Surf Club Dubai

All-Day Coastal, Done Properly

Surf Club is one of Palm West Beach's anchor tenants and, based on longevity and award recognition, arguably its most consistently good all-round venue. It is not the flashiest option on the boardwalk — that title flips between various newer arrivals depending on the month — but it is the one that opens first (9am), closes last (1am), serves the most complete food programme, and maintains the most consistent standards across breakfast, lunch, sunset and late-night service. Very few Dubai beach clubs bother with proper breakfast; Surf Club treats it as a primary daypart.

The design is what the name implies but done well rather than themed. Vintage surfboards are mounted on weathered-wood walls, rattan furniture and macrame hangings soften the dining areas, a California-bohemian colour palette of tobacco, cream, rust and muted teal runs throughout, and the outdoor deck merges into the Palm West boardwalk without a hard boundary. Ceiling fans in cane shades, mid-century rattan chairs, linen napkins on unvarnished tables — the visual language is closer to Byron Bay or Malibu than the chrome-and-gold Dubai default, and it has aged well.

The food programme is the reason Surf Club has won multiple Dubai restaurant awards. The kitchen runs California-inspired coastal cuisine — fresh fish off the wood-fire grill, Mediterranean-influenced sharing plates, fresh pasta, genuinely excellent wood-fired pizza, and a breakfast programme that runs proper plates (shakshuka, avocado on toast, acai bowls, eggs Benedict, açaí, huevos rancheros) rather than a token continental buffet. Portions are generous, produce is visible, and the kitchen holds its standards throughout the day.

The beach and pool set-up is the final piece. Private Surf Club sunbeds line the sand directly in front of the venue, a pool deck behind offers alternative loungers for guests who prefer freshwater, and cabanas sit between the two. The sunset view — looking west directly over the Arabian Gulf, unobstructed — is one of Palm West's best, which is why Surf Club's sunset service is the most-booked part of its calendar. Compare all Palm West Beach venues →

California-Coastal, All Day

Surf Club's kitchen is genuinely impressive in a category (Dubai beach clubs) where food is almost always the weakest component. The menu is structured as California-coastal Mediterranean — fresh fish and seafood cooked over wood fire, Italian-influenced sharing plates, fresh pasta made in-house, and a wood-fired pizza section that would hold its own against Dubai's dedicated pizzerias.

Breakfast is the under-appreciated highlight. From 9am the kitchen turns out proper plates: shakshuka in a cast-iron pan, avocado toast with poached eggs and chilli flakes, eggs Benedict on sourdough, acai bowls with granola and fresh berries, huevos rancheros, banana pancakes. The fresh juice and coffee programme is strong (proper espresso from an Italian machine). Weekend breakfast tables book out by 11am. Lunch and dinner move into heartier territory — whole grilled fish, slow-braised short rib, truffle ravioli, wood-fired lamb chops, crispy calamari, a well-executed ceviche.

Drinks are deliberately all-day too. A concise but strong cocktail list leans into tequila, mezcal and agricole rum for sunset service (palomas, spicy margaritas, mezcal mules), with a classic bar programme from 6pm. The wine list is balanced — Italian, French and New World whites suited to the fish-heavy menu, rosé by the glass, and a small but thoughtful champagne selection. A full non-alcoholic programme — kombucha, fresh juices, coconut water straight from the fruit — supports the breakfast and lunch dayparts.

Menu Highlights