Two Dubai restaurants got the kind of endorsement money can't buy this week: a visit from the Crown Prince.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's Crown Prince, was spotted at two of the city's buzziest tables within a matter of days. First up was Siena, the Italian newcomer in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which he visited on Monday, October 12, 2026. The restaurant only opened its doors in April 2026, so a royal lunch six months in counts as a serious seal of approval. He was filmed greeting Rizwan Kassim, founder and managing partner of Rikas Group — the hospitality outfit behind several of Dubai's most talked-about venues — before heading in, and later posed for a photo at the entrance.

The restaurant shared the moment on Instagram, calling it a true honour to welcome His Highness.

A few days later, on Thursday, October 15, Sheikh Hamdan turned up at SushiSamba at the St Regis on Palm Jumeirah for lunch. This one sits on the 51st floor of the hotel, which means sweeping views over the Palm — one of the best vantage points for Palm Jumeirah you can get while eating. SushiSamba posted a photo of the royal with the team and tagged his account, @faz3, in the thank-you note.

Royal diners are nothing new at SushiSamba. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has visited before, and the restaurant has also earned editorial love — it featured in What's On's list of 50 places they ate at this year and would happily return to.

For travellers, this is a useful snapshot of where Dubai's dining scene is right now. Siena represents the wave of new Italian openings shaping up DIFC as a lunch and business-dining hub, while SushiSamba remains a fixture for special occasions — Japanese-Peruvian-Brazilian fusion served 51 floors up. If a restaurant is good enough for the Crown Prince to hit twice in one week across two different venues' calendars, chances are the food, service and scene are on point. Both spots are worth a look if you're planning a Dubai trip and want restaurants with a bit of buzz attached.

Just keep in mind that venues like these book out quickly, especially for weekend brunches and prime dinner slots, so reserve ahead.