14 places
You eat right in front of Surf Abu Dhabi's wave pool and watch surfers drop in.
Sea views along the Mamsha Al Saadiyat beachfront.
Harbour views from the Etihad Towers, with Lebanese food to match.
A terrace on Yas Marina looking straight over the moored yachts.
Sourdough-crust pizza on a terrace that looks straight out at the Gulf.
A beachfront terrace on Saadiyat with the water a few steps away.
You eat a health-focused breakfast or lunch with the sea directly in front of you and the sun setting over it.
Pier-side tables over the water at Yas Bay, looking across Al Raha Creek.
Seafront tables a few steps from the sand, with grilled lobster and the catch of the day.
A table above Fashion Avenue that overlooks the Dubai Fountain, at café prices instead of a fine-dining bill.
A floating restaurant on the UAQ lagoon, with water on every side of your table.
A long terrace right on the water with sea and Hajar mountain views, and a pistachio chocolate kunafa to finish.
Grilled seafood looking out to Dibba Rock, with fish (and sometimes turtles) in the water below the deck.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and a terrace near the top of the UAE's highest mountain, where it's noticeably cooler than the coast.