Have you visited Dubai yet? If you’ve been lucky enough to make it, you’ll know that it’s a vibrant, cosmopolitan and exciting place to be. It’s also a city synonymous with luxury, decadence and opulence. It’s a memorable city to every one of its visitors.

A good cocktail should be just like this incredible city: glamorous, intense, interesting and highly indulgent. It should leave indelible memories. Dubai is, therefore, the ultimate inspiration for some amazing drinks that will leave your taste buds tingling.

Dubai in a glass: 11 of its best cocktails

Are you looking for a Dubai-inspired cocktail? Perhaps you’re planning a trip to Dubai and are looking to get in the mood, or perhaps you are hoping to conjure up some great memories of the city. Or perhaps you’re even there right now, looking for the right drink to put the crowning glory on a fantastic day in the city.

Dubai’s bartenders and mixologists have just the drinks for you. They’ve captured everything that’s wonderful about the place they live and put it in a glass. Here are 11 cocktails that evoke everything that is incredible about Dubai.

Reaching for the skies

One of Dubai’s highlights is its iconic skyline. Sipping a cocktail and gazing at the city’s stunning views is an unforgettable way to pass an hour or two. Not surprisingly, Dubai’s many extraordinary views inspire quite a few cocktails across the city’s bars.

Get a bird’s eye view at Vault on the 71st floor of the JW Marquis Hotel and try the High Rise Martini — a Dubai-inspired twist on a classic. It comprises house-infused vodka, Martini Bianco, fresh cucumber and green pepper. The JW Marquis is the tallest hotel in the world, so you’d have a hard time finding a cocktail spot higher than this.

Vertigo is served at Iris Dubai, a bar with great views of Burj Khalifa and the city skyline. Vertigo is a tantalizing mix of gin, homemade juniper syrup, lemon and soda.

Then there’s the Sky Sour served at Luna’s, a cocktail bar with views of downtown Dubai. The Sky Sour an unusual mix of rye-bread-infused Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey, fresh lime and sugar syrup. Luna takes its inspiration from the UAE’s national emblem the falcon, a symbol of bravery and luxury. Both its decor and its cocktails reflect this.

Beach-inspired cocktails

Trader Vic’s is known all-the-world-over for its tropical and Caribbean-inspired cocktails. It even claims to be home to one of the planet’s best-loved cocktails, the exotic Mai Tai. In its Dubai location, Trader Vic’s signature cocktail is the Pupule Punch. Inspired by Dubai’s beach life, the Pupule Punch is a colorful and decadent mix of light and gold rums, with a hint of almond and orange and a touch of grenadine. Perfect after a lazy day on the beach.

The Jetty Lounge is one of Dubai’s most spectacular beach bars and it’s popular with Dubai locals who come for the cocktails and the sunset views. Its Schooner cocktail is a refreshing mix of vodka, limoncello, lime and mint. Or try the Sloop — gin, rum, triple sec and passion fruit.

Ultimate luxury

One of Dubai’s best-known cocktails, and also thought to be its most expensive, is Diamonds Are Forever. Its decadent ingredients are Luxor 24K Gold Flake Champagne, Jerry Thomas’ Champagne Cognac and Lheraud Vintage Grande Champagne Cognac. It’s served for around a thousand dollars per glass at the iconic Burj Al Arab.

For another sophisticated Champagne cocktail (which is perhaps a little more budget-friendly), try the Fine Tipple which is served at R Trader. It’s a mix of Champagne, sherry, grapefruit and orange sherbet and Maraschino.

Flavors of the Middle-East

Bahri Bar at Madinat Jumeirah serves a number of cocktails that ooze local flavor and Middle-Eastern charm. If you’re visiting the city, it’s a charming place to spend an evening with an oasis-like waterside, Palm-filled terrace. It’s a lively spot too, with regular live music and DJs. One of their best-selling cocktails is Behind The Times, a mix of Scotch sweetened with a date and honey syrup. Or for a more refreshing drink, try Witch’s Heart. This is a gin cocktail with saffron, rosewater, lemon and rosemary.

Atelier M is a sophisticated place for a drink in Dubai and offers jaw-dropping views of the marina from its rooftop terrace. Its locally-inspired mint-tea flavored cocktail, the Detox Mule, also includes vodka, lime, apple cider vinegar, and ginger beer.

Where to find the best cocktails in Dubai

If you are lucky enough to be planning a trip to Dubai, you are in for a treat.

Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of places serving cocktails in Dubai. Licensing laws are strict, but you’ll still find hundreds of licensed bars within hotels and restaurants serving a range of cocktails to more than match bar scenes anywhere else in the world. Dubai is a city known for its extravagance, and its cocktail bars do not disappoint.

Dubai does not do things by halves. So, of course, you’ll find the world’s finest liquors and beverages being imaginatively mixed by some incredibly knowledgeable bartenders. The results are indulgent and luxurious or vibrant and fresh and always Insta-worthy, just like the city itself.

Aside from the bars already mentioned, Dubai’s best-loved cocktail spots also include Asian-inspired Buddha-Bar Dubai with a stunning top floor panoramic views in Dubai Marina, and Peruvian-inspired Coya Dubai at the Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach. With bars like these, getting a cocktail can definitely be viewed as one of Dubai’s ultimate experiences.

DIY cocktails

If you’re in Dubai for a little while, your budget might not allow for professionally-mixed cocktails every night of your trip. This doesn’t mean you need to miss out. If you fancy having a go at mixing cocktails in your accommodation, you’ll be able to purchase ingredients with an alcohol purchase permission. This is easily acquired by showing your passport at an alcohol store in Dubai, such as one of the many African and Eastern stores.

Of course, you don’t need to be in Dubai to enjoy these cocktails. You can mix up your own versions of any of these wherever you are and savor a little of the city from the comfort of your home too. Enjoy!

AUTHOR BIO

Valentina Chessa is the Retail Marketing Manager at African + Eastern, the largest alcohol retailer in the Middle East with a network of 28 stores in the UAE, 5 in Oman, and a team of over 400 professional staff. The company boasts an extensive portfolio of beer, wine and spirits, and customers can shop online or at one of its conveniently located stores.