The DSCVR guide to supper clubs in Dubai

The city’s obsession with communal dining continues.

In a city that prides itself on its plethora of celebrity chefs, upmarket eateries and exorbitantly priced ingredients, sometimes we crave something a little… different. A charming setting. A sense of community. An air of secrecy. And the undeniable appeal of home-cooked food. It’s no surprise, then, that our obsession with supper clubs continues. You’d be hard-pressed to name more than one or two supper clubs a few years ago, but today, there’s something for every palate in Dubai. Here’s proof.

Chef Halawa

Authentic Levantine cuisine is rounded off with sweet, stringy, gooey knafeh – that is any supper club hosted by Ahmad Halawa in a nutshell. Not only has the proud Palestinian chef hosted events at Inked, Kave and XVA Art Hotel in the past, but he’s also a proponent of the many benefits of beef bone broth, selling his own batches on a weekly basis.

Tano’s at 8

Hosted by Kinda and Sultan Chatila – a couple that draws culinary inspiration from their travels – Tano’s at 8 is all about everyone’s favourites. Basque burnt cheesecake? Check. Kibbeh arnabieh? Check. Cacio e pepe? Check again. So much more than a supper club, its Instagram account is chock-full of recipes, culinary tips and even a link to order straight from the delivery menu.

The Table Project

While things have been quiet over at The Table Project as of late, it certainly deserves a spot on this list. For starters, it has fed traditional Pakistani cuisine to over 500 people since its inception in 2019. And we’d be remiss not to mention the hundreds of meals it distributed to those in need at the height of the pandemic. Today, as it sells the likes of homemade kombucha, sauce and festive favourites online, we’ll await the return of its pop-ups with bated breath.

A Woman’s Table

What started as an intimate supper club inspired by female business owners and strong independent women now welcomes men, too, much to the delight of the unfairer sex. At the helm is none other than restaurateur Luma Makhlouf of Maiz Tacos and Good Burger fame, but A Woman’s Table revolves around dishes that are made with the freshest ingredients to create specific Palestinian dishes from her family cookbook.

Dinner Next Door

Designed to bring people together and facilitate meaningful conversation over delicious Palestinian dishes, Dinner Next Door alternates between Jeddah and Dubai. Its pop-ups are perfect for anyone on a culture quest as chef consultant and founder of Vous events management Tamara Malhis accents the dining experiences with film screenings, musical bingo, book clubs rooted in identity and more.

Hawkerboi

Earlier this year, we teased the mysterious identity of the chef behind this South East Asian supper club, but the fact remains: if hawker food is your MO, this is the one for you. Taking place at different locations across Dubai and selling out spots in mere minutes, it announced its presence in April but is already a bit of a cult favourite. For the uninitiated, hawker centres house a collection of street food stalls and are most commonly found in Singapore and Hong Kong.

The Curry Bureau

Contemporary, home-cooked dishes representing India’s coastal cuisine – need we say more? The Curry Bureau serves everything from spiced baby potatoes and fried fish to savoury pasties, pulled lamb tacos and – you guessed it – an array of curries, with previous pop-ups taking place at Alserkal Avenue and To The Moon And Back. Bonus: it also runs The Lunch Bureau, an online pasty shop where you can order gourmet Cornish pasties.

CASA 21

Describing itself as “a passionate tribute to intimate and modernist dining”, CASA 21 is all about high-end ingredients, impeccable plating and a side of theatrics – just one glance at its Instagram account is proof. Led by a passionate, self-taught chef named Jatin Suri, it has only been around for a few months, but boasts quite the following already.

Birria Tacos Night

There’s tacos – and then there’s birria tacos that bring sweet, savoury and sour flavours of a stew into a tortilla, which is then battered in the same stew and fried. Sound good? Meet Birria Tacos Night, a supper club that has mastered the art of its eponymous Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. Even better: it serves iterations stuffed with both slow-cooked lamb and beef.

Girl & the Goose

Meet Gabriella Grasser, the girl in question at Girl & the Goose, who’s affectionately known as Gigi. Serving Nicaraguan cuisine with a healthy twist, this supper club pays as much attention to the ambience (think: candles, playlist and lighting) as the dishes served. Past pop-ups have featured rondón, gallopinto, yuca croquettes, chicken flautas and more. The common denominator? Each is prepared and plated to perfection.

Haus of Vo

Another new launch on the supper club scene, Haus of Vo first attracted an audience by sharing its tasting menu on Instagram. Today, it keeps Dubai diners on its toes by serving Italian classics with avant-garde accents – think: red prawn carpaccio with seaweed caviar and duck breast with chilli and cinnamon-spiced apples in a port wine glaze. Décor elements like warm lighting, soothing music and great views are just the proverbial cherry on top.

Kuv’s Secret Supper Club

A whopping 92 menus later, Kuv’s Secret Supper Club is still going strong. Established in 2018, this invite-only supper club puts its guests at the wheel, with Kuv Sharma preparing everything from Caribbean feasts to Cajun cuisine, seafood-centric menus and more. Born in Bahrain and raised in London, the chef hosts guests in his garden, keeping both the location and details of the five-course menu secret until dinner kicks off.

 Taste of Owambe

Expand your culinary horizons at the Taste of Owambe supper club hosted by Man like Mus. Inspired by Nigerian “Owambe” parties, this intimate dining experience introduces attendees to classic festive dishes (think: jollof rice with lamb chops, peppered beef and grilled plantain, and more) and illustrates why the food is the best part of every Owambe party. Learn more here.

The Brunch Club

Saima Hamid may be known for her history of blogging and catering, but supper club aficionados are celebrating the fact that The Brunch Club is back after its summer break. Serving the most popular breakfast and lunch dishes from cuisines spanning the globe, this is a Dubai brunch like no other, especially as Hamid incorporates her cultural background (Pakistani and German) into this feast.