The Best Brunch in Abu Dhabi
Brunch in Abu Dhabi means two different things. There is the weekend hotel brunch, licensed and long, and there is the all-day breakfast culture that runs seven days a week in the cafes on Saadiyat, Al Bateen and Khalifa City. This covers both, because most people searching for one end up wanting the other.
Checked August 2026. Brunch packages and hours change often. Confirm directly before booking.
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Piotr Arnoldes / Pexels
How we rate brunch
Every place is scored out of 100 on five things, so the order is repeatable rather than a matter of taste.
Google rating
Public rating, with 3.5 treated as the floor.
Review volume
A 4.9 from 700 people is weaker than a 4.7 from 3,000.
Brunch specialist
A dedicated brunch or all-day breakfast venue outranks a restaurant that serves eggs.
Community word
Local forums and independent write-ups, which surface neighbourhood places.
Price
Value counts, and Abu Dhabi brunch spans a very wide range.
No venue pays for placement and none is a GulfOnline advertiser. Figures were read in August 2026 and will drift.
GulfOnline Recommends
Six picks for six different reasons, chosen on the criteria above and not for payment.
Society Abu Dhabi
A 4.7 across 3,117 reviews, a terrace over Soul Beach with white sand and turquoise water, and coffee reviewers rate among the best in the city. The seaside setting is doing real work here, but the food holds up on its own.
Eggcellent
Breakfast from half seven until ten at night, waterfront seating, a crispy chicken croffle with its own following, and prices well under what the location suggests. Dog-friendly, with a menu for them.
The Brewhouse Gastro Pub
On the 18th floor with a 4.9 across 1,185 reviews. Sharing platters, cocktails made by people who know what they are doing, happy hour until seven, and it runs to four in the morning.
Market at EDITION
A 4.9 across 716 reviews, breakfast served until four in the afternoon, and an outdoor area people single out. The most polished room on this list, and priced accordingly.
Hatay
The Turkish breakfast spread for three is enough for a family and comes in well under a hotel brunch. 4.8 across 2,158 reviews. Ask for proper tea glasses rather than the paper cups.
Caffeino
The most reviewed cafe in the emirate at 4.9 from 5,592, with breakfast and brunch plates at prices that genuinely surprise people given the waterfront seating.
The 10 best brunch spots in Abu Dhabi, ranked
Ordered by score. Ratings and review counts are what Google showed in August 2026.
1. Society Abu Dhabi
The setting is the draw: a terrace looking over Soul Beach, white sand and turquoise water, stylish without being stiff. Breakfast and brunch are the strongest part of the menu, the seabream gets consistent praise, and the coffee is rated among the best in Abu Dhabi. Sit outside if the weather allows.
- Soul Beach, Mamsha Al Saadiyat
- 8am to 10pm, to 11pm at weekends
- Beachfront terrace
- Book ahead at weekends
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Cláudio Castro / Pexels
2. Eggcellent
All-day breakfast done properly, from half seven in the morning to ten at night, on the Marasy waterfront. The crispy chicken croffle is the signature order, the coffee is strong, and there is now a menu for dogs. Prices are noticeably lower than the setting suggests.
- Marasy, Al Bateen
- 7.30am to 10pm daily
- Dog-friendly with a dog menu
- Good value for the location
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Malcolm Garret / Pexels
3. Caffeino
The largest review base of any cafe in the emirate and still a 4.9. Brunch plates, avocado egg toast and iced matcha alongside a very long menu, with outdoor seating and scenery. The carrot cake is the thing people come back for.
- Al Bateen, W35
- 7am to midnight daily
- Avocado egg toast, carrot cake, Umm Ali
- Extremely reasonable for the area
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Adela Cristea / Pexels
4. Laverne Cafe
The central choice, and the best benedicts on this page. Classic and salmon versions arrive on warm croissants with the hollandaise judged rather than poured, and the poached eggs come out properly runny. Calm enough to read in.
- Souk WTC Mall, Al Danah
- 7am to 1am daily
- Eggs benedict on croissant, avocado toast
- Quiet, good for working
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels
5. The Brewhouse Gastro Pub
The licensed option, eighteen floors up, and the highest rated venue on this page. Sharing platters, well-made cocktails, happy hour until seven and a kitchen that runs until four in the morning. The room is small and the window reflections spoil the view a little at night.
- Cristal Hotel, Level 18, Madinat Zayed
- Noon to 4am daily
- Licensed, happy hour to 7pm
- Small space, book at weekends
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Amanda Hemphill / Pexels
6. Market at EDITION
The most polished room here, in the Abu Dhabi EDITION, with breakfast running until four in the afternoon so there is no rush. Beautifully presented plates, a strong outdoor area, and service that generally matches the price. Closes at five.
