Privilee Member and mum of three, Cindy, knows how important it is to be able to enjoy food altogether as a family. Here’s her round-up of top spots across Dubai and Abu Dhabi for dining with kids, from lunches with little kids and dinners to treat your teens, to ideal hangouts for parents looking for a great meal and a chilled-out drink (or two), knowing their little ones will be entertained and catered for.
The Green Room, The Els Country Club Dubai
The Green Room is a family favourite of ours and is an excellent location for those who live in Sports City and the surrounding areas. It’s a fab spot for breakfast as kids can pop over to the playground or run through the water fountains to cool down, before jumping into the pool for the rest of the day. You can eat poolside if you prefer, which is lovely, and they have a tasty selection of options for kids - mine love the pancakes!
Inside there is an arcade room for older kids (and adults!) – tokens are chargeable at AED 10 per game - this is great if you’re popping in for lunch or dinner and want to ensure the little ones don’t get bored at the table! Every Friday evening they do a ‘dive-in cinema’ at the pool, which includes unlimited popcorn with food and drinks for just AED 150 for adults and AED 80 for kids. The perfect end to the week and start to the weekend!
On the topic of weekends, the Roast Dinner at The Green Room is awesome. For AED 140 you get a roast with your choice of meat and two drinks, and for kids it’s AED 70 - paired with your 15% Privilee discount it’s a no-brainer.
Splendour Fields, The Park JLT
Conveniently next to JLT Park and the main shaded playground, Splendour Fields is super kid-friendly (and pet-friendly, so the whole gang can join the fun!). We were so happy to discover we save 15% on the total bill with Privilee, for Members and up to three guests! Some of our favourite things to order are the Ricotta Hotcakes, Mushroom and Truffle Benedict, and Smashed Avo on Toast. Splendour Fields also has its own cute little deli and mini grocery store - this will be amazing to pick up treats and take with you for a picnic in the park when it’s cooler, and just to take home with you and snack on!
Don’t forget to bring a ball to kick around afterwards in the park, as well as scooters so the little ones can explore the neighbourhood!
Gastro Kitchen, Doubletree by Hilton Jumeirah Beach Residence
Gastro Kitchen is Doubletree by Hilton in JBR’s family restaurant, with lots of indoor and outdoor seating, (outdoor is shaded for most of the day, so very nice if you go for an early breakfast). We have tried their breakfast buffet many times, there’s even a bubbly option available if you feel like starting your day with some bubbles or are celebrating something special! Members save 30% on dining here.
In addition to DoubleTree by Hilton JBR, there are several Privilee spots close by along JBR. Plan a fun-filled day at all of them with the help of this guide!
Jones the Grocer, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
Jones the Grocer has always been a hit with families, due to the wide variety of delicious menu choices, relaxed atmosphere, and their friendly teams. Its location on Palm West Beach is brilliant – with the boardwalk on one side and the sand on the other.
We love going early in the morning (they open at 7.30am!) for a nice cup of coffee and pastry, with 20% off with Privilee, hooray! My little ones always enjoy scooting up and down the boardwalk when we visit or playing on the sand, and they’re always within eyesight which makes it very convenient.
There is also a water fountain right next to Jones The Grocer, should the little ones wish to cool off, and you also have the enormous main pool and shaded kids’ pool at Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah to dive into after you’ve eaten.
Have you spent a day here with Privilee yet? If not, you need to Privilee at one of Palm Jumeirah’s best family-friendly destinations.
Common Grounds, Nakheel Mall
Common Grounds is one of my absolute favourite spots for coffee, catch-ups and light meals. Their location in Nakheel Mall is top-tier! Obviously, the location makes it super convenient, as it’s inside a mall, but they also have a play area here so the kids can let off some steam in between us shopping, whilst I get a short break! They can entertain themselves with giant Connect Four and other games, toys, arts and crafts, plus meet new friends. Meanwhile, I get my caffeine fix and a snack (the cookies always go down well), or we can all have lunch together - the salads are always so fresh and very filling. The menu is huge, and you get 15% off with Privilee.
