Brought to you by PINZA and Hattem Mattar; FIYA, a newly opened restaurant nestled in Meydan’s Keturah Reserve, is the latest enviable community concept, with over 35,000 diners seated since its opening. The attention being received has meant they have been booked out most nights, and this welcomed demand continues as word spreads.
The new eatery is based around a live fire spectacle, which gives FIYA its powerful name. There are four main fires, while the open concept grill - the only one of its kind in Dubai - does the bulk of the work. All of this is surrounded by a completely unique olive tree environment, with growth going back a thousand years. With such vivid ambience and landscaping, it is almost as if one is camping in a historic space.
FIYA is the brainchild of, namely; decorated chef Hattem Mattar – the world’s first Arab pitmaster, Dubai taste maker and culinary ambassador to the UAE Embassy in Washington DC; Tamer El Khayat and Faisal Yabroudi, founders of PINZA!; and the founders of Matcha Club. FIYA’s warmth reflects their imaginative expertise and understanding of regional tastes, as well as the long-standing collaborative, cross-continental partnership, going back decades.
This is the third successful project chef Mattar, Faisal and Tamer have embarked on together since their partnership in 2015 and when this pairing comes together, magic happens. The menu reflects their different tastes, with Faisal’s love of burgers and Hattem’s affection for the smoker.
The restaurant’s neighbouring features provide ample scope for different people to fall in love with it, but especially those looking for a classy dining ambience with great food options. FIYA perfectly blends into the curated ambience and emphasises activity and creativity with its picturesque Keturah landscape making the restaurant an Instagram landmark for popular sunset snaps. Matcha Club themselves added to the design and therefore vibe, look and feel. Lucas Basset-Chercot and the team helped to elevate the space; the padel courts especially accentuate the overall ambiance.
The most popular menu item is the Double Smash Picanha Burger. This is two freshly ground picanha patties smashed on the plancha ‘til crisp, smothered in secret FIYA sauce and topped with a mix of vintage cheeses and special pickled cucumber relish, on a toasted brioche bun.
There are premium options and they include the Wagyu Tomahawk MB4/5 Grain Fed, which is slowly roasted over live embers for hours till tender and juicy. Hattem’s Smoked Pastrami Brisket f’teer with House Mustard Drizzle, freshly clay oven baked is causing quite a stir too, much like the Wagyu Ribeye MB8/9 Mayura Chocolate Fed - a five hour slow roasted, 285g hand carved steak that’s a treat for the tastebuds.
FIYA is nestled in Meydan as part of Keturah Reserve, one of Dubai’s most sought-after residential areas to immerse residents in nature through the ‘Bio Living’ concept that incorporates nature into the built environment to improve the physical, mental and emotional health of its occupants. This ethos is reflected in FIYA’s hospitality, atmosphere, and service.
Within FIYA is Bar Zero, which is the first non-alcoholic bar in Dubai. Bar Zero promotes mindful consumption, with beverages being prepared with a low concentration of sugar. A sustainable approach is being adopted with plans on growing herbs in a garden for customers to hand-pick and add to their drinks. This is an inclusive place where conscious or tee-totaler customers can enjoy their beverages in a guilt-free environment.
FIYA’s opening hours are 6pm to midnight Tuesday to Friday and 12pm to 1am Saturday and Sunday.
