2024 Time Out Dubai Kids Awards victory only confirmed what was already obvious. They’ve found a brilliant solution to the eternal parental dilemma. Imagine this: you calmly slice into a genuine Neapolitan pizza with a leopard-patterned crust, wash it down with a glass of Chianti, and hear... silence. Because at that very moment, your kids are storming a separate, soundproof playroom with soft flooring, toys, and even their own cinema. It’s pure bliss, embodied in pizza and quiet.

The Scene: british charm with panoramic views of Dubai Marina

The recipe for the perfect brunch from The Scene by Simon Rimmer at Pier 7 goes like this: a spacious terrace, a glass of chilled rosé in hand, and a mesmerizing view of Dubai Marina's skyscrapers and pristine white yachts. The cherry on top? Your kids screaming with delight as they dash around an excellent and completely safe playground just a few meters away from you. This is one of those rare cases where the classic British gastropub perfectly aligns with the needs of modern parents, offering one of the best spots in town for an outdoor lunch without being separated from their children.

HuQQabaz Jumeirah: stylish leisure for modern parents

HuQQabaz Jumeirah effortlessly shatters the stereotype that a trendy and stylish venue cannot be child-friendly. This contemporary café with experimental cuisine and an Instagram-worthy interior has become a magnet for young families in the Jumeirah area. The reason is simple: they’ve seamlessly integrated a cozy and completely safe play area into the concept. This allows parents to enjoy new flavors and socialize with friends in a comfortable setting, knowing their children are supervised and engaged in play.

When Entertainment Comes First: Restaurant Attractions and Parks

This category features places people visit primarily for experiences and activities. Food here is a pleasant and high-quality addition to a large-scale adventure that will be remembered for a long time.

Standalone Leisure Centers

Ribambelle: a creative universe on Bluewaters Island

Ribambelle is a place where the play area isn’t just an addition to the restaurant—it’s its very heart. A full 70% of this premium space on Bluewaters Island is dedicated to a giant, stylish, and multifunctional area designed for kids. This is a true leisure center where little ones can participate in cooking and creative workshops led by professional animators, while parents enjoy dishes from European cuisine. It’s the perfect choice for families with children aged 2 to 10 who value not only entertaining but also educational activities.

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Wavehouse: the epicenter of fun at Atlantis The Palm

What do you do when your youngest needs soft building blocks, while your older child wants something tougher than Fortnite? The answer is simple: Wavehouse. This isn’t just a restaurant with a play area—it’s a real family-friendly Las Vegas right on the grounds of Atlantis The Palm, where food is merely a pleasant bonus. While the little ones conquer the safe, soft play zone, you can host a family bowling championship, challenge your teenager in retro arcade games from the '90s, or send them off into virtual reality. Wavehouse is a lively, vibrant, coin-operated carnival in the best sense of the word. It’s the ideal place to let off steam and guaranteed to prevent any complaints about being bored.

Integrated into Large Parks

KidZania Dubai: a city of professions where food is made by the kids themselves

In the interactive city of professions, KidZania, food isn’t just a way to grab a bite—it’s an integral part of an engaging educational experience. Instead of a regular lunch, children can step into the role of a real pizza maker. At the local Pizza Express branch, each child can independently prepare their own mini "Margherita" pizza for just 35 dirhams. This approach turns lunch into an extension of playtime and allows you to spend an entire day at the complex without being distracted by food searches. Please note that prices may change, so we recommend checking the information on KidZania's official website.

Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark: fast, delicious, and convenient

In a giant water park where the main goal is to ride all the slides, food needs to be quick, straightforward, and easily accessible. That's exactly how the local network of ten restaurants operates. When kids, wet and hungry, demand an immediate calorie boost, the "Barracudas" food court will save you with its selection of cuisines from around the world, while "Shark Bites" quickly provides a strategic supply of nuggets and pasta. Everything here is designed for one purpose: to quickly satisfy hunger and immediately return to splashing and fun, without losing a single precious minute.

A Special Occasion: Unique Gastronomic Experiences

Sometimes you don't just want to eat—you want to embark on a real adventure. These places offer that very "wow factor" that will turn an ordinary family lunch into one of the most vivid memories of your trip to Dubai.

Sella: aristocratic brunch with polo views

The Sella restaurant at Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club offers an experience hard to find anywhere else. From the terrace, reminiscent of a set from a film about British aristocracy, you can enjoy a view of immaculate emerald fields. You hear the clatter of hooves and see graceful horses and professional polo players honing their skills. It’s this contrast—elegant brunch paired with the powerful energy of an elite sport—that creates that very feeling of a respectable country club, where time slows down and the hustle and bustle of the city seems distant and unreal.

Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo: lunch among sharks

Want to truly amaze your child? Head to Aqua Café, located within the famous aquarium at Dubai Mall. The main special effect here is the giant acrylic wall behind which thousands of marine creatures swim by, including massive rays and sharks. The menu is simple and straightforward (burgers, sandwiches, salads), but in this case, the food takes a backseat. The opportunity to dine just a meter away from the underwater world is a priceless experience and a memory that will last a lifetime.

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For Every Day: Cozy Cafes for Breakfasts and Leisurely Gatherings

These spots are true magnets for locals and expats with young children. They’re perfect for relaxed breakfasts, unhurried lunches, and catching up with friends when you don’t need grand entertainment but rather coziness, comfort, and safety.

• Baker’s Kitchen (Dubai Marina): A haven for health-conscious folks, filled with the aroma of freshly baked gluten-free bread. Ideal for breakfast with porridge on almond milk while the kids draw at creative workshops.
• Cafe Confetti (JLT): A real Barbie house exploded in pastel colors. Its fairytale interior and adorable desserts are designed to make your little one feel like a guest at an "adult" café for the first time.
• Sandersons (Sustainable City): An oasis of calm in Scandinavian-chic style. People come here for quiet, the perfect avocado toast, and an atmosphere where no one will give you sideways glances for having a stroller by the table.
• The Lime Tree Cafe (Jumeirah): A power spot for Dubai expats. Legend has it that their carrot cake can solve any problem. Come for a huge slice of this cake and a cup of the perfect flat white.

Quick Guide to the Best Spots: How to Choose Quickly

To help you navigate, we’ve compiled essential information into one convenient table.

Planning Your Perfect Family Restaurant Outing

• Book in advance. In popular spots, especially for weekend brunches (Saturday and Sunday), tables fill up within a few days.
• Consider the timing. For visits to establishments with outdoor areas, choose morning or evening hours during the hot months (May to September).
• Dress code. Most family-friendly restaurants have a smart casual dress code. Beachwear would be inappropriate.
• Budget. Dubai offers options for every budget. Pay attention to the price range to avoid surprises.

Instead of a conclusion: the main secret to a family dinner in Dubai

As you can see, Dubai offers solutions for every parental need: from a quiet breakfast to a lively celebration, from pizza to lunch with sharks. But the real secret isn't in the variety—it's in a shift in mindset. The city has realized that happy children mean relaxed (and generous) parents. So, when choosing a spot from this list, remember: you're not looking for a compromise—you're selecting the script for your little family adventure. Will it be an elegant dinner with views of the Marina lights while the kids build a tower just two meters away, or a wild dash through arcade games with a burger in hand? That's up to you. Either way, it'll be a story not about the food, but about shared memories. And that, perhaps, is the tastiest dish Dubai has to offer.