Night in Dubai: The air is hot, the streets are full of people, and the skyscrapers are gleaming. I’m at Jun’s restaurant sipping the Pure Coast Cocktail, a delicious combination of tequila, mezcal, pomegranate, elderflower, citrus, and grapefruit soda. I closed my eyes, savored the fresh, refreshing cocktail, and reminded myself that I was enjoying the drink outside a licensed establishment where drinking is illegal.
In Islam, the city’s main religion, drinking alcohol is forbidden. Under Sharia law (the religious legal system of the Islamic faith), even indirect association with alcohol is not allowed. It is interesting, therefore, that a report by the World Health Organization shows that Emirati drinkers consume almost twice as much alcohol each year as the global average, surpassing traditionally alcoholic Western countries such as the UK, Ireland, the US, and Australia.
Global Data shows the UAE spirits market will be worth $7.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow by at least 13% in five years. These figures include 85% of the expatriate population but do not include the approximately 14.36 million tourists visiting Dubai annually.
But if drinking is illegal, how did it happen? Why is cocktail giant Diageo hosting its 2023 bartending contest here? How did three popular bars in Dubai make it onto the World’s 50 Best Bars list?
Dubai has a loophole that allows non-Muslim tourists and foreigners living in Dubai to drink alcohol at certain licensed locations. These licensed restaurants, hotels, and hotel bars have contributed to the epic rise of Dubai’s cocktail scene.
With nearly 13,000 restaurants in Dubai (11 of which are Michelin-starred), quality food is enjoyed by discerning customers looking for high-standard cocktails. Some bars are located in world-class brand hotels, such as Nikki Beach and SLS, while others are found only in Dubai. For many bartenders, Dubai is the perfect place to hone their craft, dazzle drinkers with something new, and, most importantly, get recognition.
Kelvin Cheung is an award-winning Canadian chef who opened Jun’s restaurant in downtown Dubai in 2019. After opening two successful cocktail bars in India, he knew Dubai was the best next step.
“All the big companies [in the food and cocktail world] are here now,” he tells me as he shows me a brightly colored new drink. “Dubai has a dense multicultural diaspora, and what starts here goes international. If you want something to happen, it happens here.”
Cheung’s unique cocktail menu reflects his multicultural past as the child of Asian immigrants who grew up in Toronto lived in India, and traveled the world. The food and cocktail menu is very personal, and the taste is edgy. He even has a drink called PB&J, a nod to his ’90s lock-key boyhood.
He pointed to the gleaming lights of palm trees lining the spotless streets of downtown Dubai, where luxury cars were parked. Everything here is glitz and glamour, unique and extraordinary. Zhang Xiang believes that distinctive and delicious cocktails have emerged because fresh and unique ingredients are readily available. “We can import anything,” he said. “We can have anything we want. And it’s not very expensive. With such a high consumption rate, we can buy quality products at a good price.”
Later that week, I sat at Ginger Moon, a Bohemian poolside bar and kitchen in the W Hotel Mina Seyahi. This adults-only hotel opened just over a year ago. I looked down at the vast yacht moored in the beautiful artificial harbor, the breeze blowing by as if it were artificial.
Ginger Moon understands the importance of providing guests with a quality cocktail experience and treats mixing drinks as an art. The cocktail menu is written like a poem, lyrical and vivid, opening with descriptions of “flying on the wild side” and “lost in the jungle.”
I’m tasting their “No Waste” dinner menu, part of Dubai Food Week, which highlights this year’s theme: sustainability. Food and beverage manager Emanuel Ferraz designs a cocktail from kitchen leftovers for each course. The kitchen led the project, allowing Ginger Moon’s bartenders to get creative, combining new flavors and playing with sweet and salty.
“There’s a big connection between the W brand and cocktail culture; it’s in our DNA,” Ferraz says as I sample his gin, tomato, and basil blend. “When (guests) arrive at the hotel, they expect to find something unique. (They wanted) something different from the classics, something very luxurious, and (for us) cocktails are a big part of that.”
Like everything in Dubai – new buildings, meals at Michelin-starred restaurants – cocktails are made with precision. As soon as I stepped onto the luxurious Emirates flight and was greeted by the perfect vintage aircraft, I was blown away by the city’s ability to capture its five-star glow in a glass. Drinks in Dubai are more than just drinks; they are masterpieces of art that represent the charm and great success of the UAE.
