Lebanese food chain popular throughout the UAE

Authentic Indian food with entertaining surroundings

Contemporary twist on authentic Indian cooking

The spelling isn’t too far off the mark, and neither is the food, but something is amiss at Kwality

Award-winning Italian restaurant in the Emirates Palace

This is capable Indian food, served in pleasant surroundings of dark woods and traditional Indian art

This is a decent budget restaurant that serves good Keralan food

Nihal stands out because compared to its brightly lit neighbours, it looks positively quaint

Raj Palace is a gaudily over-the-top spot with a life-sized replica of a Keralan house boat and elephants

From the outside, Royal Vegetarian isn’t much to look at

Not many restaurants in the UAE manage to create a low-key atmosphere, but Tanjore does surprisingly well

Excellent Indian food at the Qaryat Al Beri Souk

Lebanese restaurants usually do pretty well in Abu Dhabi, largely due to the fact that, considering the amount of Italian, French, and Thai restaurants in the city, they’re probably the closest thing to traditional food