Perched high on the 70th floor of the SLS Dubai Hotel and Residences, Fi’lia is a stunningly stylish Italian restaurant with an even more stunning view. Enormous floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light through the day, allowing the perfect vantage point for sunset shots in the evening and panoramic views of the skyline into the night. The interiors are modern and elegant, with touches of pale green and brass, as well as comfy sofas and a double pizza oven at the centre. This is also Dubai’s first female-led restaurant and has won a Michelin Bib Gourmand for the quality and value of the food.
Start off your meal at Fi’lia with one of the restaurant's playful cocktails. They are split into nonna, mamma, fi’lia (grandmother, mother, daughter), with each category taking on a different style. Try the Lucia, a mix of St Germain, bubbles, flowers and rose water, or the Alessandra, which sees vodka paired with watermelon, yuzu, balsamic and basil. There are also plenty of mocktails, beers and soft drinks to choose from, as well as an extensive list of primarily Italian wines. For the full Italian experience, try a classic aperitivo before your meal, such as an americano or negroni.
The food menu is similarly packed with classic Italian dishes. Choose from a huge range of antipasti such as burrata three ways, sea bass carpaccio, saffron arancini, vitello tonnato or octopus with potato. From there, it’s on to the pasta, including pappardelle al ragu and clam puttanesca, or risotto such as wild mushroom and black truffle. While there are plenty of main courses like chicken, bream or meatballs, we recommend going for something from ‘la famiglia’ section. These include large sharing plates like a whole rack of lamb or salt-crusted branzino. Finish with a fan-favourite Italian dessert such as tiramisu.