The World Eatery, Sofitel Dubai Palm Jumeirah
If you and the kids fancy tucking into freshly made margarita or pepperoni pizza after a dip in Sofitel’s family pool (the one with the waterfall), order from The World Eatery. You can eat by the pool on the sunbeds or pop into the restaurant which is close by - with a 30% discount on food and drinks on weekdays, and 20% off on weekends.
Every Saturday The World Eatery hosts a family brunch with face painting, arts and crafts, plus a magician that comes to the table with lots of cool card tricks. You can make your own mini burgers (the kids loved this), and also treat yourself to nachos, sushi and lots more, including vegetarian options. The activities and laid-back atmosphere is perfect for brunching with little ones! Find out more about the Sunday Family Fiesta Brunch at The World Eatery here.
Crescendo, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
Crescendo is Anantara’s all-day dining venue, located right next to its main pool, with lots of shaded outdoor seating alongside its indoor area. We have done breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets here on different occasions – always choosing the tables right next to their indoor play corner. It’s so convenient as the little ones can pop in to play after they have finished their food, and we can stay for a few drinks or just finish eating. There’s a mini kitchen, lots of toys, and a big screen that usually plays cartoons. The main thing is that there is space for them to run around within the play corner, so they have lots of fun whilst you enjoy your meal!
Villamore, Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah
Take the kids to Villamore at Kempinski Hotel Palm Jumeirah one afternoon. The little ones can play in the sand, or swing about in the swings while you sip on cocktails on their outdoor terrace (with a 20% saving with Privilee). During the cooler months, they even have a bouncy castle set up on the grass close by - as you can imagine, this provides endless entertainment for the kids!
They have a daily happy hour – or as they call it ‘Villamore’s Golden Hour’ from 4pm - 7pm, which is a gorgeous way to watch the sunset as you get views of the Dubai Marina skyline from here.
Find out ‘Why Kempinski Hotel and Residences Palm Jumeirah is the perfect family day out.’
LIV, W Dubai The Palm
LIV is very conveniently located close to W Dubai The Palm’s Kids’ Club – which means you can drop them off if you would like some quiet time while you dine (25% off with Privilee), then collect them to join you afterwards. If you pick a spot to dine outside, you can almost see them as they climb up to the top of the slides in the Kid’s Club!
Every Sunday, they run a family brunch with face painting and a really charming magician that comes to the table to do tricks. This is a nice one to do with family friends who do not have Privilee as it comes with pool and beach access as well - so you can really make a day of it altogether. Privilee Members can join this brunch with 20% off and pay just AED 319.
Central, Yas Bay Abu Dhabi
We visited Central when we were in Abu Dhabi with friends recently and had such a great time. Not only is it really relaxed and friendly, but there are also bowling and arcade games to keep everyone entertained! The menu features American classics, and they’re known for their burgers, which I would definitely recommend trying. My husband had the Crispy Chicken Burger and said it was one of the best he has ever tasted! For kids, there are fish fingers, burgers, pizza and pasta on the kids' menu, or you could share a selection from the main menu like we did which they thoroughly enjoyed. I think this would also be a great spot to host a kids' party!
Ingredients, Anantara Eastern Mangroves
I thoroughly recommend starting a daycay at Anantara Eastern Mangroves at Ingredients! The buffet breakfast is epic and will definitely set you up for the day, plus if you drive there from Dubai like us, you will want a hearty breakfast after the drive!
The restaurant itself is very laid back, and a buffet style with live cooking stations. You can get pretty much anything you want! Fresh eggs, lots of different meats, pastries, cereals, juices and smoothies - all sorts. It’s also nice that it’s close to the pool so you can pop in and out if you’re going for lunch or a late breakfast. Members and up to three guests save 20% on dining here.
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