Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, the beachfront hotel on Dubai's coast, opened a new restaurant called 1206 on its fourth floor on Friday, October 30, completing the property's growing collection of dining venues. The space, once an unused hidden room, has been transformed into what the hotel calls "The Hidden Room."
Chef Stephanie Hayward, who has worked in Michelin-starred kitchens, leads the kitchen at 1206. Her menu draws on British cooking techniques while pulling in French, Mediterranean and Scandinavian influences, built around a philosophy of using every part of an ingredient rather than discarding it.
A rooftop vegetable garden supplies some of the produce used in the kitchen, reinforcing the restaurant's farm-to-table approach. The wine programme is built around small, independent producers and grower champagnes - wines made and bottled by the same growers who farm the grapes, rather than large commercial houses.
The interior, designed by the New York-based studio AvroKO, was created to frame uninterrupted views stretching from the Burj Al Arab to the Burj Khalifa skyline, giving diners a panoramic backdrop to the meal.
1206 is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 6pm to 11pm, with a smart casual dress code. Children under the age of seven are not permitted inside the restaurant.
The opening adds to a wave of new dining concepts launching across Dubai's hotels as the city heads into its peak winter tourism season, when hospitality groups traditionally unveil new restaurants, bars and seasonal programming to attract both residents and visitors. For Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, 1206 rounds out a dining line-up that already spans several other restaurants across the resort.