At Giornotte, the Iftar buffet brings together Middle Eastern and Emirati favourites, Ramadan classics and a wide selection of international dishes, all thoughtfully prepared. Live cooking stations let you watch chefs grill, carve and plate dishes to order, while the gentle sound of the Qanun creates a welcoming atmosphere. You can dine indoors in the villa-inspired dining room or on the garden-facing terrace for an alfresco setting.

Near the buffet entrance, the hotel has also set up a Ramadan market inspired by Istanbul, featuring artisan glassware, ceramics, carpets and curated gifts. A design corner by Atelier Terra Madre showcases handcrafted Ramadan sets and tableware, making their UAE debut.

Highlights

The sprawling buffet at Giornotte features more than 35 stations, including shawarma and falafel, a BBQ grill, salad bar, Arabic and Indian spreads, a pasta station, Asian hot pot, carving station, dessert buffet, cold seafood counter, international cheese and burrata stations, ouzi, Turkish ice cream, luqaimat and a Turkish kunafa station. Needless to say, there is plenty to explore at Iftar.

We opted to sit outdoors, making the most of the pleasant, garden-facing views and comfortable alfresco weather. To start, we headed to the hot pot station to create our bowl, choosing noodles, wontons, and beef cuts in a rich broth, topped with greens, chilli sauce, sesame sauce, nori sticks, fresh chillies and minced garlic. From there, we made our way to the carving station for tender beef tenderloin, followed by the grill for beef steak, shish tawouk and marinated prawns.

The shawarma station is a must-visit, where you can choose your preferred fillings and sauces while the chef prepares it fresh to order. I went for chicken with garlic sauce, pickles and onions. In addition, the Italian station serves homemade pastas tossed inside a giant cheese wheel.

To finish, we made our way to the dessert stations, where the luqaimat are freshly prepared in front of you, served hot and crisp. The kunafa is also made to order, sliced warm and finished with a pour of fragrant sugar syrup that seeps into the layers for that perfect texture.

We ended on a fun note at the Turkish ice cream station, where the vendor puts on an entertaining performance before finally handing over your scoop. Expect the classic back-and-forth theatrics, with the cone flipped, twirled and momentarily whisked away just as you think it is yours.

Book now

Sunset to 10pm. AED360 per adult and AED180 per child (ages 6–11). Contact +9712 818 8203. Visit website.