Rave Dines: ANA, The Dubai Mall
On the first floor of The Dubai Mall, ANA serves contemporary Emirati cooking in a majlis-inspired setting, with the Dubai Fountain just beyond its terrace
by Khadija Husain
27 Oct 2026
Dubai can feed you from almost anywhere in the world within a few hundred metres of the Burj Khalifa. Emirati cooking, though, has long been easier to find at a family table than on a restaurant menu. ANA makes the case for giving it a more prominent place, and from one of the most visible addresses in the country.
The restaurant, from the Mohamed Hilal Group, sits on the first floor of The Dubai Mall by the Waterfall, with a sister branch at Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi. Its name means “I” in Arabic, and its philosophy, “Emirati for Everyone”, puts the emphasis on making local cooking accessible to residents and first-time visitors alike.
The dining room takes its cue from the majlis, the traditional Emirati sitting room where guests are received and conversation is allowed to take its time. Deep beetroot-red upholstery and dark marble tabletops give it the feel of a well-appointed living room, a welcome contrast to the mall outside. The terrace, meanwhile, looks out towards the Dubai Fountain and the Burj Khalifa.
We arrived early on a Wednesday evening and settled in inside, where the welcome was warm without being overbearing, setting an unhurried pace for the meal.
We began with dishes meant for the middle of the table. The hummus is a study in restraint, simply chickpeas and tahini whipped to a silken finish, and all the better for it. The arayes were the livelier opener: flatbreads stuffed with lamb and griddled until crisp and blistered, with a sesame sauce alongside for dipping. Arayes are Levantine rather than Emirati, but they make perfect sense here, a reminder that the Gulf has always been a meeting point of flavours from across the region.
The Machbous Hessa is the centrepiece of the meal, and the dish we would order again. Machbous, a staple of Emirati family gatherings, is rice cooked with warming spices and dried lime. ANA’s version crowns golden machbous rice with slow-cooked lamb that gives way at the touch of a spoon, then finishes it with the kitchen’s signature sauce, cool yoghurt, crisp fried onions and plump golden raisins. Generous, comforting and full of contrasting textures, it is where we would tell anyone new to Emirati cooking to start.
The ANA Kebab is the familiar favourite: two long, juicy skewers laid over soft flatbread, made with cheese, onion and green pepper and served with fries, and seasoned with a confident hand. The Lemon Chicken was the more surprising plate. Grilled skewers sit in a bright lemon-butter sauce with smoked tahina labneh, capers, black olives and sun-dried tomato, finished with paprika and spring onion. Citrus, smoke and briny capers and olives give it real edge.
To drink, the Passion Watermelon, fresh watermelon with passion fruit, was a bright foil to the richer dishes. Dessert was the pecan cookie, built for two and served warm in a cast-iron skillet under vanilla ice cream and pecan caramel. Rich and unapologetically indulgent, it is meant to be shared, which suits the room perfectly.
We ended, fittingly, with qahwa Emirati. The fragrant Arabic coffee has long been the first and last word in Emirati hospitality, and here it ties the meal neatly back to the majlis: a small cup, offered as a welcome and a quiet signal that there is no need to rush.
Final thoughts
ANA neither treats Emirati food as a museum piece nor disguises it. The Machbous Hessa is the clear order, while the Lemon Chicken and the pecan cookie give the menu room to move beyond tradition. Beside one of Dubai’s busiest landmarks, ANA offers a reason to sit down rather than simply pass through, and the name suits it. This is a restaurant with a clear sense of who it is.
The Rave verdict: Emirati comfort food and a majlis welcome, with the Dubai Fountain in view. Order the Machbous Hessa, leave room for the pecan cookie, and finish with qahwa.
Location: First Floor, Waterfall Area (Fashion Extension), The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai
Opening hours: Daily from 10am, until midnight (1am at weekends)
Reservations: 04 261 1415 or book online
Instagram: @ana.restaurant
For more information, visit ANA Restaurant
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