Restaurant Spotlight: Alici, Stellar Seafood Restaurant In Dubai That Impresses With Its Italian Flavors

Meaning 'anchovies' in Italian, Alici serves the finest seafood preparations with an Italian twist in convivial and casual chic surroundings in Dubai. Located on the seaside of Dubai’s Bluewaters Island, Alici evokes the persona of a chic Italian trattoria, with its Amalfi Coast-inspired food and breezy décor.

Contemporary cream interiors are blissfully interrupted by art and pottery, most of which has been hand-painted by Italy’s famed ‘The Anchovy Man’, well-known for his artworks on marine life. Dining here can truly be described as an immersive experience where you can sample the best of Italian seafood interpretations while enjoying the stunning waterfront views of Dubai’s Marina district.

Touted as a seafood restaurant, Alici really delivers on its promise of serving delectable preparations featuring anything and everything that thrives underwater. Alici’s simple yet varied menu showcases fresh catches of Mediterranean and locally sourced seafood – all sustainably fished. The menu is indeed quite extensive but not overbearing, and if you’re an indecisive foodie, you can always depend on the friendly waiting staff that is always ready with great recommendations.

As far as our recommendations go, we highly suggest starting your gastronomic journey with their Signature Ricci e Ricciola– a handmade spaghetti dish of sliced amberjack, pomegranate, and apple drizzled with a tart lemon dressing and diced chunks of sea urchin.

We also quite like their Fritto Misto- fried selection of calamari, prawns, purple potato, and zucchini, so make sure to try that as well.

If you like Rissotto, you will love Alici's rendition with Mazara Prawns & Burrata, which has the perfect creaminess and a melt-in-your-mouth texture to it.

Another stand-out pasta dish here is their Spaghetti Alici E Mollica, featuring chunks of anchovy and tossed up with capers, black olives, and toasted breadcrumbs. The anchovies, olives, and capers add a healthy dose of salt to an otherwise creamy dish, and the toasted breadcrumbs bring the texture to an unexpected crunch.

This gorgeous place offers the ideal setting for dates, and if you are visiting with your significant other, their platter of freshly shucked oysters will serve as the perfect aphrodisiac to set the tone for your romantic evening.

Coming to the desserts, Alici being an Italian restaurant has a whole gamut of them to choose from. Their Baba’ al rhum e lamponi (classic Italian dessert) and signature Cheesecake al Limone, made with lemon mousse, wild berries, and vanilla soil are our personal favorites that hit just the right spot.