Christmas and New Year on Dubai Harbour: four tables we have picked

Our December diary has a Dubai Harbour page now. Four of the marina’s restaurants, Sutēki, Iris Harbour, Son of a Fish and Bar du Port, have set out their festive and New Year plans, from a Christmas Eve DJ set over A5 wagyu to an Alpine chalet with fondue on the waterfront. Here is where we plan to be, and what each one is putting on the table.

Sutēki: wagyu, oysters and a night in Ginza

Sutēki’s deep red room is where we want to spend Christmas Eve. The set menu, AED 550 per person, opens with Japanese oysters and Oscietra caviar and moves on to marbled A5 wagyu, served from 6pm while DJ Ksenii plays electro funk and pop. Wine pairing is AED 290, or AED 450 for the premium pairing. On Christmas Day the same AED 550 menu runs as a long lunch from 1.30pm to 6pm with DJ CN Williams, and on 26 December the Boxing Day Tokyo Brunch runs from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at AED 395 soft or AED 495 house.

New Year’s Eve is the big one. Midnight in Ginza is a 12 course menu that includes bluefin toro tartare on toasted Japanese brioche, wagyu gyoza with shiitake and miso dashi, and donabe rice finished with freshly shaved Alba white truffle, with a roaming singer between the tables and a DJ after the countdown. It is AED 990 per person, or AED 1,490 with wine or whisky pairing, across two seatings, 6pm to 9pm and from 9pm.

Iris Harbour: king crab, truffle poularde and fireworks

Iris Harbour does Christmas as a crowd. The Christmas Brunch on Saturday 19 December runs from 1pm to 5pm, from AED 395, and a festive Ladies’ Night follows on 23 December from 7pm to 1am at AED 210. For Christmas Eve, from 6pm to midnight, and Christmas Day lunch, from 1pm to 6pm, the menu opens with warm oysters under Oscietra caviar, followed by robata grilled king crab with yuzu kosho and chipotle butter and a whole roasted truffle poularde carved at the table. Caramelised panettone with warm vanilla sauce closes it. Both are AED 395 with food and soft drinks or AED 495 with free flowing drinks, with a Champagne package at AED 595 on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, Santa does the rounds with prosecco, a violinist plays and the DJ carries on late.

On New Year’s Eve, doors open at 5pm with a first seating until 8pm, then reservations from 8pm on the à la carte menu. DJ Ksenii plays from 8pm, violinist Andre Soueid takes over at 12.30am, and DJ Ksenii returns until close. With the fireworks over the marina, this is the terrace we want to be on at midnight.

Son of a Fish: a Greek Christmas

Son of a Fish is the warmest idea of the four, a Christmas built like a Greek family table. The festive specials run from 24 to 30 December, all day, priced individually: roast lamb with Greek herbs, stuffed roast chicken and a winter truffle tagliatelle. Live trumpet and bouzouki fill the room, and the Son of a Brunch Festive Edition on 19 December runs from 12.30pm to 4.30pm, from AED 320.

Christmas Eve has a family seating from 6pm to 8pm, then an AED 400 minimum spend from 8pm. Christmas Day lunch starts at noon, à la carte or AED 400 per person for a festive set menu for groups of eight or more.

New Year’s Eve follows the Athens bouzoukia tradition, with musicians moving through the room, live vocals from Nikki, flowers thrown at midnight and an illuminated dance floor. Minimum spends run from AED 500 at the bar to AED 1,500 for front row terrace tables, across seatings at 6pm and 8pm. And on 1 January 2027, the New Year’s Day Champagne Brunch from 12.30pm to 4.30pm (from AED 320, Champagne package AED 790) cuts the Vasilopita cake. Three guests who find the hidden coin each win a brunch package. We intend to be at that table.

Bar du Port: a chalet on the harbour

For the whole of December, Bar du Port becomes Bar du Port Chalet, with lanterns, cheese fondue and Merlot on the waterfront at AED 290, for a minimum of two guests. The Noël Edition of Brunch de Folie on 20 December, 2pm to 6pm, serves foie gras, truffle croque monsieur and mini beef Wellington before stuffed turkey and chargrilled ribeye, with packages at AED 290, AED 360, AED 490 and AED 690. Ladies’ Night on 23 December pours Veuve Clicquot at AED 65 a glass, the Christmas Brunch on 26 December (1pm to 5pm) runs from AED 350 to AED 850, and on Sunday 27 December, Dimanche au Port brings raclette and mulled wine from 1pm to 4pm at AED 295.

The New Year starts a night early with the Minus 1 Party on 30 December, 6pm to 10pm, with a Ladies’ Night package from AED 230. Midnight at the Chalet on 31 December is a set menu from AED 1,250, from 8pm, with lobster and caviar brioche and truffle wagyu tartare among the dishes. Then Bonjour 2027 on 1 January, 4pm to 8pm, brings everyone back for the first sunset of the year with Veuve Clicquot at AED 65 a glass.

Who is behind it

All four belong to AlphaMind, the hospitality group formed by Addmind Hospitality and ADMO Lifestyle Holding, whose portfolio also includes CLAP, KIRA, LITT and Raspoutine. Christmas set menus at Sutēki and Iris Harbour need advance booking for a minimum of two guests, and à la carte remains available.

The details

• Sutēki: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day set menu AED 550. Boxing Day Tokyo Brunch from AED 395. Midnight in Ginza, 31 December, AED 990 or AED 1,490 with pairing. sutekidubai.com, @sutekidubai
• Iris Harbour: Christmas Brunch 19 December from AED 395. Christmas Eve and Day from AED 395. New Year’s Eve à la carte. irisharbour.com, @irisharbour
• Son of a Fish: Festive specials 24 to 30 December. Christmas Day set menu AED 400 (groups of eight or more). New Year’s Day Champagne Brunch from AED 320. @sonofafish
• Bar du Port: Bar du Port Chalet all December, AED 290, minimum two guests. Midnight at the Chalet from AED 1,250. @barduportdubai
• Where: Dubai Harbour, Dubai

Imagery courtesy of AlphaMind.