Jumeirah Lakes Towers

Set around three large lakes and one area of parkland, JLT’s buildings hold a mix of offices, apartments and hotels, with shops, restaurants, cafes and other outlets at the base of nearly every tower. The area is divided into 26 clusters, so you’ll often see addresses or directions including “Cluster Q” for example.

While JLT can’t compete with other areas on exciting attractions, it has a well-earned reputation as one of Dubai’s best dining spots. But instead of super-high-end restaurants, in JLT you’ll more often find independent, family-run outlets, offering a vast range of cuisines from around the world – see below for some of the area’s best eateries.

After you’ve enjoyed a delicious delicacy or two, you might appreciate a gentle stroll, and this is something JLT is ideal for. Thanks to its extensive park and signature lakes, each of which is surrounded by a broad pedestrian walkway, JLT is one of Dubai’s most enjoyably walkable districts when the weather is pleasant, with plenty of places to stop and rest while you admire the area’s architecture.

The area’s park is used for community events, including outdoor film screenings, markets, fitness activities and more – see what’s on when you’ll be visiting. And if you need to do some work while you’re here, the district is also home to some great coworking spaces – along with all sorts of interesting businesses, from diamond traders and Damas Jewellery to the DMCC Gaming Centre.

Feast authentically at JLT’s restaurants

JLT dining is some of Dubai’s best, with plenty of independent eateries.

With plenty of good-value space on offer as buildings opened, the then-new area of JLT quickly became popular with independent restaurants and cafes – which then became popular with residents of the area and beyond. This continues today, with JLT boasting dozens of great eateries, offering a huge range of delicious cuisines.

Bait Maryam is a fantastic example of this: serving unpretentious Middle Eastern dishes, in 2023 the restaurant bagged Michelin’s Bib Gourmand award, recognising great-value dining. In addition its chef and owner, Salam Dakkar, has been ranked MENA’s best female chef for 2023 by World’s 50 Best.

Another JLT institution is Café Isan, renowned for its fabulous, highly authentic and great-value Thai food from Chef New, a former farmer from Isan in Thailand who brought her culinary knowledge to Dubai. And for a similarly authentic Greek experience, head to Mythos Kouzina & Grill, where everything from the décor and crockery to the delicious food is rooted in Hellenic culture.

If you’re after a more upmarket experience, head to Canary Club in JLT’s Banyan Tree Residences – especially its rooftop lounge. The venue’s chic and stylish design aims to evoke the USA’s West Coast, as does its food: a combination of Californian dishes and Asian influences.

Heading further south for influence, Fusion Ceviche is a homegrown Dubai restaurant offering authentic Peruvian food from chef Penelope Diaz. And you can also find fantastic Mexican food at Maiz Tacos in JLT (with a bonus venue in the form of Good Burger at the same spot).

JLT also sees plenty of new restaurants opening up: as of December 2023, Hawkerboi and San Wan Hand Pulled Noodles are two recent additions to the area. Both are true to their names, with Hawkerboi offering a taste of Asia’s street-hawker food culture, and San Wan delivering some of the finest Chinese noodle dishes in Dubai.

Map of JLT

Explore Jumeirah Lakes Towers with our interactive map.