Muscat
When it comes to cocktails (try the Samoan Fogcutter or Honi Honi), nowhere competes with this fun and lively Polynesian-style venue. Resident expert…
Must-see nightlife in Arabian Peninsula
Downtown Dubai
The Dubai spawn of the Beirut original did not need long to lure local socialites with high-energy rooftop parties under the stars. International…
Muscat
This novel lounge restaurant, with its giant psychedelic TV screen, serves a spirited cocktail and a fine-dining menu for modest prices, but it's the…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Since 1995, Barasti has grown from basic beach shack to top beach club spot for lazy days in the sand, and is often jam-packed with shiny happy party…
Dhofar
The island may be artificial, only one bar wide and accessible by a humpback bridge so small that you could almost span it in one stride, but the sense of…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Since opening in 2016, LSB has been racking up the accolades as living proof that there's room in bling-blinded Dubai for keeping-it-real party hangouts…
Doha
Set in a lush garden under trees, and lit with fairy lights, this place has a different feel from the other bars in Doha. It hosts acoustic sets, which…
Doha
One of the few casual pubs in Doha, Belgian Cafe gets packed to the rafters on Thursday and Friday nights. The crowds are here for the imported Belgian…
Downtown Dubai
This happening joint has ushered the sports bar into a new era. Sure, there are the requisite big screens to catch the action, but it's packaged into an…
Dubai
This chic bar drips with sultry Middle Eastern decor and has a veranda laid with Persian rugs and comfy sofas perfect for taking in magical views of the…
Bahrain
With the best sea views offered by any terrace on the island, this cafe is the perfect place to end an afternoon exploring the Bahrain Fort. Sip your…
Abu Dhabi
Don't be deceived by the unassuming back staircase entrance. Climb to the top, and you'll be dazzled by incredible turquoise waters and panoramic ocean…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This gastropub is as popular with the after-work crowd as it is with families on sunny Saturday afternoons. There are a dozen beers on tap, along with…
Doha
A homegrown artisanal coffee house kickstarting Doha's third-wave coffee scene, Flat White is the brainchild of two Qataris who, after travelling the…
Kuwait City
Opposite Al Shaheed Park's entrance gate is this air-conditioned vintage oasis decorated with an old VW Beetle, bicycle wheels, aeroplane seats, school…
Kuwait City
At this chilled, two-tier industrial-styled coffee shop with chipboard tables, concrete walls, exposed pipes on the ceiling and bookshelves, the baristas…
Bahrain
Walk through the tiny avocado-green wood doors, past the swing chair and into your very own light-filled oasis of calm, coffee and cake. Luqmatina's…
Downtown Dubai
Enquire with the concierge where Poppy is within the hotel and he (or she) will likely respond in a whisper. It's a venue of US Michelin-starred chef…
Salalah
One of the few places to serve alcohol in Salalah, this open-air bar is shaded by palms. Enjoy sundowners here before the nightly buffet and watch the…
Dhofar
A highly popular venue for a drink, the indoor bar at the Hilton Salalah Hotel hosts DJs on Thursdays and Fridays between 11.30pm and 2am. There's an…
Downtown Dubai
At the top of the Taj, this luxe lair treats guests to cracking views of the Burj Khalifa, top-shelf drinks and an outdoor living room setting with potted…
Downtown Dubai
Been-around-forever Fibbers is an amiably scruffy morning-to-night Irish pub with Guinness and Kilkenny on tap, all-day breakfasts (including the…
Dubai
This sprawling multistorey venue has a woodsy interior with an open kitchen, but it's really the three bars with killer views of the Burj Al Arab that…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Home-grown Atelier M delivers a double treat atop the circular Pier 7 building. The lift drops you at the restaurant, which serves respectable French…
Downtown Dubai
If you ever wanted to find out how to milk a camel (and who doesn't?), watch the video on the interactive iPad menu of this pretty cafe while sipping a…
Abu Dhabi
It's pricey, but this organic, cold-pressed-juice chain churns out some seriously tasty bevvies fashioned from all manner of fresh fruits, vegetables and…
Abu Dhabi
Sitting in the cafe part of this establishment, beside the pond in comfortable armchairs, is a pleasant and sociable experience, especially on warm nights…
Dubai
With a minimum spend of Dhs370 for cocktails and afternoon tea running at Dhs590 (Dhs720 for window seating), the tab at Burj Al Arab's Skyview Bar is as…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With a huge marble-topped bar as its centrepiece and a daily happy hour (5pm to 8pm), the New Orleans–inspired Nola is popular with the after-work crowd…
Bur Dubai
This been-here-forever Western expat fave has a '70s-era American roadhouse feel, with a cover band blaring out Top 40 hits and a DJ filling in the breaks…
Abu Dhabi
This pool and beach party, beloved by Abu Dhabi's buffed and toned set, is an all-day affair. Boats leave frequently from the dock near the Khalidiya…
Kuwait City
Run by the Sheraton Kuwait, this plush tea lounge, with chandeliers and dark wooden panelling, could be straight out of a stately manor house. The English…
Mecca
The trendy baristas of the Western hemisphere have arrived in Mecca, and Abak, with its quirky branding and hipster interior, is leading the way. Popular…
Kuwait City
Inside the Sultan Center in Sharq Marina mall, Bluezone is run by a Kuwaiti health coach named Khalidah Alessa. Her fresh cold-pressed juices and…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This UK import features private karaoke pods where groups of six to 25 people can belt out tunes from a huge playlist without (much) fear of embarrassment…
Abu Dhabi
Have a beer (Dhs34 to Dhs40) or wine (glass from Dhs35) with high-rises as your neighbours at this bar on the roof of the World Trade Center; entry is…
Doha
The spectacular bar on the 27th floor of the Mondrian Doha has stunning views out onto the artificial waterways and buzzing highways in the distance. Like…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
With metal-plated stools, palette tables and oversized artwork in a warehouse-style setting, this place works hard to channel New York but still manages…
Dubai
This Ibiza-style beachside 'meet' market is one of Dubai's top day-to-night dance clubs and worth the trek out of town at weekends, especially when big…
Sur
This modern coffeeshop, in front of the trendsetting Zaki Hotel Apartments, is attractively decked out with homely tables and chairs and specialises in…
