Gymkhana, the two-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant from London, will open in Dubai on Tuesday 1 September at Gate Village, Building 7, DIFC. It is the group’s first UAE location and, by some distance, the most anticipated restaurant arrival of the Dubai season — DIFC confirmed the launch in July.
From Mayfair to Gate Village
Gymkhana opened on Albemarle Street in Mayfair in 2013, took its first Michelin star within nine months and added a second in 2024. It is owned by JKS Restaurants, the group run by siblings Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi, whose London stable also includes Trishna, Hoppers and Brigadiers. The Dubai outpost follows Riyadh in 2023 and Las Vegas in December 2025, and lands the brand in a district that has quietly become a dining destination in its own right.
The name comes from the elite social and sporting clubs of colonial India, and the interiors lean into that heritage rather than running from it: rich timber panelling, brass detailing, and the house palette of juniper green, red and cream. The room seats 137 across two levels, with two ground-floor dining areas under lantern lighting and patterned ceilings, and a lower level with mirrored ceilings, chandeliers and a peacock bar that will do a brisk trade in photographs whether or not it does one in cocktails. It joins a Gate Village line-up that already includes Royal China, and arrives in a city whose dining scene has been busy — Neo-Temaki brought its handroll bar to JW Marriott Marquis last month, and the summer calendar has been full enough to need a guide.
The menu
Expect the London signatures — aloo chaat, tandoori masala lamb chops, kid goat methi keema and chicken butter masala — divided between chaat-style sharing plates, tandoori specialities, curries and biryanis, alongside dishes created for Dubai only. Pavan Pardasani, global CEO of JKS, frames the launch in the group’s usual register:
“Dubai has established itself as one of the world’s leading culinary destinations, making it a natural home for Gymkhana’s next chapter.”
Saleh Al Akrabi, chief real estate officer of DIFC Investments, called Gate Village “the perfect stage” for the restaurant’s “celebrated two Michelin-starred dining experience” — the kind of sentence that usually appears in a press release and then has to be earned nightly.
Practical details
The restaurant sits a three-minute walk from the Financial Centre Metro Station, which is convenient because the first rule of eating well in DIFC is not driving. There is ticketless parking and Salik access for those who insist.
Reservations are not yet open, but JKS has set up a priority-access list through SevenRooms, and private dining enquiries are being taken. Prices have not been published — we will update this piece when the Dubai menu prices land, and the London flagship is not a cheap meal, so budget accordingly.
When does Gymkhana open in Dubai?
Tuesday 1 September 2026, at Gate Village, Building 7, DIFC.
How many Michelin stars does Gymkhana have?
Two. The London flagship earned its first within nine months of opening in 2013 and its second in 2024.
How do I book Gymkhana Dubai?
Reservations open closer to the date. A priority-access list is live via SevenRooms, and private dining enquiries can be submitted through JKS.
What kind of food does Gymkhana serve?
Classic Indian cooking — chaat, tandoori specialities, curries and biryanis — with the London signature dishes joined by Dubai-exclusive creations.
Where else does Gymkhana have restaurants?
London (Mayfair), Riyadh and Las Vegas. Dubai is the fourth location and its first in the UAE.
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