Dubai City Guide
Studio Bust has always been built on sisterhood, so who better to guide us through Dubai than the formidable sisters Reem and Natalya, creative powerhouses behind agency Ego & East and recent Forbes 30 Under 30 honourees. Born and raised in the city, their vision is rooted in culture, community and a bold sense of style. Today, they’re letting the SB sisterhood in on their best finds and tips for each recommendation.
We’re thrilled to be heading back to Dubai this autumn from October 3rd - 6th, and again in the spring from March 20th - 23rd (book the last spots here). With Reem and Natalya as our guides, we can’t wait to share a few insider gems and show you why Dubai continues to be one of our most-loved destinations.
Marsa Al Arab - We haven’t stayed here yet, but it’s on the list! It’s brand new and sits on our favourite beach in Dubai which is part of the natural coastline. It’s high on our list, especially because some great new restaurants like Kira. Atlantis The Royal - We love doing staycations here because you really don’t need to leave the resort, it houses great restaurants and stores, its ultra luxy so you feel spoiled the whole time and the spa is so, so good.
The Lana - It’s a great option if you want more of a city vibe and want to be close to all the action downtown.
Bulgari Resort Dubai - I think we both agree that this is our favourite hotel. Anytime we want a spa day, we book it here. The rooms are impeccable and we love coming from breakfast and lunch even when we’re not guests of the hotel.
Jumeirah Al Naseem - We’ve never stayed here but we always recommend it to friends visiting, especially those with kids. It’s a beautiful hotel with really good restaurants on the property like Il Burro and Flamingo Room.
Soul Kitchen – This is another one that everyone loves. The music is always good and it’s always packed with good energy.
Honeycomb Hi-Fi - Honeycomb is always voted as a no.1 spot by Time Out, The speakersystem is great, the dj’s they have are always good and it’s a firm favourite in Dubai’s nightlife scene. If you go for dinner, make it a late reservation so you can stay for drinks and enjoy the party vibe.
LPM Restaurant & Bar – A classic for the food, but the bar is also always so fun. We’ve never not had a good night here.
The Maine – Also a good offering for drinks and good vibes.
Clap – The music is never not good at clap, because it’s located in DIFC, you meet people from all over the world, if you can’t get a dinner reservation at Clap, the bar doesn’t disappoint.
Bungalo 34 – We love going here when the weather is good because the beach views are gorgeous. The food is amazing (part of the Tasha’s group). It’s a great spot with friends, on a date or event with family.
Mott 32 – We love Chinese food and this is next level, it’s situated on the (not sure what floor) of the St Regis with an amazing view and the food is so good. The duck has to be ordered 24 hours before your reservation, just FYI!
Kinoya – We love this place! Hands down the best Ramen in Dubai and the rest of the menu is also delicious.
Flamingo Room by Tashas – Another one by Tashas that we can’t stay away from, the decor is gorgeous. Try the Calamari Mozambique.
Tashas – Ok, it’s going to seem like we’re biased to Tasha’s group, but really they can’t do any wrong! We love going to tAsha’s for casual lunch, it’s been our go-to for the longest time.
Kokoro – This place needs a shoutout. So delicious and the concept is so simple. A handroll bar with little else on the menu. They don’t take reservations so go with the expectation of waiting a little for the table.
Mama’esh – We love this place for easy weekend breakfasts or lunch. Delicious Palestinian food.
The Grey – We’re always here. We love the avo toast.
Al Beiruti – I think we eat here at least once a week, meeting up with friends and family and indulging in yummy Lebanese food.
Bageri Form (D3) – The smell of this place alone will have you coming back. It’s located right next to our office, so we’re always grabbing a matcha from here and doing our best to stay away from the croissants.
Pekoe (Alserkal Avenue) –They are known for their breads and their pastries are delicious. Also located in one of our favourite areas to walk around.
BKRY (Alserkal Avenue) – A pastry lover’s dream; the open kitchen means you can watch the chefs at work.
Amongst Few Café – A fully vegan and vegetarian-friendly café with a really addictive version of a ‘Snickers’ bar.
Matcha Club – We always recommend this place because it’s like a little haven in the city. Breakfast time is always packed and they have really pretty padel courts and yoga studios. The matcha is really good here.
We mainly shop online, but if you like to do a little physical shopping we highly recommend Bougessa. Her showroom and store is located in D3 (same building as our office so it’s dangerous!) and the design element of her space alone, is something to see.
If we’re not buying online, we’re usually checking out THAT Concept Store in Mall of the Emirates, Harvey Nichols Dubai (same location) or for the best buy in shoes, LEVEL in Dubai Mall.
Alserkal Avenue - This is one of our favourite places, it’s pedestrian, you can walk around and check out all the different shops, concepts, food trucks and studios. On some weekends during the winter months there are food or cultural festivals happening also.
Al Bastakiya - Located in “old Dubai” with great heritage spots and art galleries
Museum of the Future - We haven’t been yet, but it’s been on our list for ages. The building alone is worth going to see.
Dubai Opera - Check out the schedule because there’s usually some great shows happening.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Abu Dhabi) – It’s worth making the drive to Abu Dhabi (about an hour) to visit the mosque, it’s one of the most breathtaking landmarks you’ll visit, and whilst you’re there, you can also visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi as well.
We’d love to know if you end up at any of Reem and Natalya’s recommendations - please do tag us on instagram if you do!