Il Ristorante – Niko Romito Dubai

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Singular Vision of Italian Cuisine in Dubai

On Jumeira Bay Island, within the Bvlgari Resort Dubai, Il Ristorante – Niko Romito brings one of Italy's most rigorous culinary minds to the Arabian Gulf. The restaurant earned a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star award in 2026, a distinction that reflects both the precision of the kitchen and the considered elegance of the entire experience.

The Space

The interior is composed of marble, wood, and leather, with a bold black ceiling that draws the eye upward and creates the sensation of dining beneath an open night sky. Portraits of celebrities adorned in Bvlgari jewels — Sophia Loren among them — line the walls, grounding the room in the maison's storied heritage. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame uninterrupted views of the turquoise Gulf, and when the weather allows, the terrace opens onto the marina, where the finest Italian wines taste even better in the open air.

The Chef and His Approach

Chef Niko Romito's progressive Italian cuisine is rooted in career-long research into precise cooking techniques. Inspired by regional Italian specialties and classical flavors, his approach transforms familiar traditions into something distinctly original — each dish the result of methodical development rather than improvisation. The staff are generous with both recommendations and the cultural context behind what arrives at the table, making the meal as informative as it is pleasurable.

What to Eat

Seafood is a particular strength here. The warm king crab salad with Osetra caviar, steamed scorpionfish with mussels, clams and red prawns in a rosemary, sage and tomato sauce, and linguine with lobster and red prawns are among the dishes that define the kitchen's character. Cold, made-from-scratch tagliolini with Mazara red prawns, Osetra caviar and almond is another standout — delicate in construction, bold in flavor.

Seasonal five- and seven-course tasting menus offer the most complete way to move through the kitchen's range, and wine pairing options are available for both formats.