From ultimate spots to celebrate special occasions to exciting new offerings to indulge in, here are the things to do in the UAE in January 2026
Fairmont The Palm
Mondays get a Brazilian update as Frevo launches Copacabana Nights, a weekly dining and entertainment experience inspired by Rio de Janeiro. Running every Monday from 6pm to 11.30pm, the evening centres on Frevo’s award-winning churrascaria, with tableside carving of premium cuts and a menu priced at AED375, or AED475 for the premium selection featuring 16 cuts, alongside salads, Brazilian sides and caipirinha-inspired beverages. The atmosphere is set to a soundtrack that spans bossa nova to contemporary Brazilian lounge, accompanied by live percussion and a Brazilian dance performance.
Call +9714 457 3457.
25 Jump Street
25 Jump Street officially opens on 16 and 17 January at One Central, next to 25hours Hotel Dubai, bringing a new street-style destination to the city centre. Anchored by 25hours Hotel One Central and Cinema Akil, the pedestrian-friendly space brings together a mix of licensed restaurants, bars and entertainment concepts, including YUBI, Em Sherif Deli, Antika, Junk Smash Burger, Lady Bird, Le Trottoir de Paloma, LucyLu, Pepperoni Comedy Club, Joe & the Juice, Esco-bar and 19SixtyFour. To mark the launch, the street will come alive with live music, roaming performers and street-wide entertainment across the opening weekend and the following week, with performances starting from 8.30pm on Fridays and 8pm on Saturdays.
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Akira Back Dubai
Akira Back Dubai at W Dubai – The Palm will host a one-night dinner on January 15, led by Head Chef Giovanni Ledon alongside Chotaro Horii of historic Japanese tea house Horii Shichimeien and HAIYATEA founder Haiya Tarik. Part of HAIYATEA’s cultural series and marking Horii Shichimeien’s first visit to the Middle East, the menu pairs modern Japanese dishes with fine teas, from gyokuro served in different brews with kinmedai and Hokkaido scallop, to sencha with uni and blood orange, genmaicha-infused sawara, hojicha-paired Wagyu striploin, and a matcha camembert cheesecake, with select teas presented in handcrafted Asahiyaki bowls from Uji.
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SHI
This January, SHI on Bluewaters Island brings back its Claypot Menu, spotlighting a traditional Chinese cooking style rooted in warmth and comfort. Served daily from lunch through dinner, the dishes are slow-cooked in claypots that retain heat and build rich flavours as sauces and aromatics come together. The menu includes Tofu Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce, Buddha’s Delight, Corn-Fed Chicken, Mixed Seafood in Sacha Sauce, and a satisfying Wagyu Beef Claypot, all arriving at the table piping hot.
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INA Dubai
INA Dubai opens the year with a special edition of its Masters of Fire Guest Chef Series, welcoming Danny Africano, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Lignum in County Galway, Ireland. Running on 7 and 8 January from 6.30pm, the collaboration brings a menu shaped by his wood-fired cooking style, closely aligned with INA’s fire-led approach. Founded in 2019, Lignum received its first Michelin star in 2025 and is known for tasting menus that change with the seasons, influenced by Africano’s Italian heritage, rural Irish upbringing and time spent in kitchens across Singapore, New York and Melbourne. Menu highlights include brown crab with pine nut paste and caviar, a black garlic tartlet with aged beef tartare, grilled squid with coriander paste and kombu, and BBQ blue lobster with pumpkin, strega sauce and wood-fired olive oil brioche.
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OPA Dubai
Looking to celebrate Orthodox Christmas with family and friends? OPA Dubai is hosting a Greek Christmas on 7 January. Guests can enjoy winter dishes rooted in Greek tradition, including Aegean crab and apple salad, duck vine leaves, roasted baby goat inspired by Cretan feasts, and classic bougatsa.
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99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant
Celebrate Veganuary at 99 Sushi Bar with the Vegan Golden Bricks Maki, a plant-based take on their iconic Golden Bricks roll. Crispy rice, creamy avocado, fresh tomato, and crisp cucumber combine for a vibrant, indulgent filling, while delicate 24k gold leaves add a luxurious, shimmering finish. This creation brings the signature richness of the original Golden Bricks to vegan guests, making it a must-try plant-based sushi lovers looking to try something new.
AED60. Lunch & Dinner at Dubai and Abu Dhabi branches.
Nobu One Za’abeel
Dubai welcomes a major new addition with the opening of Nobu One Za’abeel in January 2026 at One&Only One Za’abeel. The restaurant serves Nobu’s world-famous Japanese cuisine with a Peruvian twist, featuring dishes like Mediterranean seabass in tomato dashi ponzu, ginger-shiso amadai, and Wagyu beef tenderloin with shiitake millefeuille.
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Subko
Mumbai-born Subko Coffee Roasters & Bakehouse has opened its first UAE location at Alserkal Avenue, offering a immersive café and experience space celebrating specialty coffee, fresh sourdough, croissants, and fine cacao from the Indian Subcontinent. The ground floor, The Craftery, brings the craft to life with visible roasting, chocolate-making, and dough-lamination stations, along with interactive experiences like Batch Your Own Brew, coffee cuppings, cacao tastings, and a VR journey to smallholder farms. Upstairs, Quoz Quarters Café combines whimsical South Asian design with themed spaces highlighting coffee, cacao, flour, and culture, plus a carrom board for family fun.
The MAINE Beach House
The MAINE launches its newest spot, The MAINE Beach House at Vista Mare on the Palm Jumeirah. The beachside destination offers all-day dining with beachfront seating, cabanas, and beach beds, welcoming families, kids, and dogs, plus boat access for guests arriving by sea. Inspired by New England coastal dining, the menu balances fresh seafood, lighter beach plates, handmade pastas, and signature mains such as Lobster Rolls, Crispy Fish Tacos, Sticky Short Ribs, and premium grill cuts.
Call +97152 354 4494.
Marcella
Marcella has opened at Yas Bay, Abu Dhabi, bringing vibrant, Spanish-inspired dining to the capital’s waterfront. The modern bistro features an open kitchen with a wood-fired perilla grill, filling the space with smoky aromas and lively energy. Designed for sharing, the menu offers tapas and plates including slow-cooked lamb ribs, otoro tuna ceviche, seafood frito, and picaña steak rolls, alongside a 30-seat zinc-topped bar serving wines from Spain, Portugal, and Argentina, plus creative beverages.
Call +97156 545 7290.