- The Abu Dhabi EDITION, Al Bateen
- 6.30am to 5pm daily
- All-day breakfast until 4pm
- The most expensive on this list
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Change C.C / Pexels
7. Hatay
A full Turkish breakfast spread, and the best-value group brunch in the city: the three-person set feeds a family comfortably. Warm room, generous mezze, and grills if breakfast is not the plan. Two consistent gripes are small portions on some items and tea served in paper cups unless you ask.
- Khor Al Jafrah Street, Al Khalidiyah
- 9am to midnight daily
- Turkish breakfast for three feeds a family
- Ask for proper tea glasses
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Orhan Pergel / Pexels
8. Afya Restaurant
Inside the Traders hotel by Al Maqta bridge, opening at six in the morning. Breakfast mixes traditional and modern, the yoghurt gets singled out repeatedly, and there is a BBQ buffet in the evenings. Quieter than the Saadiyat and Bateen options.
- Al Maqta Tower, Rabdan
- 6am to 11pm daily
- Traditional and modern breakfast, BBQ platter
- Easy parking
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Amar Preciado / Pexels
9. Saddle Cafe
The mainland brunch standby, open from six in the morning to one at night. Acai smoothies, flat croissants with berries and cream, and a room that stays busy all weekend. Priced a shade above the neighbourhood, which regulars accept for the consistency.
- Street 7, Khalifa City, Al Raha Gardens
- 6am to 1am daily
- Acai smoothie, flat croissant
- Slightly overpriced, consistently good
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich / Pexels
10. Barbossa
Mexican, licensed, on the Yas Bay waterfront, and the liveliest room on this list. Tacos that people call the best they have eaten, strong cocktails, and themed nights with live performance. More a long lunch than a brunch, and it runs to three in the morning at weekends.
- Yas Bay Waterfront, Yas Island
- Noon to 1am, to 3am Thursday to Saturday
- Licensed, live entertainment
- Chorizo, shrimp and lamb tacos
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: AI25.Studio Studio / Pexels
How brunch works in Abu Dhabi
There are two kinds. The weekend hotel brunch is a set-price package, usually Friday or Saturday, often licensed, and runs three or four hours. The cafe version is all-day breakfast, seven days a week, ordered from a menu. Most searches for brunch here actually want the second.
Saturday is the bigger brunch day now that the UAE weekend is Saturday and Sunday, though Friday brunch is still widely advertised and searched.
Licensed venues are hotels. The Brewhouse and Barbossa serve alcohol because they sit inside licensed premises. Standalone cafes do not, which is normal here and not a mark against them.
Book at weekends, particularly anywhere on the water. Society, Market at EDITION and The Brewhouse all fill.
Ramadan changes everything. Daytime service is limited across the board and iftar replaces the evening trade for the month.
Illustrative image, not the venue. Photo: adrian vieriu / Pexels
Common questions
What is the best brunch in Abu Dhabi?
Society at Mamsha Al Saadiyat scores highest on our criteria, with a 4.7 across 3,117 reviews and a terrace over Soul Beach. Eggcellent at Marasy ties it on score for all-day breakfast, and The Brewhouse is the pick if you want a licensed brunch.
Is brunch on Friday or Saturday in Abu Dhabi?
Both. Since the UAE weekend moved to Saturday and Sunday, Saturday has become the bigger brunch day, but Friday brunch is still widely offered and remains heavily searched.
Where can I get a licensed brunch in Abu Dhabi?
The Brewhouse Gastro Pub at the Cristal Hotel and Barbossa on Yas Bay are both licensed. Alcohol is served only in licensed venues, which in practice means hotels.
Where is the best all-day breakfast in Abu Dhabi?
Eggcellent at Marasy serves breakfast from 7.30am to 10pm, and Market at EDITION runs breakfast until four in the afternoon. Caffeino and Laverne both do brunch plates all day.
How much does brunch cost in Abu Dhabi?
The range is very wide. Cafe brunch plates are modest, Hatay’s Turkish breakfast for three is among the best value for a group, and hotel brunches at the EDITION sit at the top end.
Do I need to book brunch in Abu Dhabi?
At weekends and anywhere on the water, yes. Society, Market at EDITION and The Brewhouse all fill up. Midweek at a cafe you can usually walk in.
Fancy something else?
Every category we have covered in Abu Dhabi so far, ranked and scored the same way.