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Dining At Dinner By Heston Blumenthal In Dubai: A Michelin-Star Time-Travel On A Plate

Meat Fruit, nitrogen clouds, and recipes from 14th-century Britain—the dining experience is thoughtful, theatrical and thoroughly Heston Blumenthal.

| Isha Mayer
Heston Blumenthal

I’ve long dreamt of tasting the legendary chef Heston Blumenthal OBE’s culinary illusions. The three-Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck in Berkshire, England, is still on my bucket list, but a recent trip to Dubai brought me close. I dined at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, tucked inside the swanky hotel, Atlantis The Royal. Part of the impressive line-up of 17 celebrity chef-led and fine dining restaurants and bars that the hotel boasts, Dinner serves contemporary dishes inspired by historic British recipes dating back to the 1300s. 

Setting The Scene

A dedicated glass lift whisks diners to a discreet entrance on level two, where an automatic door slides open into a low-lit, almost theatrical dining room. The vibe is dark, moody, and intriguing—there’s something almost theatrical about it.

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The mechanical pineapple-shaped clock captures my attention instantly. Located in the room’s centre, it comes to life every half hour to rotate the roasted pineapples – used for the restaurant's signature dish, Tipsy Cake – cooking on the spit in the open kitchen. It's quirky, fascinating, and very on-brand for Bluemnthal.

I was delighted to find our table was set facing the terrace, with sweeping views of the hotel’s dancing fountains and Dubai skyline. There’s also a private dining room that seats up to 12, ideal for special occasions or an intimate celebration.

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Choose Your Adventure

After settling in, our server briefs us about the restaurant’s concept and asks us to choose one out of three cards: The Guide, Adventurer, and Maverick. Each represents how much (or how little) information you wish to receive about the dishes, a rather thoughtful detail that allows each diner to tailor their experience as per their preference. As my friend and I wanted to know everything in detail, it was the Maverick for us! 

The Dinner At Dinner

While you can choose the a la carte option, we opted for the six-course tasting menu as that includes most of Blumenthal’s signatures. Chris Malone currently helms the kitchen at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. 

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Our meal began with a side of drama. A server greeted our table with a trolley swirling with liquid nitrogen, prompting me to instantly lift my phone to film. He smiled, “I’m just waiting for you to start recording,” he joked. “It is,” I said. “Ah, great! Then, hello followers,” he quipped before proceeding to create our frozen green tea and lime palate cleansers, using liquid nitrogen at -189°C and served cold. It was fresh, zippy and woke up my senses. The meal had officially begun. 

The very first course begins with two bite-sized dishes, including the one I was looking forward to the most—the iconic Meat Fruit. Designed to look exactly like a mandarin, it’s actually a silky chicken liver parfait encased in citrusy mandarin jelly, served on a brioche toast. It’s clever, beautiful, and unexpectedly delicious—even for someone like me who usually isn’t big on liver. Alongside it was a Venison Tart topped with freshly grated smoked chestnut, an earthy, decadent bite that paired beautifully with the first.

Next up: the Earl Grey Tea Smoked Salmon, a recipe inspired by one from 1730. Here, the salmon is infused with Earl Grey tea, gently sweetened with bergamot and sugar, and served with lemon salad and a finishing touch of Earl Grey smoke. Delicate and fragrant, it was a standout. Then came Rice & Flesh (dating back to a medieval 1390 recipe), a rich, comforting dish of saffron-infused rice topped with tender beef cheek cooked in red wine. Its warm, buttery goodness hit all the right notes. 

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Our next dish, Turbot Véronique (circa 2005), offered something lighter. This modern take on Escoffier’s 1903 classic paired turbot with muscat grapes, mussels, and a parsley sauce. It was delicate yet flavourful, embodying the lively essence of champagne. The last savoury course was King’s Venison (inspired by a 1995 recipe), served with pickled beetroot and more of that wonderfully aromatic smoked chestnut. Each element on the plate tied together beautifully—earthy, gamey, balanced by sharp and tangy notes.

And the final dish of the night was a dessert whose name reminded me of home. Alphonso Mango (circa 2001), with lychee, beetroot and pepper, was created for the Berkshire restaurant and brought the essence of that three-star experience right to Dubai. In that moment, I realised—I may not have dined at The Fat Duck yet, but I’d certainly tasted a piece of it.

While the tasting menu gives you a well-rounded glimpse of the Heston universe, the à la carte menu has even more gems. Dishes like Tipsy Cake (circa 1858), Salamugundy (circa 1723), Chicken Cooked with Lettuces (circa 1672), Beef Royale (circa 1821), and the Nitrogen Ice Cream Trolley (circa 1901) are must-tries if you’re building your own experience.

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ELLE Gourmet’s Verdict

Dining at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is more than just a meal—it’s a deep dive into culinary history, presented with modern finesse and a sense of fun by a warm and friendly staff. From the storytelling to the sensory theatrics, the experience is inventive without being gimmicky, refined without being too rigid, and above all, memorable. If you’re in Dubai and looking for a special night out that’s equal parts food and experience, this one deserves a spot on your list.

Service: 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Sunday Roast: Every Sunday, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Price for tasting menu: AED 980 (₹22,840) per person; Wine pairing – The Adventurer, AED 850 (₹19,810) additional per person, and The Maverick, AED 1550 (₹36,124) additional per person.  

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