Athar, an all-day Emirati restaurant in Dubai from The Q Lab, has opened at Chef’s Society in City Centre Mirdif. It is in soft-launch mode for now: no grand-opening date has been announced, and prices run roughly Dh50–Dh100 per person.
An Emirati restaurant in Dubai, built around the majlis
The name is the Arabic word for “imprint”, and the concept leans on that idea. Athar draws from the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and from the spaces of traditional Emirati life — the family table, the majlis, and the dekka, the bench that once sat outside neighbourhood homes so that people had somewhere to gather.
What’s on the menu at Athar?
The menu is split between celebration food and everyday recipes. Lamb majboos and chicken madrooba sit alongside premium burgers, sandwiches and a steak sandwich, which keeps the room workable for groups where not everyone wants a heritage meal. Desserts include date pudding and um Ali.
Coffee is treated as the main event rather than the afterthought. Emirati coffee has long been the greeting in UAE hospitality, and Athar puts Arabic coffee traditions inside a contemporary café frame — filter, espresso and iced drinks share the counter with the traditional pot. The iced matcha is there for anyone who prefers their caffeine cold.
Athar is one of four concepts that opened Chef’s Society, Majid Al Futtaim’s chef-led dining destination at the mall, alongside Bait Maryam, Bonci and REIF Japanese Kushiyaki. More restaurants are expected before the full rollout later this year. The decor picks up the theme: traditional Emirati architecture elements, and the same values of community and hospitality that Sheikh Zayed’s legacy is remembered for. It is part of a wider stretch of new openings at the mall, which is also getting a SOCO bowling and arcade venue.
For now, the practical details are the ones that matter. Athar is at Chef’s Society, City Centre Mirdif, serving all day. Expect to spend between Dh50 and Dh100 a head, per The Dubai Atlas. The full opening date has not been announced; the soft launch is the early look, as Caterer Middle East reported.
Who is behind Athar restaurant in Dubai?
Athar is by The Q Lab, with chef Nabhan Al Ali leading the concept. It operates as an all-day Emirati restaurant and specialty coffee bar at Chef’s Society, City Centre Mirdif.
Where is Athar in Dubai?
Athar is inside Chef’s Society at City Centre Mirdif, the mall’s new chef-led dining destination. It is one of four opening concepts there, alongside Bait Maryam, Bonci and REIF Japanese Kushiyaki.
How much does Athar cost?
Expect around Dh50–Dh100 per person. Athar is in soft launch, so prices may shift before the full opening, which has no announced date.
