AL SEEF DUBAI What’s it really like

What is Al Seef Dubai

Al Seef Dubai is a very new, modern Creekside development in Dubai opened by Meraas. Meraas is an established developer that recently brought us La Mer in Jumeirah 1 and before that Box Park. The new Al Seef area has a distinct heritage feel about it as the buildings, set all along Dubai Creek, opposite Deira side, have been designed with very traditional facades. But there is a real modern feel to this place too.

It reminded me very much of an Al Bastakiya type area, but with much more to do and see. It’s also more spacious and easy to walk around.

Where is Al Seef Dubai located

Al Seef is set along side Dubai Creek and you need to head towards the Bur Dubai side of town, then follow the brown signs towards Al Seef. There is underground parking available. Then walk along the creek and stop where you feel like. So you’re very much in the older heart of Dubai. Here is the exact location via a Google Map.

What is open at Al Seef Dubai

When we visited there in November 2017 there were a few restaurants and cafés open. I recommend you walk as far as you can along the boardwalk first and then almost walk backwards to where you’d like to stop and eat and drink.

Food and Drink at Al Seef Dubai

The last place along Al Seef that we thought was open and we couldn’t really walk beyond, was the well-known Bikanerwalla cafe. That’s a South Indian chain famous for it’s dosas and other Indian vegetarian street food. The setting was the best of all the Bikanerwala restaurants I’ve been to in Dubai. Expect old, wind tower type architecture with places to sit both inside and out on the terrace, not far from the Creek.

There are more modern places all the way along the development. We really liked Kona Grill, almost at the beginning of the development. This would be a nice place to visit in the evening as it’s licensed to serve alcohol on the roof terrace! They have also have festive menu for the season which I think is really good value. We’ve put pdf’s of their Christmas and New Year’s Eve menus here:

Kona Grill Menu for Christmas

KG NYE Menu 2017

The food is good, pan Asian style cuisine. I recommend the crispy squid and any of the sushi combinations. There is good bar tender who makes a mean cocktail too. Kona Grill is part of well known American chain and this is their first outlet in the UAE.

The roof terrace is a great place to sit as it perfectly combines the new Dubai with the old. There are charming views of the older, wooden abras sailing along, lit up with fairy lights in contrast to the larger yachts moored in the harbour.

The backdrop to this marine activity are the two tall Rolex towers opposite, which really are established Dubai landmarks that were around well before the Burj Khalifa or the Burj Al Arab.

If you feel like a breakfast early one morning, then try ILA a little further down from Kona Grill. It’s a large Middle Eastern style restaurant/café that serves traditional breakfasts, lunch and dinner.

We recommend the coffee, fresh orange juice and the spinach manakeesh here. Again you can sit inside or outside, right by the creek. Then take a walk to the end of Al Seef to walk off your meal.

More restaurants are due to open soon.

We combined our day trip to Al Seef with an outing to the old souk area of Dubai where we bought some Christmas gifts at bargain prices. Think colourful painted pottery, Afghan pashmina type shawls and trinkets.

Day or Night in Al Seef Dubai 

Al Seef has a quite a different feel in the day to the night, and while it’s pleasant at both times, I loved walking around in the early evening. Then as it get’s dark, all the rows of lights come on and the atmosphere is very pleasant.

If you go early on a Friday evening, you’ll see a real microcosm of Dubai’s population here. Well Done Meraas for getting us all together along a major Dubai landmark, the Creek. But also well done for very cleverly combining the old with the new almost seamlessly.

Just a point though, while some of the cafes are reasonably priced, the cart vendors selling coconuts and hot dogs were overpriced in our view, but otherwise a great outing in Dubai. And a great new place to take visitors.

Update June 2019

For activities happening at Al Seef like EID FIREWORKS check this link. 

Eidiya Time at Al Seef 2019 

Entertainment, fireworks and fun on Eid night… which we think is Tuesday June 4th 2019. 

Has this article inspired you to go visit Al Seef? Let me know.

Thank you Monica.