11 exciting ways to spend the weekend in the UAE

It's finally Thursday! Here's what's happening this weekend across the UAE.

HEAD TO PEPE’S PRI PRI FOR DH1 WINGS: Pepe’s Piri Piri, opened its newest location in Dubai Motor City. In celebration of the grand launch, Pepe’s Piri Piri, is having a special deal for all chicken wings lovers. On Thursday, December 10, from 12pm to 3pm, Pepe’s chicken wings in any of the six Pepe’s Piri Piri flavours will be available for only Dh1. Kick-off your weekend with some wings.

VISIT WINTER WONDERLAND AT JBR: Winter Wonderland is in Dubai and has some great festive options to enjoy for the whole family. Get into the spirit with a visit to the Winter Wonderland at JBR, featuring an all-new digital pavilion, several street performances, a glice-skating rink, a visit from Santa, as well as all the traditional favourites. Entry for a single activity starts at Dh28, with various options to access all activities for you and your family. Tickets must be purchased online in advance as only a limited number of entries will be provided for each designated time slot throughout the village to keep to a strict capacity.

ENJOY AN UNLIMITED BREAKFAST FOR DH50: Kad Ché is offering an unlimited breakfast every Friday and Saturday from 8am to 4pm for Dh50 per person. The healthy lifestyle eatery, offers everything, from french toast with banana, honey or Nutella, to avocado toast and eggs. Set amidst a hip backdrop of cool, industrial interiors, it’s a great place to try more dishes for less.

TRY A WEEKEND BEACH DAY OFFER: If you’re looking to get your tan on this weekend, head to the new Aprons & Hammers Beach House now open at Palm Jumeirah’s West Beach. The award-winning seafood eatery is sporting a fresh new look, complimented by sandy shores and views of Dubai Marina and Ain Dubai. The beachfront eatery features alfresco seating, loungers on the sand, towel service and access to shower facilities, so you can team your seafood feast with a spot of swimming and sunbathing. Just spend Dh150 per person on the weekend, which is fully redeemable on their delish F&B. While weekdays are Dh100 minimum spend.

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS WITH DUBAI’S BIGGEST MULTI-STOREY FESTIVE CALENDAR: Zabeel House by Jumeira, The Greens, is home to the biggest Advent Calendar in Dubai. Transforming its exterior windows into eye-catching Festive Calendar doors, the neighbourhood hangout’s Christmas-themed display is viewable from surrounding streets.

TRY A SPECIAL CHEFS TABLE IN ABU DHABI: With Abu Dhabi Culinary Season now in full swing with culinary events for all types of foodies on offer in the capital, an all-new nine-course menu, the Chef’s Table Special Edition will be available at FAE Café from 10 – 12 December. Three of the region’s top chefs, Chef Khaled Alsaadi, who heads up FAE Café, Chef Greg Malouf, the Modern Middle Eastern Master and Michelin chef, and Chef Bethany Kehdy, the Lebanese American culinary expert and cookbook author have joined forces for the curation of the nine-course special with each chef taking on three courses each.

CHECK OUT THE TREE LIGHTING AT EMIRATES PALACE: The festive spirit is set to officially take over the UAE capital with the annual lighting of the Emirates Palace Christmas tree, which can be enjoyed by those booked for a festive afternoon tea experience, as part of this year’s Abu Dhabi Culinary Season. Residents and tourists are also invited to enjoy the socially distanced ‘switch on’ of the lights on December 12, at 7pm by watching their first-ever virtual tree lighting ceremony at @adculinaryseason on Instagram.

WEEKEND FAMILY SEAFOOD LUNCH: Head down to Samakje and in true family-dining fashion, choose from a variety of mezze and mains, sized to share. The set menu includes popular dishes with Samakjé’s unique twist, such as Lobster Kibbeh, Batata Harra, Roasted Muhammara, as well as fish for guests to choose from. Children have their own dedicated menu which includes Rakakat (cheese rolls), fish sticks and french fries. The set menu is priced at Dh195 per person or Dh295 including arak. The kid’s set menu goes for Dh55 per child.

ALL YOU CAN EAT DIM SUM SATURDAYS: A great Chinese restaurant is a rare find in Dubai and Long Yin at Le Meridien Dubai is one of the longest standing and most popular Chinese hotspots for a reason. Try something a bit different this weekend with All You Can Eat Dim Sum Saturday for Dh119 per person. Plus there’s a lovely terrace to take advantage of the beautiful weather. The dim sum lunch kicks off at 12.30pm until 3pm, while the dim sum dinner is from 6pm to 9pm. Saturdays only.

SPEND SATURDAYS AT CE LA VI: Ce La Vi Dubai is launching a Saturday perfect for the final hours of the weekend. Sit back and enjoy the Dubai weather outdoors as if you are transported to the South of France. Taking place every Saturday, ‘As the Sun Goes Down’ promises live entertainment, delicious food and breath-taking views of the Burj Khalifa. The new weekly event welcomes guests between 2pm and 6pm, to enjoy a lunchtime party similar to that in the French Riviera. To top it all off, ladies can indulge in unlimited house beverages between 2pm and 5pm for Dh150.

VISIT THE NEW FABRIQUE: The Fabrique, an artisanal butchery and deli, has opened its doors in JLT. The homegrown concept has been launched by the team behind much-loved brand Sausage Fabrique, who evolved to meet the demands of their fans. The new menu introduces much-loved dishes with brand new recipes, including the top-selling Spicy Italian Sausage and The Fab Burger. To kick off the first venue on a high note, The Fabrique has launched three new sandwiches, the Korean Bulgogi Beef Hot Dog (soy-marinated gourmet rib eye, beef sausage, caramelised onions, Japanese mayo), K-pop Korean Dog (panko fried chicken sausage, kimchi pickled slaw, crisp onions and Japanese mayo) and the Korean Bulgogi Loaded Fries (spiced French fries with beef bulgogi, kimchi pickled slaw and Japanese mayo).