MENA Live Events in association with Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism announced this morning the highly anticipated return of Taste of Dubai, the city’s ultimate celebration of food, drink and music, set to take place in February 2025 at the iconic Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.
From Friday 6th – Sunday 8th February, Dubai’s favourite food festival will bring together 25,000 foodies, families, and friends for three days of mouth-watering cuisine, celebrity chef workshops, live entertainment, and unforgettable festival vibes.
The Bites
Showcasing 16 of Dubai’s best restaurants, each pop-up will design a menu of three to five ‘taster’ size dishes, so guests can make their way across the impressive line-up, selecting their favourites as they go. With every restaurant offering at least one vegetarian option and one kid-friendly dish, there’s something to please every palate. Dishes can be purchased at the event by credit/ debit card, or with vouchers included in select ticket packages.
The first 6 restaurants have been confirmed as:
- Leña
- Duck and Waffle
- Akira Back
- Demon Duck
- Lowe
- Khadak
A Star-Studded Culinary Lineup
The highlight of the festival, Taste organisers have announced the first line-up of their renowned celebrity chefs making appearances through the weekend. Catch them at the Taste Cook School, Chefs Hub, and Fire Pit to cook alongside them in exclusive workshops where you can learn their insider tips, tricks and best-kept kitchen secrets. And with Virgin Radio’s own Priti Malik hosting sessions, you know you’re in for a treat!
The first chefs have been officially announced as:
- Legendary Italian Chef & TV personality Gino D’Acampo
- Masterchef Australia Judge Matt Preston
- Ireland’s bestselling cookery writer and TV chef Rachel Allen
- Instagram Chef sensation Harry Heal
- South Africa’s Giggling Gourmet Jenny Morris
- Smoking Beard’s own Fred Casagrande
- UK’s favourite pitmasters Andrew Dickens & Joseph Nesbitt-Larking
Catch them all weekend in the Taste Cook School, Chefs Hub and Fire Pit!
The best part? All workshops are included for free with all event entry tickets. Sign-up for sessions will be first come, first served on the day of the event.
New Enhanced VIP Experiences
For those seeking an elevated festival experience, Taste of Dubai offers an upgraded VIP package, complete with fast-track entry and access to an exclusive lounge. Indulge in comfort, enjoy live music from a dedicated performer, and enjoy 3 food & 4 drink vouchers included with every VIP ticket. This premium experience is expected to sell out quickly, so don’t miss your chance to celebrate in style.
Beats and Bevvies
To keep the festival vibes pumping through the weekend, Taste of Dubai will feature multiple music pockets throughout the venue, each packed with everything from lively bands to intimate acoustic sets and more, so you can choose your vibe at any time. Plus, catch your favourite radio hosts Big Rossi and Remix Rich taking over the DJ decks to bring the party to the next level.
Looking for the perfect grape to pair with your dish, or some refreshing hops to cool down after your dancing? Guests can head to one of several 21+ licensed outlets designed by your favourite favourite African and Eastern brands.
For the Kids
Have some little chefs at home? Kids can keep busy in special ‘Little Chefs’ cooking workshops through the weekend.
Keep an eye out for a myriad of kid-approved activations throughout, and when it’s time to fuel up, little ones will have plenty of options,as all restaurants will serve a kid-friendly dish to keep their energy and bellies full.
Best of all, children 12 and under enter the event for free!
Shop Till You Drop
What better way to walk off a gourmet meal than with a little shopping? An impressive market of artisan vendors and established brands will be selling their treats and trinkets, sampling their products and more!
Keeping it Local
New for this year, keep an eye out for a selection of home-grown local businesses showcasing their products, specially chosen by MENA Live and Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism. Plus, expect special cooking sessions, guiding guests through delicious traditional Emirati dishes.
Early Bird Ticket prices have been announced and are on sale at Platinumlist for a limited time before prices increase. With a variety of ticket options to choose from, guests can pick their experience to make the most of their Taste weekend.
Tickets can be purchased at: https://dubai.platinumlist.net/event-tickets/103459/taste-of-dubai-2026
Early Bird Prices
- Standard: AED 60 *children under 12 go free
- Taster Package: AED 175
- VIP Package: AED 299
- Friday Team Packages: starting from AED 135 per person.
Packages:
General Admission
- 1 day entry to the event
- Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)
Taster Package
- 1 day entry to the event
- 2 food vouchers
- 2 drink vouchers
- Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day
VIP Package
- 1 day entry to the event
- Fast- track entry to the event
- 3 food vouchers
- 4 drink vouchers
- Access to the Taste VIP Lounge including dedicated entertainment, plush seating options and more.
- Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)
*All food and drink vouchers are distributed at the time of entry into the event.
*Food vouchers may be redeemed for any dish at any restaurant pop-up.
*Drink vouchers may be used for house beverages, select VIP lounge cocktails or mocktails, soft drinks or water.
Looking for the perfect team building outing for your organisation? New this year, Taste of Abu Dhabi will be offering specially designed packages for companies to take Friday team lunch to the next level. Please contact [email protected] for rates and details.
