{
  "id": 6420390,
  "title": "Themed Dubai restaurants where the design is as much the draw as the food",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/themed-dubai-restaurants-where-the-design-is-as-much-the-draw-as-the",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-09T11:16:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/things-to-do/cafes-restaurants/themed-dubai-restaurants-where-the-design-is-as-much-the-draw-as-the-food-1.500660711"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai's themed restaurants offer immersive dining experiences where the design and decor are just as important as the food. Some of these venues have intricately detailed concepts while others embrace silliness.\n\nOne such restaurant, Zenon in Downtown Dubai, is inspired by Greek mythology and features elaborate LED screens displaying holographic Greek figures. The food here is a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, with DJs performing until 3am after dinner. Another themed eatery is Amelia in Downtown Dubai, which takes inspiration from the golden age of aviation with a retro-futuristic steampunk and 1930s Art Deco design. The menu at Amelia is Nikkei, blending Japanese-Peruvian flavors with Mediterranean influences.\n\nHitchki in Deira is unapologetically Bollywood, with menus named after film titles and dialogues. The interiors are vibrant, featuring antique pieces and retro references, while the live singing performances and Bollywood soundtracks add to the show. Amazónico, located in DIFC, transforms the Amazon rainforest into an immersive dining experience with greenery cascading from ceilings and animal-print upholstery. Babylon in DIFC takes a hedonistic approach to ancient Mesopotamian culture, with dark velvet drapes, hanging lanterns, and a theatrical show of singers, dancers, and acrobats.\n\nChillout Ice Lounge, open year-round at minus six degrees Celsius, offers a unique ice-carved dining experience with hot food served in a sub-zero room. Lastly, Trove in The Dubai Mall is an art-focused restaurant that collaborates with contemporary artists, featuring distinct rooms decorated by different designers. The menu at Trove is as innovative as its design, with contemporary dishes inspired by collaborations with various artists.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Dubai has never been shy about theming a restaurant. What separates the ones worth your evening from the ones that are just a wall of fake flowers is whether the concept goes past the entrance. These do. Some are genuinely elaborate pieces of design work by internationally known studios. Others are gleefully silly. One of them is kept at minus six degrees. Here's what each is actually like…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}