The Review
José Avillez is the most decorated Portuguese chef working today — the holder of multiple Michelin stars in Lisbon, including the two-star Belcanto, one of the Iberian Peninsula's most prestigious tables. When he chose Dubai for his first restaurant outside Portugal, he chose the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, a hotel that sits on Jumeirah Beach Road with an infinity pool and terrace cantilevered over the Gulf. The combination of Avillez's reputation, a Mandarin Oriental address, and a terrace that looks directly across the Arabian Gulf toward the sun setting over the horizon was, on paper, a rather effective argument for a Michelin star. The Michelin Guide agreed.
Tasca occupies the sixth floor of the hotel, with the terrace extending toward the water and an interior that is warm and considered without being imposing. The menu is structured as a love letter to Portuguese cuisine — specifically, to the kind of Portuguese cooking that Avillez has spent his career refining and sharpening. The fried octopus, cooked until the exterior is lightly caramelised while the interior retains its tenderness, is a masterclass in a dish that looks simple and is anything but. Piri-piri chicken — spiced, properly charred, and served with the correct accompaniments — is simultaneously comfort food and fine dining, the kind of dish that reminds you why Portuguese cuisine is among the world's most underestimated. Blue lobster cataplana is the showpiece: the traditional copper pot arrives at the table, is opened tableside, and releases a cloud of steam carrying the scent of the sea, saffron, and tomato. The wine list features the largest selection of Portuguese wines in Dubai, and the sommelier team clearly knows it.
The Friday brunch, running from 12:30 to 4pm, has become one of the most recommended of Dubai's luxury brunch options — Portuguese food at Michelin level, in a setting where the Gulf light is at its most beautiful. Dinner service runs Tuesday to Sunday from 6:30 to 11pm. The terrace and indoor dining rooms both have views; the terrace is the preference in cooler months, the interior in summer.
Tasca is, in the context of Dubai's dining scene, a genuinely distinctive voice. In a city where French, Japanese, and Italian fine dining are well-represented, a Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant with José Avillez's pedigree represents real cultural capital. For anyone who wants to demonstrate knowledge of Dubai's restaurant landscape beyond the obvious choices, Tasca is the correct answer.
Best for Impress Clients
The case for Tasca as a client dinner is built on three pillars: chef pedigree, hotel address, and culinary distinctiveness. A client who follows food will recognise José Avillez immediately — his Lisbon restaurants are on every serious European dining itinerary — and the choice of his Dubai table signals that you are someone who tracks the best new openings in the city rather than defaulting to the obvious. The Michelin star provides the institutional validation for those who need it. The Mandarin Oriental context does the rest. As a working dinner, the terrace produces a relaxed energy that encourages conversation, and the menu's Portuguese focus makes it genuinely interesting — a meal to discuss rather than simply consume.
Best for Close a Deal
Tasca's Jumeirah location removes it from the DIFC power corridor, which is, for the right kind of meeting, an advantage. A lunch or dinner here signals deliberate choice rather than geographic convenience. The terrace creates the physical separation from an office environment that makes conversations more honest. The tasting menu format provides a natural rhythm to the meeting — each course is a transition point, a reset. The Portuguese wine list is a conversation starter for anyone with European connections. And the Michelin star means you never have to explain your choice to a counterpart who equates stars with seriousness.
What to Know Before You Go
Tasca by José Avillez is located on the sixth floor of the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira hotel, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai. Dinner is served Tuesday to Sunday from 6:30pm to 11pm; Friday brunch from 12:30pm to 4pm. The terrace is recommended for months between October and April; the interior is preferred during summer. Reservations through the Mandarin Oriental website are essential — the restaurant does not typically have walk-in availability at peak times. Smart formal dress is required. Valet parking is available at the hotel entrance. For special occasions, contact the restaurant directly to arrange any additional requirements.
Also in Dubai, for Michelin-level cuisine with distinctive national identities, see Trèsind Studio for Indian contemporary fine dining on the Palm, and Il Ristorante by Niko Romito at Bulgari for another globally celebrated chef's Dubai expression. For Impress Clients dining with genuine culinary credentials, see our global occasion guide. For Close a Deal restaurants across Dubai, Tasca offers an alternative to the DIFC circuit that rewards the choice to look beyond the obvious.