Steak, pizza or pasta? Here are eight of Downtown Dubai’s best Italian restaurants, no matter your mood.
In Italy, they say, chi mangia bene, vive bene — those who eat well, live well. In Downtown Dubai, Italian restaurants take this sentiment to heart. From Michelin-starred destinations in the Burj Khalifa to trattoria-style cafés tucked inside Dubai Mall, this part of the city serves Italian dining in every form: polished, playful, and sometimes with a side of shisha. Whether you're in the mood for an indulgent Bistecca alla Fiorentina by candlelight or a warm rigatoni between errands, these are the spots that deliver. Some dazzle, others comfort, but all are authentic.
Armani Ristorante
Set within the Burj Khalifa, Armani Ristorante takes Italian dining to new heights. This Downtown Dubai restaurant has one Michelin star and delivers a menu that is both technically masterful and emotionally resonant, leaning into Northern Italian flavours. Rare, high-quality ingredients are the foundation, from 25-year aged balsamic to well-marbled M5 Wagyu tenderloin cuts. Inside, the interiors mirror the aesthetic precision of its designer namesake, with muted tones, vaulted ceilings and warm recessed lighting. The terrace offers front-row seats to the Dubai Fountain — best enjoyed with a rare Italian vintage, handpicked by one of Armani’s seasoned sommeliers.
Cipriani Dolci
A nod to Italy’s gilded age, Cipriani Dolci takes cues from the original Harry’s Bar in Venice — the birthplace of the Bellini and Carpaccio. Located on the ground floor of Dubai Mall, this café-style outpost is ideal for a light Italian lunch or an elevated mid-shopping coffee break (dark-roasted Lavazza, no less). Here, you’ll find Italian simplicity at its best, with perfectly executed tramezzini, virgin Bellinis, and the legendary Carpaccio “alla Cipriani”. White-jacket service defines the experience, set against a backdrop of glossy wood finishes and tanned leather seating. This Downtown Italian eatery feels both transportive and timeless, even in the heart of Dubai’s largest (and busiest) mall.
DUOMO Dubai
With its soaring cathedral-style ceiling and ever-shifting digital art projections, DUOMO Dubai brings a contemporary, forward-thinking take on Italian dining. The menu leans into bold southern flavours with creative presentation — think freshly-made burrata, red prawn crudo, lobster linguine, and truffle-topped risottos. To drink, expect a well-curated wine list focused on Italian labels, along with a standout selection of classic cocktails.
What sets DUOMO apart is its interiors. A magnificent white chandelier anchors the dining space, while dramatic visuals wash the 15-metre ceiling in shifting colour and art. The restaurant comes alive after dark, with candlelit tables and the Burj Khalifa gleaming just beyond the window. Whether you’re planning a special date night or hoping to impress visitors, this restaurant leaves a lasting impression. Come for dinner, stay for drinks, and don’t skip the tiramisu.
Scalini Cucina
Unlike the high-gloss, fine-dining venues nearby, Scalini Cucina brings something quieter and more familiar to Downtown Dubai: a casual, colourful Italian eatery that feels closer to an authentic neighbourhood trattoria than a destination restaurant. Located in Dubai Mall, the interiors are bright and breezy, with striped terrazzo floors, citrus trees, and deep blue-and-white accents paying homage to Italy’s southern coast. The menu keeps to elevated classics: creamy burrata with datterini tomatoes, handmade pastas in light seasonal sauces, and wood-fired pizzas with blistered crusts. Coffee is crafted molto bene, with creative, locally-inspired pistachio infusions.
Scalini Cucina is a smaller, more playful offshoot of the original Scalini in Chelsea, bringing the same commitment to quality — just with looser sleeves and a lighter touch.
PUBLIC
Creative and convivial, Dubai Mall’s PUBLIC has a small but confident Italian menu. It’s unfussy and food-forward with industrial interiors and mismatched seating: a little bit New York by way of Rome. Menu highlights include zesty calamari and spicy rigatoni, sitting alongside more American-Italian crowd-pleasers like buffalo chicken pizza and curly corn. For dessert, the tiramisu and house-made dulce de leche are well-crafted classics, with a robust espresso doppio to close. Set near the foot of the Burj Khalifa, PUBLIC adapts to whatever version of the day you’re having — whether it’s a mid-shopping lunch or an all-out celebration dinner.
OPSO Dubai
OPSO Dubai is where the Far East meets the Italian coast. This Downtown Dubai restaurant isn’t your typical Italian, and that’s exactly the point. Set in Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue, this sleek, design-led eatery creatively blends Italian favourites with Japanese influences in a way that works unexpectedly well. Here, you’ll find tuna caviar pizzas, umami-rich mushroom tagliatelle, and freshly-rolled sushi — all plated with artistic flair. Even the drinks reflect the East-meets-West sensibility, with limoncello spritz, organic teas, and yuzu cocktails.
The setting in OPSO is moody but zen, with burnt orange seating and leafy palm plants softening clean lines. Character is baked into the details here — from the playlists to the ceramics and cutlery. Beyond the dining room, this is one of the only Italian restaurants in Downtown with a shisha terrace.
EATALY
Eataly isn’t about scene or spectacle — it’s for people who genuinely love authentic Italian food. Equal parts market, café, and casual restaurant, this Dubai Mall staple is where you come for a plate of pasta and leave with a wedge of aged Parmigiano, a bottle of olive oil, and maybe a fresh focaccia for later. The menu doesn’t try too hard to impress (though it does), and that’s the pull. Think rigatoni al pomodoro, crisp Roman-style pizza, and seasonal salads tossed with olive oil you can buy off the shelf. Eataly’s weekend tasting sessions are a highlight, and the restaurant offers cooking classes for children, too. After your meal, the next stop is the dessert counter for a scoop of gelato or a well-pulled espresso — both simple but seriously good.
BASTA!
For some, carb-heavy pastas and light salads simply won’t do. BASTA! at St. Regis Downtown isn’t your light, lemony Italian — it’s a Florentine-style steakhouse and pizzeria that brings the meatier side of Mediterranean dining to life. The centrepiece of the menu is the Bistecca alla Fiorentina: a thick, one-kilogram cut of grain-fed T-bone, grilled over open flame. Around it, you’ll find crisp rocket salads, rich pastas, and sides like rosemary potatoes and charred broccolini. The wine list goes deep on bold Italian reds, balanced by a refreshing spritz menu featuring favourites like the amaretto-infused Mandorla Frizzante. Set beside the canal, the mood is low-lit and ambient, with exposed brick, dark leather booths, and a pace that favours long dinners.
