Dubai just got a fresh reason to dress up for dinner. ZEA opens today, January 22, inside Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC – and it arrives with the kind of confidence that says: “Bring your friends, your date, and an appetite.” Rooted in Mediterranean rituals of gathering and celebration, ZEA serves food that’s honest, lively cocktails, and a vibe that shifts smoothly from focused dining to a buzzing late-night hangout.
What makes ZEA worth the table
If you’re a fan of ingredient-first cooking, you’ll be in the right place. Chef Donovan Clive Christian leads the kitchen with a focus on clean flavours, premium produce, and fire-driven technique – expect coastal touches from France, Italy, Spain and Greece, with a surprising Peruvian wink that keeps things bright. Signature dishes to keep an eye out for: corn-fed baby chicken, Australian Wagyu tenderloin, lamb chops, black cod and silky fresh pastas. Sharing plates – think Wagyu Tomahawk or a whole Dover sole – are there for those who believe dinner is a group sport.
A cocktail list that packs a passport
ZEA’s drinks program mirrors the menu: herbaceous, citrusy, and Mediterranean by design. Cocktails built on botanicals and European spirits pop alongside a nod to pisco – that Peruvian wink again – and the wine list leans Old World (France, Italy, Spain) with premium by-the-glass options plus champagnes for when the evening needs to be officially celebratory.
The people behind the plates
Prateek Chitkara, the founder, says ZEA is about abundance, connection and shared moments – the whole “grain of life” concept in action. Benoit Perelli has been named General Manager to shepherd ZEA’s transition from dinner into a lively late-night scene; his hospitality track record suggests the operation will be polished as well as playful.
The vibe
The interior is design-led and built to evolve across the evening: intimate and refined at first, then more animated as music, crowd and cocktails pick up. Seating capacity is about 130 – comfy but buzzing – making it a spot that fits candlelit conversations and post-dinner socialising alike.
How to approach it
- Go for the sharing plates if you want to feel properly Mediterranean – don’t be shy, lifting the lid on a Tomahawk is oddly communal and deeply satisfying.
- Order something with smoke or char: the open-fire technique is a highlight; a little char translates to a lot of flavour.
- If you’re indecisive, the pisco-accented cocktails are a fun way to taste the Peruvian-Mediterranean crossover.
ZEA feels like the sort of place Dubai needed: rooted in a tradition of gathering, built for modern nights out, and confident on both food and cocktails. Whether you’re in DIFC for a power dinner, a romantic date, or a slow-moving late-night that goes til the early hours – ZEA’s got the menu, the music, and the mood to match.
Fancy a reservation? They’re likely to be popular – this one’s made to fill quickly. (And if you go, bring friends. Mediterranean meals are best when everyone’s reaching across the table.)
Contact & Location:
Phone – +971564026633
