Taste of Dubai 2026 in Dubai Media City

Dubai’s flagship food, drink, and music weekend returns to Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from Friday, February 6, 2026 to Sunday, February 8, 2026, with gates opening at 12:00 pm daily. You’ll find the venue on King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, Al Sufouh, Dubai Media City, Dubai, and organiser enquiries typically run through +971 4 834 8998 or info@mena-events.com. Standard advance tickets start from AED 80, and the event runs until 12:00 am on Friday and Saturday, then 11:00 pm on Sunday.

A festival built for tasting and discovery

Taste of Dubai has grown into a city calendar staple because it lets you sample widely, then commit later. You’re not booking one restaurant table for the night, you’re building your own route across pop-ups, bars, and stages. Meanwhile, the festival keeps the vibe moving with chef demos, roaming entertainment, and music pockets that shift from daytime chill to late-night energy. Families tend to come early for relaxed grazing, while groups often lean into the evening sets and lounge hopping. Over the last few editions, organisers have regularly positioned it as a mass-attendance, open-air celebration that pulls in tens of thousands across the weekend.

Celebrity chefs and the free live workshops

This year’s chef programme stacks big names, and it doesn’t hide them behind extra paywalls. You can expect sessions featuring Gino D’Acampo and Matt Preston, alongside Rachel Allen, Jenny Morris, Harry Heal, Fred Casagrande, Andrew Dickens, and Joseph Nesbitt-Larking. Workshops stay free with any entry ticket, however spaces fill quickly because they run on a first-come, first-served basis on the day. As a result, arriving earlier often matters more than buying a higher package if your main goal is a chef-led session.

Restaurants, tastings, and how to pace your day

Taste’s core promise stays simple: multiple restaurants in one place, serving taster-sized dishes, so you can explore without committing to a full meal at a single venue. Confirmed names in the current line-up include Leña Dubai, The Guild, Duck & Waffle, Akira Back, Demon Duck, Nama Yoso, LOWE, Lento, The Beam, Maya by Richard Sandoval, Indya by Vineet, Rhodes W1, Ting Irie, Khadak, and Suma Gourmet, with the final slot still subject to last updates. Expect 4–5 small dishes per restaurant, so it pays to split tastings with friends, then circle back for your favourites.

Tickets, vouchers, and VIP upgrades

Advance pricing currently places Standard at AED 80, while the Taster Package at AED 185 bundles entry plus two food vouchers and two drink vouchers, and the VIP Package at AED 350 adds fast-track access, extra vouchers, and time in the VIP Lounge. Vouchers get issued at entry, so you can start eating quickly instead of queuing to top up first, and you can redeem food vouchers at restaurant pop-ups across the site. If you want a more social, hosted feel, VIP tends to work best for couples and groups who plan to stay late, because it layers lounge comfort on top of the same festival access.

Friday Work Social teams and group-friendly planning

For offices and big friend groups, the Friday Work Social Team Packages target the lunchtime-to-afternoon crowd, and they’re built for groups of 10 or more. Pricing starts from approximately AED 130 per person, and it can include entry before 3:00 pm, food vouchers, and optional drink or lounge elements depending on what you book. You’ll need to arrange these directly by email, which is why organisers route enquiries to marketing@mena-events.com for the details and availability.

Music pockets, licensed lounges, and the artisan market

Beyond food, Taste leans on constant movement, so you rarely feel stuck in one “main stage only” routine. Live bands, DJs, and acoustic sets keep different corners active, and that variety helps you reset between tastings without leaving the site. The festival also runs as a licensed event, so guests who want alcohol should expect 21+ ID checks, while others can still cool down with soft drinks and mocktails. Meanwhile, the artisan market adds an easy browsing loop, especially if you arrive earlier with family and want a lighter pace between meals.

Getting there around Dubai and from nearby Emirates

Because the amphitheatre sits in Dubai Media City, late-afternoon traffic can build quickly on approaches from Sheikh Zayed Road and the coastal hotel corridor, so earlier arrivals usually feel calmer. Importantly, organisers note there is no dedicated event parking, and paid public parking nearby stays limited, so taxis and public transport often beat driving for convenience. If you use rail, the Dubai Tram around Media City can drop you close, and you can also connect via the Dubai Metro Red Line, then finish by tram, taxi, or a short walk depending on your preference. For visitors coming from Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, driving still works well, but it’s smarter to plan a buffer and arrive before the busiest evening window, then leave slightly before closing if you want to avoid exit queues.

Weather, timing, and the practical details that matter most

Forecasts for the festival weekend currently look dry and bright, with Friday, February 6 around 26°C high and 18°C low, Saturday, February 7 around 27°C high and 19°C low, and Sunday, February 8 around 28°C high and 19°C low, so bring sunscreen by day and a light layer for the evening breeze. Because parking is limited and there’s no dedicated event parking, you’ll have an easier entry if you use tram, metro connections, or taxis, especially after mid-afternoon. Ticket and door prices can change and should be treated as approximately, and the most reliable buying routes remain PLATINUM LIST and the on-site box office where available. Arrive early if you want chef workshops, because the free sessions fill on a first-come basis. Also, according to information gathered in the editorial checks at www.few.ae, the simplest “no-stress” plan is a midday arrival, then a slow build into the evening music sets.